QUESTION #2Can I just graze my alfalfa with cattle rather than baling and feeding it to them? Buying and maintaining hay equipment costs more and more every year. |
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SHORT ANSWER: Grazing alfalfa can be
profitable for experienced cattlemen who understand critical management practices.
Producers who are not familiar with managing livestock on lush forages should be extremely
careful and attempt grazing only on a small scale. Grazing has a reputation for shortening
the life of alfalfa stands, compared to harvesting alfalfa for hay. This is largely a
misconception if proper management practices are followed.
Positive Aspects -- Some reasons one should consider grazing alfalfa include the following: Harvesting alfalfa in spring by grazing can reduce weather-related problems associated with normal first-harvest time (late April and early May). First-cutting hay yields are normally high, resulting in large windrows. The hay is difficult to dry and frequently requires 5 to 10 days without rain. As a result, most first-cutting hay is rained on before it gets dry enough to bale. Alfalfa grazed in early April will probably not be ready to harvest again before May 15 to 20. The frequency of rainfall may be reduced by that time; thus, hay will dry more rapidly with less chance of rain before baling. The volume of hay will be reduced, and it may be easier to cure. In the spring, producers often need high quality forage for stockers that were maintained on wheat pasture during winter. Alfalfa can be used for this purpose, and gains can be comparable to those on wheat (frequently more than 2 lb/day). Grazing alfalfa infested with alfalfa weevils and/or infested with aphids during spring can result in decreased insecticide use. When alfalfa is flash grazed, habitat for insects is removed, and some insects are killed. Fewer insecticide treatments may be required. Summer grazing is especially attractive when hay yields are low during July and August due to drought. Summer grazing also is a good way to utilize thinning stands infested with grasses. Forage quality of these grasses is good, and grass in alfalfa reduces the chances of bloat. Grazing in late fall and winter is the most economical means of utilizing alfalfa forage. One of the best mean of reducing alfalfa weevil infestations is grazing in the fall after a hard freeze. Grazing effectively reduces sites for weevil egg-laying. Negative Aspects -- Grazing alfalfa is associated with many negatives, as evidenced by the fact that very few producers in Oklahoma routinely graze alfalfa. Fear of losing animals from bloat is the most frequently cited reason for not grazing alfalfa. Lush alfalfa growth in early spring is the most likely to cause bloat. All alfalfa varieties cause bloat, including those called "grazing alfalfa." Careful management of animals can minimize bloat problems. Some widely accepted ways to lessen bloat problems follow. Bloat is less of a problem during the summer; nevertheless, normal precautions should be taken to guard against it.
Stand loss problems (another reason for not grazing alfalfa) can be minimized by removing animals when the soil is so wet that animals leave deep tracks. Grazing alfalfa in early April increases the potential of cool-season grassy weeds in the second alfalfa harvest. Vigorous alfalfa often smothers out grasses during April. Removing alfalfa allows light to reach the grasses and they are then able to compete with alfalfa and produce seeds. If weed-free hay at second cutting is the target, a herbicide with residual action should be applied during the dormant season. Economics of Spring Grazing: A strong advantage for grazing is the reduced cost of harvesting alfalfa. Stocker gains of more than 2 lb/day are attainable. Alfalfa yields of 3/4 ton/A can be assumed in early to mid April. Assuming stockers consume 15 lb/day, 100 stocker-days/A are present. Allowing 1 week to consume the available forage, about 14 head/A would be used, gaining 28 lb/A. At 30¢/lb of gain, almost $59/A could be earned. Cost of grazing would include poloxalene and dry hay (for bloat control), fencing, medicine, labor, etc. Producers can make good money using a few animals on a small acreage and rotational stocking if they manage to keep bloat losses to a minimum. Producers who cannot (or do not want to) move hot wires for rotational stocking and watch the animals closely daily should not risk grazing as an option. Economic return is a reason for interest in summer grazing. Cutting, raking and baling cost $21/A/cutting. If weed-free hay sells for $80/ton and summer yields are 1/2 ton/A, only $14/A would remain after harvest and hauling costs. Example #1: If grazed, assuming 1 lb. of gain for each 10 lb. of forage, 100 lb. of beef gain could be achieved. One hundred pounds of gain would be worth $30/A at current rental rates (30¢/lb. gain). If a producer owns his own cattle, a higher return could be achieved. Instead of making hay, a better option may be to graze droughty alfalfa in late summer. Grazing is the least expensive way to harvest alfalfa. When alfalfa is droughty in the summer, bloat problems are controllable. During late summer when alfalfa stops growing, flash grazing can be a very good way to harvest. As during any other time of year, it is best for alfalfa stands to graze with a high enough stocking