Oklahoma Alfalfa
Oklahoma Cooperative Extension Service
Oklahoma Agricultural Experiment Station

WILL I LOSE MY STAND IF I CUT ALFALFA BEFORE IT BLOOMS?

SHORT ANSWER: Cutting alfalfa before it blooms from time to time will not result in stand loss.  

EXPLANATION: Recommendations on harvest schedules for alfalfa for many years suggested cutting at 10% to 25% bloom. This is a good time to harvest since there is a good balance between forage quality and yield at this growth stage. Blooming signals that root reserves have been replenished and plants are prepared to regrow rapidly without sacrificing vigor.  

Cutting before bloom is essential for reliable production of high quality dairy hay. Research conducted in Oklahoma over the last 15 years indicates that cutting at the bud stage does not severely damage stands. Harvests can occasionally be taken before the plants begin to bud without serious damage; however, repeatedly cutting at prebud may shorten stand life. Frequent cutting at prebud may not allow plants enough opportunity to replenish root reserves between harvests; thus, over a period of several harvests, stand decline may be hastened.  

If cutting often at the prebud stage causes stand life to be reduced by a year or so, this result in reduced profits because of having to establish a new stand earlier than planned. A premium price must be received for hay to offset the loss of profit due to reduced stand life. Economic analyzes of alfalfa forage production indicate that 2 years are needed to recover establishment costs and begin making a profit from alfalfa.  

OSU surveys indicate dairy managers are willing to pay more for higher quality alfalfa hay. In general, dairies will pay $5-$15 more for --  

• 2 to 5 percentage points higher protein,  
• 5 to 10 percentage points higher TDN, or  
• 15 to 30 points higher RFV.  

RELATED COMMENTS:  

In Oklahoma, cutting at 10% bloom is not a good indicator for determining cutting time of the first crop of alfalfa forage. Weather conditions are often cool and wet enough in Oklahoma to delay blooming.  

A much better indicator is to cut when new growth can be seen at the base of alfalfa plants. Harvesting at this time results in higher quality hay and reduces drying time 1 or 2 days. 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.