Taylor Herbert, UMN Extension educator-crops, Wright, McLeod, and Meeker Counties.
therbert@umn.edu or (612)-394-5229
The Alfalfa Harvest Alert Project/ Scissor Cut project is still going strong but will be wrapping up soon. Of the fourteen participating farms, nine have been harvested. Samplers have noted some lodging in the fields that remain. While that may make for a challenging harvest, it is better to wait for ideal conditions for hay to dry out rather than leaving it wet on the ground. Some alfalfa weevil activity was also observed in some fields but at this point in the alfalfa growth stage, the best management option is to mow. For more information, check out this MN Crop News Blog on alfalfa weevil management.
therbert@umn.edu or (612)-394-5229
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| Estimating alfalfa quality using the PEAQ stick at the bud stage. |
Relative Feed Value (RFV) and Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) are used by dairy and other livestock producers to determine harvest timing to fit their needs. The Predictive Equation for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) uses the stage of maturity and height of the tallest stems to estimate Relative Feed Value (RFV). Quality is lost in harvest, wilting, and storage of forage, so it is recommended to harvest around 15 to 25 RFV points higher than what is desired for feeding.
As a reminder, the goal of this project is not to try and name the exact day of harvest. Rather the goal is to encourage growers who are busy with management of other crops to be more strategic with hay crop harvest as it relates to their needs.
As a reminder, the goal of this project is not to try and name the exact day of harvest. Rather the goal is to encourage growers who are busy with management of other crops to be more strategic with hay crop harvest as it relates to their needs.
How to get harvest alert data
The May 29 Alfalfa Harvest Alert data is available as a pdf. However, there's also a tool that contains this year’s data and all of the data from every county and farm that has participated in the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program since 1977. Go to z.umn.edu/AlfalfaHarvestAlert to view the data. You can also get the most recent information through email by signing up at z.umn.edu/quadcountysignup and clicking the "Hay Auction and Scissor Cut/Alfalfa Harvest Alert Information" box.
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