rate to clean up the field in 7 to 10 days. If only a few head of cattle are available, cross fences with hot wires can be used to force animals to clean up an area before moving to another area. Example #2: Stockers can gain between 1.5 to 2.0 lb/day on this type of forage. Considering 600 lb/A of alfalfa present and light-weight stockers consuming 15 lb/day, there is about 40 stocker-days of forage/A. Stocking at 4 stockers/A, the field could be cleaned up in 10 days. If they gained 1.75 lb/day worth 30¢/lb of gain, the forage is worth about $21/A, about the same as the value of hay, without harvesting equipment costs. As with spring grazing, cost of grazing includes fencing, water, bloat guard, labor, etc. GRAZING PRACTICES: There is no single acceptable practice for grazing alfalfa. Both continuous and rotational stocking are possible and can be successful. To reduce the chances of damaging stands and to maintain stocker gains of 1.5 to 2 lb/day, some type of controlled or rotational grazing should be practiced. There is no set rule on number or size of paddocks; however, paddocks should be small enough to complete grazing in less than a week, ideally. Four or five weeks recovery should be allowed before another round of rotational grazing. A good program would be to divide the field into eight paddocks and graze each paddock four days. Cattle should be removed when fields are muddy to prevent damage to alfalfa. Rotational stocking (grazing for 5 to 7 days followed by regrowth for 4 to 5 weeks) will result in high forage production and animal gains. In general, good hay-type varieties respond to cutting for hay and rotational stocking in the same way. Ill effects of thinning alfalfa stands can be minimized by rotational stocking. Animals should not be left on any particular part of the field longer than a week. If animals remain on a field longer, much of the available forage is lost by trampling and new regrowth will be eaten. Rotational stocking alleviates both these problems. Continuous stocking of hay-type alfalfas (and probably grazing types) should be managed so that alfalfa is not grazed shorter than 6". This means stocking rates are adjusted several times during the growing season by removing and introducing animals as dictated by rate of alfalfa growth. Research at the Grazinglands Research Laboratory at El Reno has shown that this is a good method for stockers, resulting in gains of more than 2 lb/day using 'Cimarron' (developed as a hay-type variety). Many producers find that the system is difficult because of the need to divide the herd and adjusted stocking rates with each change in growing conditions. Research and demonstration conducted at the Noble Foundation showed that stockers gained over 2 lb/day throughout four different summers with three different hay-type alfalfa varieties. Under their conditions, however, producing alfalfa for hay was more profitable than alfalfa for grazing. OTHER REFERENCES: Grazing Alfalfa. Certified Alfalfa Seed Council, P.O. Box 1017. Davis, CA 95617-1017. Oklahoma Farm and Ranch Custom Rates, 1993-94. Raleigh Jobes and Darrel D. Kletke. OSU Current Report CR-205. Pros and Cons of Grazing Alfalfa. C.A. Griffith (Noble Foundation). 1990. Proceedings of the 46th Southern Pasture and Forage Crop Improvement Conference. Overton Texas May 7-10. Pages 90- 93. Beef Production from Continuously Grazed Alfalfa. Jerry D. Volesky and Daniel P. Mowrey. 1993. Forage and Livestock Field Day. USDA-ARS Grazinglands Research Lab. El Reno OK. Pages 20-22. Southern Forages. 1991. Don Ball, Carl Hoveland, and Garry Lacefield. Order from Potash & Phosphate Institute. P.O. Box 922149. Norcross, GA 30092-8149. (Approx. $25) |
QUESTION #3My old alfalfa stand has 1 foot of regrowth after my September harvest. Should I cut it one more time or graze it ? |
| SHORT ANSWER: Flash-grazing alfalfa after the first killing
freeze (20o F) in November or December is likely to be the better option
instead of trying to make hay. EXPLANATION: Haying Option. Making hay in late October or early November is difficult because of poor drying conditions, i.e., low temperatures, high relative humidity, and reduced solar radiation. Another consideration is the value of the hay. The value of hay would be about $40/A (gross), assuming 1/2 ton/A at $80/ton. When harvesting costs are about $21/A, only $19/A remains. This amount will hardly cover costs of hauling and storage. Remember, this optimistically assumes you can bale the hay before it is damaged by precipitation. ECONOMICS: Grazing would cost much less than haying, assuming no stocker death loss occurs from bloat. Using a grazing value of $60/ton, the 1/2 ton/A yield would be valued at $30/A. From this value, you must subtract bloat prevention, fencing, getting water to the site, and labor. Grazing after frost helps control insects. During grazing, habitat for alfalfa weevil egg laying is removed, reducing the number of eggs available for hatching the following spring. Flash-grazing on dry fields after a good freeze will also result in some control of broadleaf weeds. The hoof-action of the livestock will cause uprooting of small weeds. OTHER CONSIDERATIONS: It is unlikely that stand life or plant health would be drastically affected by cutting or grazing between October and January. This assumes proper fertilization, good drainage, adapted variety, etc. See Question #2 in this series about grazing practices and bloat precautions. |
