Warmer spring weather soon will green up your alfalfa. Before that happens, though, maybe you should do a little weed control.

Weeds like pennycress, downy brome, mustards, cheatgrass, dandelion and shepherd's purse are common in first-cut alfalfa. They lower alfalfa yields, reduce quality, lessen palatability and slow hay drydown. Walk over your fields during the next few weeks once snow is gone, especially in areas where these weeds grew last year. They probably will be there again this spring. You should be able to see their small, green, over-wintering growth.

Most winter-feeding programs for dry cows rely on relatively less expensive, lower quality forages like corn stalks, prairie hay and winter range. These forages have low amounts of crude protein.