Oklahoma State University
Stillwater, OK

Oklahoma Alfalfa
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

ALFALFA AS AN "ALTERNATIVE" CROP?? 

Alfalfa is normally considered to be a high income crop requiring the "best land on the farm." This is traditionally true. At the same time, there are many Oklahoma farmers missing out on a good bet by not producing alfalfa.   

The Farm Bill has received much discussion because it will remove or reduce subsidies on many crops. Alfalfa has been good to thousands of producers over many years, without government support programs.   

Several things have come together this winter to cause many farmers to ask what they can grow and expect to make a living. Unfortunately, many high risk crops are the subject of much discussion as the champion to "get us out of this mess."   

Alfalfa can be grown on nearly every farm in the state, and it should be grown on many more farms. Essentially all the peanut acreage can grow good alfalfa. Most areas that produce cotton can grow alfalfa. Surprisingly, most of the "wheat land" can profitably produce alfalfa hay.   

Many of the traditional wheat and grain sorghum production areas have soils that are shallower than needed for high-yielding alfalfa, but alfalfa should be tried, to see how it will work.   

It is not essential to harvest 5 to 6 tons/acre of alfalfa to make money. Most producers can make 2 to 3 tons/acre of hay on the first two cuttings each year, even on shallow soil. There are cattle in most areas of the state to graze the late season production that may not be good enough to pay for baling.   

Alfalfa needs a soil with a pH near neutral. Some soils in the state already need lime, even for wheat and grain sorghum. A good way to pay for the liming may be to try alfalfa for a few years. Growing alfalfa can help many of our soils that have been in wheat for the last 50 years.   

A examination of possible alternative crops has been undertaken. Preliminary figures indicate alfalfa is the most profitable crop for the western part of Oklahoma where annual rainfall averages 25 to 30 inches, without adding in grazing or seed production. For the purposes of this study, deep soils and sub-irrigated soils were ruled out.   

Soybeans will probably result in higher profits than alfalfa when rainfall exceeds 35 inches annually. A problem with the study that only farmers can work out, is the fact that alfalfa requires a lot of hard work and "art", and inexperienced producers may lose some hay that experienced producers will bale correctly.   

The tables below illustrate some basic assumptions with three rainfall amounts. In each case 75% of the rainfall will be stored in the root zone. Each situation will differ greatly from producer to producer. Calculate your own, changing whatever numbers you want. 
 

  
For Additional Information:  Alfalfa Stand Establishment Questions and Answers. OSU Extension Circular E-949