QUESTION #4My new stand of fall-planted alfalfa is about 1 foot tall. Should I graze or cut it this fall? |
| SHORT ANSWER: If the forage is not critically needed, the best
option would be to leave it until spring. If the forage is needed, flash-grazing in
January after the alfalfa goes dormant would be all right. EXPLANATION: Trying to cure alfalfa hay in late fall (November) is difficult. Although some plants are 1 ft tall, the amount of hay that can be harvested is usually be less than 1/2 ton/A. When weeds are not a problem: Normally, grazing or cutting fall-sown alfalfa is not recommend that fall or winter. These seedling plants usually stay green throughout the fall and early winter, and considerable root growth occurs during this period. In addition, as indicated above, usually there is not enough alfalfa forage to justify harvesting. When weeds are a problem: Alfalfa growth stops when shaded by weedy grasses, such as rescuegrass and volunteer wheat. Large grass plants are normally not effectively controlled with herbicides, so flash-grazing may be the only economical control option. We recommend flash-grazing as soon as the grasses out-grow the alfalfa and most of the alfalfa is being shaded, or as soon as there is a hard enough freeze to stop above-ground growth of the alfalfa (usually 15o F or colder for seedling plants). Forage production from these areas would vary from 1/4 ton/A to 1/2 ton/A. So the value of the forage available for grazing would vary form $15 to $30/A. Grazing pressure should be sufficient to remove the forage in a couple of weeks. Also, livestock should not be permitted in fields that are wet. Tracking will damage the plants more than weeds. OTHER REFERENCES: Question #2 in this series about grazing practices and bloat precautions. |
QUESTION #5My alfalfa was about 10 to 12 inches tall when that hard freeze hit last week. I checked the field this morning and found tops of most stems are bent over. Will these stems recover or must the plants regrow from the crowns? (early to mid-spring) |
| SHORT ANSWER: If plant terminals have been killed by the
freeze, the best option would be to remove the foliage already present by cutting or
flash-grazing and encourage new growth from crowns for a profitable harvest later.
EXPLANATION: Damage to alfalfa by freezing temperatures at some point after growth of the first crop is well underway is not unusual in Oklahoma. The ability of the alfalfa to recover depends upon whether plant terminals have been killed. Terminals Not Killed. If most terminal buds look green and alive after 2 or 3 days, then cutting is not recommended. There may be some loss of leaves, but regrowth of the stems will begin in about 1 week. Terminals Killed. If nearly all terminal buds are killed, then regrowth will begin from axillary leaf buds and/or crown buds, depending on the amount of foliage damage. If freezing kills most stems, then regrowth will be from crown buds. This regrowth usually begins 1 to 2 weeks later. Top Terminals Only Killed. If only some of the top terminals are damaged, then damaged stems that are still alive tend to inhibit growth of crown buds. As a result, recovery time before alfalfa would start growing again could be 2 to 3 weeks. Farmers who cut or flash-graze their damaged alfalfa in these situations encourage rapid crown bud growth and recovery. Harvesting Options. The available forage at this time would be only about 1/2 ton/A, so there is probably not enough forage to pay for harvesting. However, the quality of the hay would be excellent and the quicker recovery time resulting from removing the freeze damaged forage would help offset some of the expense of taking a "short" harvest. It is unlikely that frost during this season would have any drastic effect on stand life, assuming a vigorous stand with proper fertilization, good drainage, adapted variety, etc. Flash-grazing would be a cost-effective way to remove damaged forage. The forage needs to be removed as quickly as possible and proper precautions need to be taken to prevent bloating. RELATED COMMENTS. Insects: Hard freezes during March and April can have important consequences for alfalfa weevil and aphid control. It has been observed that little mortality to insects occurs unless plant terminals are actually killed. If terminals are "burned" slightly and wilted due to freezing temperatures, then insects will not be killed. However, with hard freezes, losses due to reduced forage production may be offset by some killing of insect pests. When a late freeze occurs soon after spraying, much of the value of insecticide application is lost because foliage is frozen; consequently, insects have no food. Weeds: Cool-season weedy grasses may become more important when growth of alfalfa is slowed due to freeze damage or when the forage is removed at this stage. Many grasses are still in the tiller stage and suppressed by the alfalfa growth during this period. If alfalfa is damaged or forage harvested, then weedy grasses will receive more sunlight and continue growing. Herbicide treatments under these conditions have not been conducted; however, it is doubtful any herbicide would be effective, as the weeds would be fairly mature. OTHER REFERENCES: Alfalfa Weevil and Its Management in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Facts 2097. Alfalfa Aphids in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Facts 7184. |
