Photo Gallery: Three Weeks In China: Forage Expert Offers Alfalfa Advice

Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin Extension forage specialist

Aug. 27, 2012

Sharing Research

Dan Undersander, University of Wisconsin Extension forage specialist, discusses management with Zhang Yingjun of China Agricultural University, left, and Rong Yan of Land O’Lakes in China, right.
Interest In Growing Alfalfa Emerges

China is about the same size as the U.S. (3.5 million square miles). It has four times as many people and about half the tillable acreage. Its grasslands across Inner Mongolia and Tibet are well-known. However there is significant acreage of alfalfa across northern China (see map). There's interest in increasing this acreage to provide quality forage for the emerging dairy industry and to improve performance of beef and sheep. Dairies tend to be large – 1,000 to 50,000 cows – and, while some grow a portion of their feed, many buy most of it for the milking herd. Most dairies are feeding rations of concentrate, corn silage and alfalfa. China has higher rainfall in the east, especially southeast, and is dryer in the west. Therefore, while irrigation occurs over the entire alfalfa region, it is most prominent in the west.
Larger-Acreage Operations

I saw the full range of alfalfa operation sizes from very large to very small. The large operations were using self-propelled mower-conditioners, choppers and balers.
Have Equipment, But Need Expertise

Generally, I saw that the dairies producing large acreages of alfalfa were importing the forage harvesting equipment but were not aware of the management necessary for optimum production - hay was cut too late, baled too wet, etc. I saw lots of moldy hay.
Corn Silage, Alfalfa Haylage

There was interest in alfalfa haylage in eastern China due to poor haymaking conditions. I believe that this will increase as information becomes available. Large amounts of corn silage (shown here) are being made. However, quality has been generally poor due to late harvest, poor packing and poor bunk management. All these deficiencies must be overcome before good alfalfa haylage can be made.
Small-Acreage Farmers

Small-acreage forage farmers were largely in the west, where alfalfa is grown on terraces as well as in the valleys. Alfalfa is preferred for rotation – one or two cuttings can be taken without irrigation. Farmers with small acreages would generally cut the hay by hand, tie it into small bundles to dry and then haul it on small, three-wheel motorized carts to a hay company.
Premiums For Quality Forage

Hay companies would bale the bundles into small square bales and market them. They were paying a premium of 30% for alfalfa over 18% crude protein and would sort by quality after – or while it was baled – and sell it. Prices were determined according to quality for various dairy, beef and sheep growers. Some of the dairies on the east coast of China are finding it cheaper to buy hay from the U.S. and ship it across the Pacific Ocean than to buy from areas some distance away in China. Hay can be shipped cheaply to China if it is double-compressed and packed in containers returning to China after bringing manufactured goods to the U.S.

To help Chinese universities improve alfalfa utilization in their country, University of Wisconsin Extension forage specialist Dan Undersander toured several of China's alfalfa production areas and dairies for three weeks this summer. He offered technical advice and is helping the Chinese determine future alfalfa research. Here's his first-hand account.

For our September issue story detailing Undersander's observations, visit “Alfalfa Ambassador Helps Chinese Develop Research Efforts.”