# when to cut alfalfa



## simangus (May 13, 2012)

whens the best time to cut alfalfa for the highest yield possible. thanks


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Theory is: Every 28 days after first cutting which is cut at 10% first bloom. Of course that will depend on where you are at and the weather.

Ralph


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

At full bloom however your quality is severly decreased after 10% bloom. It is a trade off you will find your livestock (if you raise them) will demand less of better quality hay. Martin


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## simangus (May 13, 2012)

thanks for the replies so quick. Im in northern N.M. NOt to concerned about the loss of protein as we are in severe drought and I want to maximize yield, i supplement for protein over the winter anyway.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Nitram said:


> At full bloom however your quality is severly decreased after 10% bloom. It is a trade off you will find your livestock (if you raise them) will demand less of better quality hay. Martin


What the other Martin said.


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

There are a number of variables.

If you are in a drought the percentage of leaves will be higher so you can go to a later growth stage and keep the quality.

With moisture, & if you cut in prebud stage you will have what we here call rabbit hay, in the Western Dairy Market that is considered Dairy Quality.

If you cut the day you see the first bloom in the field you will have a really good Dairy Hay for the older established Dairy States.

Cut at 10 to 25% bloom the hay will be the old time dairy standard of 20% Protein, 30% ADF 40% NDF, in the 150 RFV range. This is considered the best compromise for quality and yield. 
Supposedly hay cut at full bloom will be at the highest yield and you will make up for quality premium with quantity.

It all depends on your market. If your customer is balancing the animals diet with feed analysis is another factor. Some Dairies may want full bloom alfalfa and bulk up the protein with chicken feathers and energy with something sweet.

You can try to sell your customer what you produced, or you can produce what the customer thinks they want.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

_


mlappin said:



What the other Martin said.

Click to expand...

__Agreed._

_Here,I can't get much more for dairy hay so I might aswell go after tonnage._


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

One other thing, if your drought is severe enough, it may not come back after cutting and go into dormancy immediately. I had this the last drought we had, some fields on the sand a month after mowing had 4-6" of regrowth that had turned brown and some others had no regrowth what so ever. Took a good 4" downpour in the middle of July and a good week or ten days after that to see any green in those fields.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

mlappin said:


> One other thing, if your drought is severe enough, it may not come back after cutting and go into dormancy immediately. I had this the last drought we had, some fields on the sand a month after mowing had 4-6" of regrowth that had turned brown and some others had no regrowth what so ever. Took a good 4" downpour in the middle of July and a good week or ten days after that to see any green in those fields.


Didn't know he was in drought at the time of posting but hadn't thought of the dormancy issue! That would be a major concern if this would possibly be the last cutting and low on results for the year. I gave up on any further growth on my fields (bluestem grasses) and am cutting before it starts going backwards. other Martin


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## simangus (May 13, 2012)

alfalfa fields I have are leased and i can irrigate them,the problem with the drought is my hay fields are about 50% of average , thus trying to make up yield through the alfalfa


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Nitram said:


> Didn't know he was in drought at the time of posting but hadn't thought of the dormancy issue! That would be a major concern if this would possibly be the last cutting and low on results for the year. I gave up on any further growth on my fields (bluestem grasses) and am cutting before it starts going backwards. other Martin


Martin, I suspect that many folks will be more focused on yield this year and less on high quality. I think my next cutting of Alfalfa will be well bloomed. Kinda like swmnhay alluded to....I wont be selling to many dairies either. And I also am concerned about going backwards also.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Vol said:


> Martin, I suspect that many folks will be more focused on yield this year and less on high quality. I think my next cutting of Alfalfa will be well bloomed. Kinda like swmnhay alluded to....I wont be selling to many dairies either. And I also am concerned about going backwards also.
> 
> Regards, Mike


That's what I'm going for, tonnage. Hay here atm is starting at $200/ton up to $370/ton at the auctions. I have about another 40 acres I can cut anytime I feel like it with the rest not far behind, but as I get further from the home farm the lighter and sandier the soil gets and the possibility of it not coming back after being cut increases as my distance from the farm does, so tonnage it is.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Looks like a lot of us are inthe same boat... Not so much tonage but poundage. got the baler hooked up and now another error code problem gotta start early in the morn it dried/cured quick should have baled day after cutting. see ya tommoro Martin


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## simangus (May 13, 2012)

thanks gents good info I always use to cut at about 20 % bloom or less just thought I would wait a little longer and see if my yield would come up, your comments confirmed my intuition to wait a little longer.


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