QUESTION #6I just checked my alfalfa that has grown to a height of 12 to 15 inches since it was sprayed 3 weeks ago. There are a lot of alfalfa weevil larvae and aphids present, and it appears damage is being done. Should I spray again or cut? (early April) |
| SHORT ANSWER: The most profitable option would be to spray
again and allow the alfalfa to grow for another 2-3 weeks so there will be enough forage
to make a good cutting. EXPLANATION: Both insect and plant-related factors must be considered in making this decision. As for the insects, it is still early in spring, and a high probability generally exists that populations of both weevils and aphids may continue to increase for a few weeks. (During some years this may not be true.) Scouting Is Important. Careful sampling of insects in alfalfa using the "shake-bucket" method will provide a good assessment of current insect populations. At the very least, there may be many small weevil larvae that will continue to grow and cause greater damage than is now occurring. Some type of control measure will likely be needed to prevent serious losses in forage production. Early Cut. Cutting in early April would also be an option. Forage quality during vegetative growth is high, and cutting this early one time would not normally damage a healthy stand. However, there are some other factors that need to be considered. First, the yield obtained at this stage would only be about l ton/A compared to 2 ton/A at bud stage. Also, cutting in early April when large numbers of insects are present may result in extensive insect feeding in windrows and damage to regrowth under windrows. In addition, aphid numbers may increase in the regrowth. It is unlikely that temperatures will be hot enough in early April to dry hay rapidly for baling and removal and to expose insects to conditions that will kill them. In addition, cutting in early April can increase problems with cool-season weedy grasses. Often cool-season grasses are suppressed and even suffocated by vigorous alfalfa growth in the spring. As a result, there is little grass in the first cutting and none in the second cutting. If the alfalfa is cut too early, then the grasses can regrow fast enough to be competitive with the alfalfa. This results in significant grass in the second cutting (25% or greater grass content) and a decreased value of hay. Although cutting early could save the cost of an insecticide application ($8-$20/A), harvesting would cost about $21/A, and the amount of forage obtained would be greatly reduced in comparison with hay cut at bud or early bloom stage. It is unlikely that money saved by not spraying could offset the reduction in earnings for the first hay crop. Certainly, part or all of this reduction may be made up in the second crop or later in the season. The high probability of insect damage to hay in and under windrows and the need for an insecticide application on regrowth, make the early cut option quite risky. The best choice would be to make another insecticide application if field sampling indicates it is needed. As there are still 2-3 weeks before the average date of first cutting, harvest intervals after application should not be a problem. OTHER REFERENCES: Alfalfa Weevil and Its Management in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Facts 2097. Alfalfa Aphids in Oklahoma. OSU Extension Facts 7184. Scouting for the Alfalfa Weevil in Oklahoma. OSU Current Report CR-7177. |
QUESTION #7My new alfalfa looked good last fall, but all I see now is grass. Should it be sprayed, and what should I use? (early April) |
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| SHORT ANSWER: The best option now is to cut the area when the
weedy grasses are in the boot stage (seed-heads emerging from the grasses). EXPLANATION: It is too late to control weeds with herbicides. Cool-season weedy grasses are too mature for herbicides to work efficiently. Early cut at boot stage: Cutting when grassy weeds are in boot stage will result in about 1 1/2 ton/A of hay, and forage quality will be good (Tables l & 2). Cutting at this stage also minimizes weed stress on alfalfa. Forage value of cheat-alfalfa hay at this stage would be: 1 1/2 tons/A of cheat-alfalfa hay (70% cheat, 12% protein hay) at $50/ton = $75/A. Normal cut: When alfalfa is starting to bloom and cheat is in the soft dough stage, forage value would be: 2 tons of cheat-alfalfa hay (75% cheat, 9% protein hay) at $30/T = $60/A. There is a $15 advantage to cutting early when cheat is in the boot stage compared to a normal cutting time. There is also about 1/2 ton/A of weed-free alfalfa ($40 value) produced in second cutting that can be added to the cutting taken when cheat is in the boot stage. This would result in a boot stage cutting with a $55 advantage over the normal cutting time. Another disadvantage of waiting until normal cutting time is the increased potential for killing plants. Alfalfa seedlings stop growing when shaded by weeds and will die if cutting is delayed too long. This is very damaging since poor stands decrease alfalfa yield over several years, and most likely result in shortened stand-life. Cut at jointing stage of cheat: Cutting weedy grasses too early
results in regrowth of weedy grasses; thus, weeds will also be in the second cutting.
