Alfalfa Best Practices Dan Undersander University of Wisconsin

Select varieties with increased Winterhardiness Less winterkill Less winter injury – more yield

Choose best establishment method Direct Seeding Oats with Poast Plus or Roundup With Companion crop Oats Ryegrass

Causes of Seeding Failure Low soil pH Loose soil Seeding too deep

Control weeds during the first 60 days after establishment

Harvest first cutting of new seeding early Take first cutting at 60 days after planting More additional cuttings – higher tonnage Less weed problems

Harvest first cutting of established stands by quality

Variation in forage quality among years Fond du lac

Forage Quality Stick

Cutting Height Effect on Forage Yield by Cutting Clark and Wood County, WI 1999-2000

Total Forage Yield (3 cuts) Clark and Wood County, WI 1999-2000

RFV by Cutting Clark and Wood County, WI 1999-2000

Effect of mower type on alfalfa stand and yield Average First Cut Yield (t/a) Stand Persistence Plants per sq ft Sickle Cutterbar 1.47 6.2 Disc mower 1.49

Conditioner types Flail/impellers Rubber Rolls

Rollers vs flail (impeller) conditioners

Conditioner drying rates Alfalfa Grass

Conditioner field losses Flail conditioners have 2 to 3 % higher field losses with alfalfa. The loss is all leaves so forage quality is significantly reduced. Stems Leaves

Adjust conditioner properly Tension on rollers Spacing of rollers

Adjust conditioner roller spacing Measure clearance where “Crimp” or smallest clearance occurs

Put hay into wide swath Dries faster Higher TDN

Minimize wheel traffic damage No traffic Traffic

Minimize wheel traffic damage

Managing to Reduce Wheel Traffic Loss Minimize driving on field Use smallest tractor for equipment Merge windrows where possible Go to larger equipment Take most direct route to edge of field Make road to drive on

Managing to Reduce Wheel Traffic Loss Minimize driving on field Do driving on field soon after harvest Manage to dry forage quickly Harvest for haylage or baleage Use preservative and harvest wet hay Use of duals not recommended Apply manure quickly after cutting

Assess stands and replace when thin

Yield is the most important component of profitability Fixed costs same regardless of yield e.g. taxes, land costs, machinery depreciation Production costs similar Harvesting costs similar Slightly higher for extra fuel and labor to harvest higher yield and haul to barn

Alfalfa Yield and Dollar Return from Wisconsin Green-Gold Program Profitability increases with yield because fixed inputs remain constant and variable inputs increase only slightly as yield increases.

Yield of alfalfa as stand ages (% of 1st production year) Data from MN, IA, MI, and WI fro 1985 to 2002

Stand assessment –

Benefits of shorter rotations are great: Increased alfalfa yield from younger stands Increased corn silage yield following alfalfa 10 to 15% higher corn yields following alfalfa More legume credits Less rootworm insecticide needed following alfalfa On average in Midwest, alfalfa yields declines 10% in third year and 24% in 4th year. Root worm insecticide is frequently not needed on corn following alfalfa but is needed on corn following corn

Alfalfa Legume Credits Med, Fine Soils Sandy Soils -----Regrowth after last cutting------ >8 inches <8 inches Stand Density -------lb nitrogen/acre------ Good, > 4 plt/ft2 190 150 140 100 Fair, 1.5 to 4 plt/ft2 160 120 110 70 Poor, < 1.5 plt/ft2 130 90 80 40

Alfalfa Stem Count and Yield Potential Yield = (0.10*stems) + 0.38