ALFALFA BUYER SURVEY

This article contains results from a 1993 survey of Oklahoma and Texas dairymen who buy alfalfa hay. It addresses the Relative Importance of Various Types of Information.  

Dairies were asked to indicate their opinion of the importance of various types of information when purchasing alfalfa hay. Table 1 summarizes responses from all dairies returning completed questionnaires.  

Smaller average responses indicate more importance and larger numbers indicate less importance. In those cases where the average response is the same for more than one factor, the listing in Table 1 is arranged according to the number of "most important" responses.  

More information will be presented in future issues of the NEWS regarding specific factors. Only a few comments about Table 1 are given here.  

Buyers ranked the importance of knowing Protein content above Total Digestible Nutrients (TDN), Relative Feed Value (RFV), and both Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF) and Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF).  

Recall that in analyzing sales data from HAYMARKET, the most important factors were (not necessarily in order of importance) amount of weeds and grasses, bale type and size, and protein. But there was not much difference between providing information about protein and either TDN or RFV.  

Grower reputation was not ranked as high as expected. Based on other survey responses, many dairies rely on previous suppliers to locate alfalfa hay.  

Dairies did not rate very high the importance of information about herbicides and insecticides and about whether or not growers were enrolled in an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program. However, elsewhere in the survey, several dairies expressed concern about chemical residues in alfalfa. Many said they would have less concern if growers were enrolled in an IPM program.  

Some growers were willing to pay a price premium for alfalfa purchased from growers in an IPM program.  

One caution is given regarding Table 1. Many factors listed in Table 1 are interrelated. Dairies were asked to evaluate the importance of each one independently of the others. Thus, several types of information are likely necessary before buyers can assess alfalfa quality and accurately relate price with quality. 

Table 1. Summary of Relative Importance of Several Factors  When Purchasing Alfalfa Hay. (1 = most important).    

 
FOR MORE INFORMATION:  
Clement E. Ward, Raymond L. Huhnke, and Gerrit W. Cuperus. Alfalfa Buyer Preferences by Oklahoma and Texas Dairy Producers. OSU Extension Circular E-936, 1994.