First and second cutting hay yields associated with cutting at early-boot stage of cheat
would be: Flash-grazing at boot stage: Another good option for managing grassy alfalfa would be to flash-graze the forage at the boot stage of the cheat. The value of forage available for grazing (1 1/2 ton/A) is estimated to be $90/A. This is $15 more than the hay value. RELATED COMMENTS: Seedling alfalfa is not very competitive with weeds, so it is common to have weeds such as cheat and volunteer wheat in new stands. If soil nitrogen levels are low (30 lb/A of N or less), then weedy grasses do not grow vigorously and often go unnoticed until they start jointing in April. If nitrogen level is above 30 lb/A, however, weedy grasses respond to the nitrogen by tillering and growing enough to "out grow" the alfalfa in the fall. This can result in essentially no alfalfa production and even stand loss. It is also important to control insects in seedling alfalfa. Insect stress on alfalfa will decrease the stand's ability to compete with weeds. Alfalfa weevils are often a problem, but their leaf damage is easy to detect. In contrast, blue aphids are more apt to go unnoticed and cause serious damage. Only a couple of blue aphids on small plants will stunt or kill them. Also, some insecticides used for weevils are not highly effective for aphid control. OTHER REFERENCES: Question #2 in this series about grazing practices and bloat precautions. Table 1. Protein concentration and crude protein production of alfalfa and cheat at first harvest as affected by time at first cutting at Perkins, OK.
Table 2. Dry-matter production of alfalfa and cheat at Perkins and Chickasha Oklahoma as affected by time of first cutting, with and without cheat overseeding.
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QUESTION #8I have hay down that needs another day to dry; rain is on the way; what should I do? What about hay preservatives? |
| SHORT ANSWER: Assuming you do not have access to a preservative
and/or application equipment, you should wait and bale when the moisture content of hay is
less than 20%. (18% is safer.) EXPLANATION: Hay baled at moisture contents exceeding 18% is subject to excessive heating and mold. Some heating and mold may be acceptable if the hay is fed to beef or dry dairy cows, but it should not be fed to high producing milk cows or horses. Using preservatives requires proper planning, chemical selection, and application equipment. The two most common preservatives used are organic acids and inoculants. Organic acids, such as propionic acid, can be used to treat hay up to about 35% moisture. They are sprayed onto forage as it enters the baler. Proper equipment is essential to insure uniform coverage of the hay. Organic acids act as fungicides, inhibiting growth and reproduction of microorganisms that cause heating and molding in wet hay. One of the major drawbacks to using acids is their effect on equipment. If a baler is not cleaned properly after each use, corrosion and rust can cut the life of the baler in half. Another potential problem is odor. The acid vapors can be annoying, especially in poorly ventilated storage. In addition, treated hay often has a bleached appearance. The combination of odor and off-color can make acid-treated hay difficult to market, especially to dairy producers and horse owners, sometimes resulting in a reduced price. Equipment requirements include an applicator with a positive displacement pump, at least two nozzles and a tank. Chemical application rates depend on the hay moisture content at baling. To be effective, chemical formulations should have at least 60% propionic acid. Equipment and chemicals costs range from $8/ton to more than $12/ ton. Inoculants consist of enzymes and bacteria that enhance bacterial growth. Hay inoculants are labeled for forages up to 25% content and are applied during baling in liquid or granular form. Equipment and chemical costs range from $2 to $5 per ton. The effectiveness and economic benefit of inoculants is questionable considering the relatively narrow range of moisture contents. This problem is compounded by the difficulty in getting an accurate measurement of the true moisture content of forage prior to and during baling. TRADE-OFFS: Calculating costs vs. benefits for preservatives is difficult and inexact, at best. If a treatment saves 1 or 2 ton/A of high quality hay from repeated rains and destruction, it can be worth $40 to $60/ton. Nothing is more expensive than baling tons of "formerly high-quality hay," just to get it out of the field and to be rolled into gullies. But this is what happens occasionally when hay is cut and caught in several rains. Sometimes the hay has no value but must be removed so the plants can regrow. On the other hand, if preservatives are applied to hay, but rain does not come, producers are out the cost of treatment with no benefit. Even worse, sometimes buyers discount hay for no reason other than the smell of preservatives. The only advise is: "Don't have more hay down at anytime than you can risk losing because of a faulty weather forecast." Or as the old saying goes, "Make hay when the sun shines." |
QUESTION #9My first-cut hay is usually poor quality; should I change to a silage-type program? |
| SHORT ANSWER: Putting up alfalfa as haylage (40-60% moisture)
or silage (more than 60%) has become a widespread practice to avoid low quality hay in
many parts of the U.S. This is especially true where drying is even more difficult than in
Oklahoma. Oklahoma hay producers have not adopted alfalfa haylage on a large scale.
EXPLANATION: Haylage or silage is an acceptable solution to some "poor quality" first-harvest problems, but it does not fit some situations, especially cash crop hay. Regardless of the type of forage preservation (hay or ensilage), harvest timing is the most important criterion determining forage quality. Rain Damage. If your difficulties are the result of rain damage, this situation is insufficient justification for converting to a total silage program unless you plan to feed silage near your alfalfa. A total silage program requires special equipment for harvesting, storage, and feeding. For example, the initial cost of a bunker silo to store your alfalfa silage can be as much as $110/ton. In most cases, transportation costs limit hauling distances for silage, thereby greatly limiting marketing options. Another "silage" alternative is to bale high moisture forage in large round or mid-size bales and then wrap the individual bales in plastic. Alfalfa baled between 40% and 60% moisture content ferments just as it would in a silo. The main advantage to this method of alfalfa harvesting and storage is that the time between cutting and wrapping is often less than 1 1/2 days, compared to baling dry hay when it can take more than 4 days in the spring for hay to dry. Assuming you can use your existing baler, the cost of additional equipment (wrapper and bale mover) plus plastic wrap can range from $8 to $15/ton higher than conventional dry hay. In addition to added cost, high moisture bale wrapping also requires more time and labor compared to dry hay production. Weed Infested. If poor quality is associated with weeds, then it is more important to control weeds than to consider silage. Forage quality is not improved by putting forage into silage. Proper soil fertilization results in vigorous alfalfa plants that normally crowd out most weeds. If alfalfa is going to be used for beef cattle and most weeds are grasses, then harvesting early can be a good option. Herbicides are available to assist in controlling most weed species after other good management practices fail. Low Feed Value. If weeds are not a problem and alfalfa hay has low protein and relative feed value, you may be cutting too late. As the alfalfa plant matures, forage quality decreases. (Refer to question #13). RELATED COMMENTS: A common rule-of-thumb is to cut at 10% bloom. This maturity is a general compromise among persistence, quality, and yield. It does not assure "high quality" alfalfa hay. At first harvest, blooming is often delayed because of cool, dry, or wet weather. If you want high quality hay, therefore, it is important to cut in the bud stage or as soon as crown bud growth begins. Timing of first harvest can also be set by the calendar for healthy stands. Vigorous alfalfa stands can be harvested about April 15 in the southern part of Oklahoma and about May 1 in the north. Harvesting later normally results in higher yields, but drying times increase with big windrows, thus delaying harvest and increasing the probability of having rain on cut hay. Harvesting earlier accomplishes many of the objectives of silage without the added cost and inconvenience. OTHER REFERENCE: Questions #7 in this series on grassy weeds. Question #13 in this series on forage quality. Weed Control in Alfalfa. OSU Extension Facts 2761. |
