Effect of Wheel Traffic on Alfalfa Yield by Dan Undersander1 In response to farmer concerns about the effect of wheel traffic on alfalfa yields, we began a study to look at these effects. Studies were established at the UW Arlington Research Station and ABI Research Station (Napier, IA) during the spring of 2000. In a second […]

Alfalfa Cutting Height to Maximize Forage Yield and Quality by Robert W. Wiersma – Marshfield Agricultural Research Station and Ron Wiederholt – UWEX Clark County Extension University of Wisconsin Current recommendations regarding cutting height of alfalfa are designed to maximize yield while maintaining high quality forages and stand longevity. Forage growers frequently cut forages at a height of 3-inches […]

Wisconsin Forage Council AM/PM Forage Harvest Study by Jerry Clark1 and Randy Knapp2 Situation Recent studies done at USDA Agricultural Research Stations in Idaho indicate that pm harvested hay had greater concentrations of mono- and disaccharides (sugars), greater total nonstructural carbohydrates, and tended to have lower concentrations of both neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber.  In […]

Comparing Forage Dry-down Rates Using a Super Conditioner in Wisconsin by Matt Hanson1 Introduction Producing quality dry hay is an ongoing challenge that producers face each year.  Some producers attempt to take the bad weather out of the dry haymaking process by building on-farm hay driers, using hay preservatives at harvest or making additional passes over […]

Measuring the trade-off between: Alfalfa yield and quality across four harvest periods Our improving knowledge of the relationships among alfalfa yield, quality, and persistence has greatly influenced harvest recommendations made to farmers. Consider this timeline of how alfalfa harvest management has evolved through the years (Figure 1). We know that: When we give the plant […]