Frosted alfalfa

Alfalfa may start growing in the spring while some freezing nights are still occurring. This has caused many management questions among farmers.

Milk2016 (ALFALFA-GRASS): Index Combining Yield and Quality

Undersander et al. (1993) developed a method for estimating milk per ton of forage dry matter (DM) as an index of forage quality of alfalfa and grasses. The milk per ton index of Undersander et al. (1993) is based on energy content of the forage predicted from acid detergent fiber (ADF) content and DM intake potential of the forage predicted from neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content.

Packing Bunker and Pile Silos to Minimize Porosity

Attaining a high silage density is important for two primary reasons. Most importantly, density and dry matter content determine the porosity of the silage.

Growing high-quality grass for dairy rations requires attention to detail

As interest grows in adding grasses to dairy rations (to add digestible fiber and improve cow performance and health), many dairy producers find themselves learning about a feedstuff they haven’t grown or used in many years. This Fact Sheet will explore some reasons for feeding grasses, discuss some of the agronomic considerations producers need to think about when growing grasses for […]

Relative Forage Quality

Relative Feed Value has been widely used for ranking forage for sale, inventorying and allocating forage lots to animal groups according to their quality needs, as well as determining when to harvest.

Managing hail-damaged alfalfa and red clover

For determination of keeping stand of new seedlings: Determine whether the seedlings have developed crowns (pull a plant and feel if ridge between root and top growth which usually develops when plant is 3 to 4 inches tall). All seedlings without crowns and with damaged terminal buds will die. Count remaining plants and keep stand […]

Alfalfa removal in the spring

While removal of old stands is recommended with fall applications, many fields are now slated for removal due to winter-kill. This can be challenging, but options exist depending on the situation. Below I discuss management options for common scenarios this spring.

Yield and management of Roundup-Ready alfalfa

Establishment of dense vigorous stands of alfalfa is essential for long-term profitability, but establishment can be challenging because seedling alfalfa is vulnerable to competition from annual weeds and wind and water erosion. Roundup Ready Alfalfa was re-introduced last year as a new tool available to farmers growing high-quality alfalfa. While not for everyone, it will be useful for many alfalfa growers.

Estimating Alfalfa RFV in the Field Using PEAQ

Step 1: Choose a representative 2-square-foot area in the field. Step 2: Determine the most mature stem in the 2-square-foot sampling area using the criteria shown in the table to the right. Step 3: Measure the length of the tallest stem in the 2-square-foot area. Measure if from the soil surface (next to plant crown) to the […]

Effect of seedling year stress on future alfalfa yields

Stress in the seeding year reduces future yields of alfalfa. This occurs because the seeding year determines the stand plant density as well as individual plant size and vigor. The following paragraphs will show that autotoxicity, potato leaf hopper, cover crop, and, possibly, drought stresses in the seeding year will reduce alfalfa yield in future years, even when the stress is gone.

Diagnosing and managing winter aflafa injury

Winter Injury occurs someplace in Wisconsin every year. Being able to diagnose and manage winter damaged stands may help prolong stand life and increase production. Below is a brief discussion on diagnosing and managing winter damaged alfalfa.

Drive-over silage pile construction

Properly constructed, a drive-over silage pile can provide efficient and economical silage storage. Proper design, filling, covering and feed-out is critical for optimizing silage dry matter recovery from a drive-over pile.