As U.S. hay growers sort out damage from the Easter weekend cold snap, they may want to consider what Garry Lacefield, University of Kentucky forage specialist, says he has learned from it...More
Those balmy temperatures in late March sure felt good, but they may have gotten our alfalfa into trouble. Fortunately, however, while the weather progression from a warm, dormancy-breaking late March to a bone-chilling early April has provided...More
As the weather warms back up in parts of the Upper Midwest, growers are taking a close look at fields for signs of permanent damage from the recent cold weather. Prior to the cold snap, alfalfa growth had ranged from 4 to 8" in southern Michigan, which left fields vulnerable when the freeze hit...More
Hay and forage producers in the South are still trying to sort out the results of the recent cold snap that hit much of the country during Easter weekend. The damage is especially significant because forage growth was ahead of schedule in many areas ......More
Storing silage in drive-over piles instead of bunkers often results in higher losses. But that doesn't have to be the case, says Kansas State University...More
Applying as much as 12,000 gallons of liquid manure or 50 tons of dry manure per acre before planting alfalfa can boost yield more than commercial fertilizers at the same nutrient levels...More
The University of California Statewide Integrated Pest Management Program (UC IPM) has released a new alfalfa year-round IPM program on its Web site...More
There are a lot of reasons alfalfa isn't grown in the South, says Paul McKie, North Augusta, SC. They are all valid, he adds. Heat, humidity, insects...More
There are better ways to determine when to cut first- and second-crop alfalfa for optimal quality than looking at stage of maturity or the calendar. It's...More
A shortage of water continues to be a critical issue faced by Western growers, according to specialists who spoke on emerging forage issues at the Western Alfalfa and Forage Conference held last week in Reno, NV...More
Growers using Roundup Ready alfalfa may get up to half-ton/acre increases in yield in the establishment year, according to university trials comparing...More
Growers can expect higher alfalfa seed prices and lower-quality seed blends going into 2007, say representatives of the alfalfa seed breeding industry....More
Double-digit annual alfalfa yields are within reach of Midwestern hay growers. Some are already quite close, says Richard Leep, Michigan State University...More
Despite their slow growth and tender appearance, alfalfa seedlings are tough, says Bruce Anderson, University of Nebraska-Lincoln extension forage specialist....More
For years, forage agronomists have been telling growers that, when an alfalfa stand has fewer than 55 shoots per square foot, they should expect yield...More
Even though it's known as the queen of forages, alfalfa needs some retooling. It's getting harder for alfalfa to compete with the large and consistent...More
Growers will find few new conventional alfalfa varieties available for planting next year. The reason, some industry representatives say, is that companies...More
A soil test plus a tissue sample analysis is the best way to find out if alfalfa needs added sulfur, say University of Wisconsin soil scientists. The...More
One of Russell Robaidek's customers always wants him to apply manure when the alfalfa is 6 or 7 in. tall. He has just one rule: Don't keep driving in...More
Older alfalfa stands can produce high yields when growers manage them carefully, say Purdue University experts. But how long can a grower keep a stand?...More