Alfalfa

Managing alfalfa in cold climates

thiagobernardes@ufla.br — Mon, 27 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Overall, producing and preserving alfalfa in cold climates requires technical planning and strategic decisions at every stage, from cutting to feedout.

Branched-rooted alfalfa varieties: When should they be considered?

alfalfadoc@outlook.com — Fri, 24 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Beyond having resistance to root diseases, most of the criteria in variety selection has been based on the aboveground attributes such as forage yield and quality, leaf to stem ratio, fiber digestibility and resistance to foliar diseases and pests. Very seldom do alfalfa producers ask the question: what type of root system does the variety have below-ground?

Balancing potassium (K) management of alfalfa. When is too much indeed more than we need?

jrl65@cornell.edu — Thu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Alfalfa is an important crop for many dairy producers in the Northeastern United States. When managed properly, alfalfa can bring in large quantities of high-quality and high-protein home-grown forage without the need for extra nitrogen fertilizer.

How alfalfa’s drought-induced dormancy trait can benefit growers

alfalfadoc@outlook.com — Wed, 17 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

Alfalfa producers are always striving to make a profit in both good and bad years. To achieve this goal, producers often utilize improved genetics and/or optimize the use of inputs to improve quality and yield. However, there is one production factor that trumps all the others, an adequate supply of irrigation water for forage production.

Alfalfa Genetic Gain for Forage Yield

Fri, 05 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

In summary, genetic gain is happening in alfalfa through this progeny testing program, capturing heterosis among the diverse DLF germplasm pools that the DLF alfalfa breeding team is then utilizing to bring the best alfalfa varieties to market through the brands they support in Alforex Seeds, Forage First and Forage First 5 Series.

Is this alfalfa stand good enough to keep?

djunders@wisc.edu — Mon, 16 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

As an alfalfa stand ages and thins, the primary question becomes: Is this stand good enough to keep? Now is a good time to evaluate stands as more time is allowed for planning crop rotations than when stands are evaluated in the spring and determined to be uneconomic.

[Podcast] Why Alfalfa: Flexibility, Quality and ROI without a compromise

Thu, 22 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In this episode, Dr. Emily Meccage, senior manager of research and development at Forage Genetics International, and Dave Ribeiro, a California dairy farmer, discuss Riberio’s experience with growing and feeding alfalfa on his dairy farm and what HarvXtra alfalfa offers dairy producers.

[Podcast] Enhancing your soil and cropping system with alfalfa

Mon, 08 Jul 2024 00:00:00 -0400

From improving soil properties to being a powerhouse ingredient in feed rations, alfalfa has a lot to offer dairy producers. Emily Meccage, Ph.D., senior manager of research and development with Forage Genetics International, joins the discussion to share about the many opportunities for dairy farmers to capitalize on growing, harvesting and feeding alfalfa.

Preserving hay quality: Tips for your dairy operation

Wed, 08 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Forage quality is a crucial consideration on a dairy, impacting the success and profitability of your operation.

Forage Market Insights: 2024 plans taking shape

dave@agproud.com — Thu, 15 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Here’s Progressive Forage’s monthly look at factors impacting hay markets across the U.S.

Don’t leave money in the field

mark.scuffham@claas.com — Mon, 23 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

By concentrating on improving bale density, producers can significantly enhance their return on investment.

The power of alfalfa: Enhancing dairy nutrition and flexibility

dcweakley@landolakes.com — Tue, 29 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

In the ever-evolving world of sustainable agriculture, one crop stands tall for its exceptional benefits to both ruminant animals and your farm’s bottom line: alfalfa.

Unlocking the potential of alfalfa

emeccage@foragegenetics.com — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 17:05:47 -0400

With acreage trending down, now is the perfect time to get started in alfalfa and capitalize on the opportunities it offers.

Preserving forage quality for winter feeding and beyond

jessica.williamson@agcocorp.com — Tue, 16 Aug 2022 10:17:49 -0400

Ensuring forage quality and nutritional value over the long winter months is a yearlong process. The minute forage is cut, it begins to lose nutritional value. There is no way to increase quality from this moment on.

Dry bale wrapping – pros and cons

ben.craker@kuhn.com — Thu, 31 Mar 2022 13:00:01 -0400

Wrapping dry bales Traditionally, wrapping large round or square bales in plastic film has been considered mainly for high-moisture silage, or “baleage” bales, but many growers are investigating wrapping dry bales.

The challenges of finding feed

Mon, 31 Jan 2022 14:00:01 -0500

I’ve had calls from two friends lately. “We’re out of hay, I don’t know what to do, can you help us?”

Tips to produce high-quality hay

dillasa@auburn.edu — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 20:26:48 -0400

Producing quality hay is important whether you feed your own hay or sell it to others. When producing hay for on-farm use, we do not often consider its value, but it is still important.

More alfalfa with less water

Fri, 30 Apr 2021 13:00:01 -0400

Alfalfa is undoubtedly the most important forage crop grown in the U.S. It is easy to see why it gets the title “Queen of the Forages,” with hundreds of thousands of acres planted across the country.

Save on nitrogen for small-grain forages after alfalfa

matt.yost@usu.edu — Tue, 01 Dec 2020 14:00:01 -0500

Single or mixed species of small grains such as barley, wheat, oats and triticale are being used more frequently as rotation forage crops in the West, especially during drought years, as small-grain forages typically require less total irrigation than corn, and the timing of their irrigation needs (April – July) often better synchronizes with water availability from snowmelt, or “high water,” than corn in some areas of the West.

Ag warms up to solar power

Thu, 30 Apr 2020 13:00:01 -0400

There are plenty of places in the U.S. that are “off grid,” (off the electrical power grid, that is). If you’re 80 miles east of Tonopah, Nevada, you’re so far off the grid it’s difficult for even the lizards to find you.

Cocktails for the win: Creative ways to stretch your dairy forages

Tue, 17 Mar 2020 16:22:49 -0400

In the wake of difficult growing conditions that plagued the Midwest in 2019, stretching feed with creative forage solutions was the topic discussed by dairy producer and forage consultant Daniel Olson of Lena, Wisconsin, and dairy producer David Johnson of the Western Upper Peninsula at the recent Great Lakes Regional Dairy Conference in Frankenmuth, Michigan.

An unstable outlook for alfalfa in Wisconsin

Tue, 10 Mar 2020 16:06:45 -0400

In Wisconsin and the Upper Midwest, the weather cycle continues to cause concern and unrest coming off of the extremely wet 2019 season, creating an unstable outlook for alfalfa in 2020.

Forage alternative: Can we use distillers to replace alfalfa hay?

kevin.herrick@elancoah.com — Mon, 26 Aug 2019 17:43:11 -0400

If we look at the composition of dried distillers grains with solubles (DDGS), we see that they contain a significant amount of fiber.

Greenchop for lactating cow rations

tamilee.adolph@adm.com — Mon, 11 Feb 2013 07:00:00 -0500

Greenchopping potentially decreases feed costs through the incorporation of locally grown forages into the dairy ration. It provides a highly palatable, fresh forage source to dairy cattle. The high palatability stimulates feed intake of lactating cows, potentially increasing milk production. Due to the high palatability, greenchop minimizes declines in intake associated with heat stress.