# Alfalfa Yeilds



## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Ok ya'll this is something that I, for one, have always been curious about. HOW MUCH HAY DO YOU MAKE? And I'm only talking alfalfa here, so we have a level playing field. So here's what I need:

1. Your location (i.e. - Northeast or Southwest or South Central, etc. or Canada or Australia etc)

2. Your type of irrigation

3. How many cuts per year

4. How many tons/ cut

5. Your one-time RECORD yield

I want those 5 things listed out, but any other comments below that!

And lets all be honest here, this is for posterity!


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

I'll go first

1. Desert Southwest

2. Flood Irrigation

3. Five cuts and a clip. Six if you really push it hard

4. Two - 2.5 tons/acre on 1st, 2nd, and 5th cuts. Say 1.7 tons on 3rd and 4th

5. Wait for it - - - 2.93 tons/acre.

I wish I could say that I've made 3 ton hay, but then I'd be lying.

Come on, lets hear it ya'll


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## expensive hobby (Feb 16, 2010)

southern Ontario, mother nature,2 cuts, 3.25 tons


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

PackMan2170 said:


> I'll go first
> 
> 1. Desert Southwest
> 
> ...


This may sound weird, but I haven't really ever kept track. Until this year I never weighed anything. I don't really get why it's so important. This years alfalfa doesn't count either as it's either a really old stand or a brand new stand. But your 10 tons an acre a year is pretty good.


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

In reality I average more like 9ish tons/acre/year. But our soil is so variable, some feilds make 11 tons, some make 8.

expensive hobby, I'm assuming 3.25 tons is your yield/year? If not, please correct me

I would really like to hear from someone in the Imperial Valley where they cut 8-9 times per year


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## barnrope (Mar 22, 2010)

This is the first year I have had pure alfalfa. Always before was alfalfa with Endophyte friendly fescue, brome, and orchard. Still have that too but on the pure alfalfa, planted 48 acres May 4, 2014, first cut July 10, was 1.4 ton/acre, 2nd cut was August 3, was .8 tons/ acre. 3rd cut was September 20, 1.5 tons/acre. So it yielded 3.7 tons per acre. If things go right we will get 4 or 5 cuttings next season. It will be interesting to see how it yields the nest year, when it is fully established. Fertilized before planting, after 1st cut and after last cut.

No irrigation, drainage tile every 80 feet.

2 miles south of the Iowa/ MN border near the center.


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Northeast Texas

Rainfed- no irrigation

4 cuttings- 5 tons/acre this seedling year

No record established

5th cutting is ready but will have to be grazed by weaned calves as weather will not provide a hay curing window.


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## Tjim (Feb 23, 2014)

Far Northern California Cascade range.

Irrigation available but none this year.

4 cuttings with a rare 5th

6 tons average yield with irrigation, 5 tons without irrigation.

7.5 tons record yield


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

1. Your location The Central Texas Blacklands, 10 miles east of I-35 and half way between Dallas & San Antonio. We are at 97º21' W & 30º 57' N. The 97º W puts us on the demarcation between the Humid east and the Arid West. We have a humid climate for March to June.

We bask in the luxury of the Arid West for July and August

2. Your type of irrigation None, climate is average 37" of annual rainfall, extremes 18" of annual rain to over 60" of rain. With the 18" almost stays where it lands, while the 60" maybe 30" stays on the farm. Climate is an annual Summer Drought, with occasional roaring floods.

July a year ago we received a 5" rain event during a drought. None ran off but itg all ran down the cracks in the clay soil. A month later we had a 4" rain event with it all going down the newly opened cracks.

3. How many cuts per year varies from 7 to maybe one cutting in season. Ideally we have 2 or better yet 3 cuttings before the July 4 th. We have ideally have one cutting after Labor Day with an occasional 2 Post Summer cuttings

4. How many tons/ cut

5. Your one-time RECORD yield

The best cutting was just under 4 T/A

Typical is a between 1 & 2 ton/a with an occasional less than one ton/A.

.

We have a Calcareous Clay soil that is a Vertisal - high shrink - character.with an over abundance of calcium.

