# Alfalfa Nurse Crops.



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Progressive Forage Grower.

Regards, Mike

http://www.progressiveforage.com/forage-production/management/should-we-use-nurse-crops-when-planting-alfalfa


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

Was gonna check it out, but not turning off Ad Blocker


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> Was gonna check it out, but not turning off Ad Blocker


Know the feeling, but they have very little ads and they are all ag related so I don't have a problem with it.

Regards, Mike


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

Growing up we always used oats to start alfalfa. Two bushel of oats plus 2 to 3 pounds orchard grass per acre. In about 5 years you have a stand of strait orchard.


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

We went away from using an oats nurse crop for alfalfa some 10 years ago and don't miss it. It pretty much needs to be chopped off so it doesn't hurt the alfalfa, and although oatlage is excellent feed it's more trouble than its worth.


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## Farmineer95 (Aug 11, 2014)

We used to drill peas and oats with a new hay field. Made good heifer feed. I was always apprehensive when the ground was still soft and pulling boxes tho. Tracked up the field and on our clay they stayed till it was plowed. We learned to be patient.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

We are transitioning into Roundup Ready Alfalfa and we'll add the grass later. But for the couple hundred years prior to that we always use oats and thought it worked pretty darn good


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Yep, same here used oats in the spring or planted with winter wheat in the fall. I have a neighbor who, frost seeds into his winter wheat just about every year and ends up with some nice alfalfa stands.

I am going to consider the teff/alfalfa idea however.

Larry


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## Chuck (Dec 14, 2014)

if I was to use oats as a nurse crop for straight timothy , and took it off early ,, round baled and wrapped it, would it grow back again in the timothy? Im looking at getting a crop of straight timothy of this field


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I did a wheat/OG last year (Oct 15th, 2015) on bean stubble and ended up with an excellent OG stand.

Wheat went on at 75 lbs, OG at 18 lbs. 18 acre field yielded about 1000 bu wheat, 300 sq bales and 25 round bales of straw, 45 round bales of 2nd cutting OG (had about 20-25% wheat stubble, but horses picked out the good stuff).

I was REAL happy with the results.

Ralph


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

endrow said:


> We are transitioning into Roundup Ready Alfalfa and we'll add the grass later. But for the couple hundred years prior to that we always use oats and thought it worked pretty darn good


Yep, oats in the spring or a clear seeding in the fall.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

I been useing Annual Ryegrass for 20 yrs.Oats before that.Plant mostly Alf/orchard so herbicides are not a option.


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

,


swmnhay said:


> I been useing Annual Ryegrass for 20 yrs.Oats before that.Plant mostly Alf/orchard so herbicides are not a option.


 What variety of annual ryegrass and what is the seeding rate.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

endrow said:


> , What variety of annual ryegrass and what is the seeding rate.


Lonestar annual ryegrass at 7-8 lbs


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## Chuck (Dec 14, 2014)

After the first cut of rye grass has been taken off, does it grow back again? If so % of the next cutting would be rye grass?


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Chuck said:


> After the first cut of rye grass has been taken off, does it grow back again? If so % of the next cutting would be rye grass?


Yes

50%??


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## Chuck (Dec 14, 2014)

Ive never grown rye grass. What does it look like mixed in with straight timothy and also timothy /alfalfa ?


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## endrow (Dec 15, 2011)

Chuck said:


> Ive never grown rye grass. What does it look like mixed in with straight timothy and also timothy /alfalfa ?


Here the annuall rye grass gets as thick as carpet and it is always about 4 inches taller than the Alg o/g seeding .


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## Chuck (Dec 14, 2014)

Is rye grass popular in the horse market?


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

I've done oats many years, but have since tried a mix of barley,oats, and forage peas to chop. Worked absolutely fabulous, but I think this year am going back to oats and some ryegrass.


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## Wethay (Jul 17, 2015)

Around here you say ryegrass to a horse person and they say no thanks. I've been told that it won't hurt a horse it just isn't digested into anything usable, but once again, I don't know...


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