GRAZING ALFALFA VARIETIES -- TEST RESULTS

We have had many questions during the last several years about which alfalfa is best for grazing. Until recently, we had to answer with data collected elsewhere. In September 1992 we established a study near Perkins with 14 alfalfa varieties and strains.  

OBJECTIVE was to identify varieties that would persist with intensive continuous grazing during the growing season. The reason for using continuous grazing was to test persistence under difficult management conditions. We knew that most good hay-type varieties would persist well with rotational grazing or if long stubble height (6" - 8") was maintained. We maintained 3 in. stubble or less.  

LESSONS LEARNED:  

• Thick stand of Alfagraze can be maintained with continuous grazing for 3 years. Thick stands of traditional hay-type, pest-resistant varieties can be maintained with intensive grazing for two growing seasons; however, they cannot withstand prolonged continuous grazing .  
• Grazing can be a good way to harvest alfalfa and avoid the necessity of insecticides.  
• Oklahoma commons (such as OK08) thin quickly with continuous grazing, apparently because of the combination of diseases and grazing.  

• Each year (1993, 1994, and 1995) cows grazed off the first growth in the spring (and avoided need for insecticide) with a high stocking rate during 5 to 7 days in April. Continuous grazing began as soon as regrowth was 12 to 15 inches tall in mid May.  
• Continuous grazing was carried out for 120 days in 1993, 160 days in 1994, and 175 days in 1995. In 1994 we turned cows back into alfalfa during November through January. Cows always had access to bermudagrass pasture and had hay, when needed. This allowed us to maintain cows in good condition, graze alfalfa very short, and at the same time, avoid bloat problems.  

• The table below summarizes data from this study. Stands of all varieties were excellent from emergence until fall 1994. Even after two summers of continuous grazing stand differences among varieties were small, and all stands were thick and productive.  
• By November 1995 stand differences were significantly different, and varieties with thinnest stands were very unproductive. Stands of traditional hay-type varieties (OK08, Cimarron VR, ICI 630, and WL 320) were very thin. The only alfalfa variety selected under grazing, Alfagraze, had a thick stand. Two experimentals (GA-APO-S and GA-AG-MP) selected in the same program as Alfagraze were somewhat better than Alfagraze.  

• These data show that traditional hay-type alfalfa varieties can be grazed hard for 1 or 2 years. They cannot withstand prolonged continuous grazing as well as Alfagraze.  
• Entries, other than OK08, that begin with "OK" are OSU experimentals. Why OK 177 maintained thick stands (not significantly different from the best) withstood continuous grazing is not clear. Entries with "WL" are from WL Research, Inc. and were proposed as components of a grazing type.  
• In forage yield trials, Alfagraze has persisted well, but yields have been disappointing -- 10 to 30 percent less than the best hay-type varieties. This shows that producers should choose between grazing and hay-type varieties, based on how much they want to graze vs. make hay.  
• Anyone wanting additional information about variety testing should contact me. All our tests are open for observations.