We can expect 2 hours maybe 3 hours between 70% RH & 50% RH during the day. At night we can have 4 to 6 hours between to dry to bale & too tough to bale. Figure 8 acres of day time baling and 18 acres of night baling, Small square bales.

Raking times from first light to 9 am.

It requires two to pick up haul and stack for each hour of baling.

I have a baling crew of one.


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Good Lord hay wilson in TX, 4 ton alfalfa?! In your climate? I bet it was hellacious getting it to dry! Bet it was fun small baling it, too.

Very impressive


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

Anybody else wanna share? Or is it top-secret?

Btt


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## shadyoakhay (Oct 23, 2014)

Piedmont of north Carolina 
Mother nature's rain 
4-5 cuttings a year. 
1-2 tons acre 
Record is 4


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## sethd11 (Jan 1, 2012)

Hard time getting in the alfalfa this year. 
All idiot cubes @50-55 lbs
80bpa 1st.
60bpa 2nd.
52bpa 3rd

3rd cutting number is spot on first 2 cuttings rounded down because I can't remember exactly what they were.


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## sethd11 (Jan 1, 2012)

I feel like an idiot. Northern Illinois. Clay ground.


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## hf449269 (Jun 4, 2014)

1.Southeast Nebraska

2. Center pivot well irrigation and some dry land

3. Rule of thumb is bank on 5 cuttings and a 6th is a vacation fund for irrigated and 3 or 4 for dryland

4. Average between 8 and 10 ton of dry hay and one 9 ton first cut chop for haylage at 70% moisture on irrigated established stands. On dryland 3 to 4 ton of dry hay and a 6 ton chop.

5. Record for me is 2.91 ton/acre of dry hay on a second cut on a 192 acre field that i was racing a rain on so i had 740 3x4 big squares to race and get covered.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

hf449269 said:


> 1.Southeast Nebraska
> 
> 2. Center pivot well irrigation and some dry land
> 
> ...





hf449269 said:


> 1.Southeast Nebraska
> 
> 2. Center pivot well irrigation and some dry land
> 
> ...


How heavy are your 3x4 bales to only get 740 off of 192 acres at 2.91 tons/acre?


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## hf449269 (Jun 4, 2014)

Between 1500 and 1600


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

hf449269 said:


> Between 1500 and 1600


ah ok. That's pretty heavy for a 3x4


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## MuddFlap (Oct 26, 2014)

I've been thinking of starting a small alfalfa operation and in doing my research there is one detail I can't figure out. I know this is probably obvious to everyone (but me) but I can't really find a clear answer.

Assuming, for the sake of using easy numbers, I do 4 cuttings a year and I get "4 tons per acre".

Does that mean each cutting yields 4 tons per acre?

Or

Does each cutting average 1 ton and I get a total of 4 tons per acre all year long?

Thanks for tolerating my "newbieness".


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

MuddFlap said:


> I've been thinking of starting a small alfalfa operation and in doing my research there is one detail I can't figure out. I know this is probably obvious to everyone (but me) but I can't really find a clear answer.
> 
> Assuming, for the sake of using easy numbers, I do 4 cuttings a year and I get "4 tons per acre".
> 
> ...


In Idaho I would say well more then 4 tons an acre for a yearly total. The 1st cutting is the most ton's per acre then less as the cuttings go on, but feed value goes up.


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## MuddFlap (Oct 26, 2014)

Thanks Teslan! I was wondering why the world wasn't awash in wealthy alfalfa farmers...


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## PackMan2170 (Oct 6, 2014)

hf449269 said:


> Between 1500 and 1600


What kind of 3x4 are you running to make that bale weight? Mine are usually 1350-1450lbs


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## hf449269 (Jun 4, 2014)

New holland bb960 crop cutter I have been cutting all my hay the last few years and that has added to my bale weight. I had a dairy customer request it and now all my customers love it.


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## astropilot (Jun 3, 2008)

1. Louisville, KY

2. No irrigation

3. Sandy Loam

4. 6 cuts

5. 7.5 per acre

6. 7.5 per acre, the Potash really does help a lot!


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