# Should I mow alfalfa?



## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Looked at two fields of alfalfa that were cut about 4 weeks ago. Now they're showing about 10-20% bloom. But one 5 ac. section is only about 6" tall. The other 30 acres are about 12" tall. Both fields are real thin.

It usually takes about 5 hours to mow and about 30 gals of diesel to mow/rake/bale.

We have had 4.5" rain since May 1st, 2" in the last 8 weeks. There is a 60% chance come Thursday, then 7 days in the low 80's. I plan on overseeding with about 6-8 Lbs/ac of orchardgrass come Sept 1st.

Would you mow it, wait a week, or wait 2 weeks? Why?

Thanks

Ralph


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## CockrellHillFarms (Aug 30, 2011)

Interesting that you guys have gotten that much rain lately. Lucky! Its starting to rain here so you might catch some more later if it stays together. I have a similar issue. I've decided not to mow it at this point. Its just now starting to green up some as it was so dry. I baled it last on the 4th of July. Since then its only grown maybe 4"-5"? I'm waiting on more rain to come. Its not worth mowing right now. I bet I would make one bale per 10-12 acres. IF I COULD EVEN pick that much up off the ground. I figured it it didnt rain/it didnt grow much. I would turn the cows in one it and temp. fence it off in 5-10 acre plots. Let them eat it down. They shouldn't bloat on it. Maybe two days on and two days off.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

rjmoses said:


> Looked at two fields of alfalfa that were cut about 4 weeks ago. Now they're showing about 10-20% bloom. But one 5 ac. section is only about 6" tall. The other 30 acres are about 12" tall. Both fields are real thin.
> 
> It usually takes about 5 hours to mow and about 30 gals of diesel to mow/rake/bale.
> 
> ...


I would wait until Thursday to see if indeed it did rain(only 2 days)....if it does not then you have your answer....if it does rain then you could wait a couple more days to see if it will respond.....if it does respond maybe wait a couple more days and maybe you will get enough more yield to cover your harvest expense?

Regards, Mike


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

What is the end buyer for this alfalfa. Do they care about food value. If they do then cut it now as the food value will get worse with more bloom. If they don't wait for the rain to come and go. They probably won't get much more volume after the blooms come out. So cut when you can so it looks purty in a bale.


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## mulberrygrovefamilyfarm (Feb 11, 2009)

I would wait, and did wait. A thin 12" is unlikely to make enough hay to cover costs and pay for my time, and it would be unlikely I would be able to take another after taking a cut now and get enough to make a profit, which would put me in the hole even more. Here I've waited until we're getting rain and now I've got full bloom but most of my alfalfa is well over 2 1/2 feet. Not going to be horse quality by any means but my customers are calling and want all I can grow. So for me waiting has paid off as long as I can dodge this weeks rain and put it up dry.


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

*Looked at two fields of alfalfa that were cut about 4 weeks ago. Now they're showing about 10-20% bloom. But one 5 ac. section is only about 6" tall. The other 30 acres are about 12" tall. Both fields are real thin*.

Happens here every summer. You will probably not be able to rake what you cut that is only 6" tall.

Yoy may need to use 60 feet of down hay to make a windrow y ou can bale at less than in road gear for the 12" stuff.

I simply wait till a month after the first good rains to cut and include the gone to seed short stuff in the hay.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

Well, the saga continues. The 60% chance of rain blew through here yesterday. We got a little thunder about noon, no rain. Forecast calls for 10 days 80-85 degree weather, no rain.

So, my question is: If I wait to mow, will the alfalfa stop growing for the year? What happens when alfalfa goes beyond bloom? Does it go dormant? I have never waited before, so I just am curious about long term effects of waiting.

Ralph


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

IF you have the moisture and it has set seed it will start to send new shoots out of the crowns. If the weather is fit and you have no chances of rain anyways I'd go ahead and make it as your not going to gain any tonnage without rain.


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## scrapiron (Mar 10, 2010)

RJ ; You asking advice about cutting is like the preacher asking choior in church for advice. You have at least as much experience as almost anyone on here !!

But here goes CUT IT!!

Sorry couldn't resist. lol









scrapiron


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Alfalfa is very drought tolerant. I agree with mlappin that when rain finally comes the alfalfa will send up new growth from the crowns. However, if the alfalfa is so thin that it will not pay to cut it for hay, why cut it. Let it stand as it is. If the 12" growth is too thick to allow sunlight to get to the OG seedlings, then cut it for what hay you can make.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

scrapiron said:


> RJ ; You asking advice about cutting is like the preacher asking choior in church for advice. You have at least as much experience as almost anyone on here !!
> 
> But here goes CUT IT!!
> 
> ...


Thanks. But I don't have any experience with weather this dry! Now, ask me what to do in wet weather and I have all kinds of thoughts,

Ralph


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