# Alfalfa and chicken litter



## Thad (Nov 29, 2011)

I am new to alfalfa. Planted RR alfalfa this year and it's doing grate. The question is can I put chicken litter on alfalfa or will the N be to much? The litter is around 20-56-50


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

Does your soil planted to alfalfa need phosphorus and potassium based on a soil test? If the soil's phosphorus and potassium levels are in the high range you might want to delay applying broiler litter until the fall after a frost stops alfalfa growth and you no longer cut it for hay. Fall application will allow time for the broiler litter to mineralize some, and not so much of it will be raked into the hay. Also, any nitrogen applied to soil producing alfalfa will be used by the alfalfa. Scientists say that nitrogen applied to alfalfa makes the Rhizobia slow down on fixing atmospheric nitrogen into the form used by the alfalfa. Before seeding the alfalfa would have been a great time to apply and disk the broiler litter into the soil.


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## Thad (Nov 29, 2011)

Thanks Vhany that's what I did. I put the litter out and disk in befor planting. The soil test are all good. I will hold off and put more litter out this fall. But should I put any thing on it between cuttings? Or will the soil support it through 4 or so cuttings?


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## vhaby (Dec 30, 2009)

How much broiler litter did you add pre-planting and what was it's analysis? Without knowing this or what your soil test results show, it's your call whether to add additional phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, or magnesium during the growing season. Remember that alfalfa can remove the equivalent of 12 to 15 lb P2O5, 60 lb K2O, 5 lb sulfur, and 5 lbs of magnesium per ton. Potash (potassium applied as K2O) would be the most important plant nutrient to reapply, possibly following the second cutting.


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

A NIR analysis usually provides P, K, Mg, & Ca to go along with your feed information. 
This will answer some questions for you.
The Wet Analysis usually reports a more extensive list of essential elements.

Rather than jump to conclusions I average the hay analysis results for each cutting to guess what the soil may need.

Now a question:
Does your RR Alfalfa agreement state that the stand will not be allowed to go to bloom? 
I ask because with the climate HERE it might be difficult to comply.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

[quote name='hay wilson

Now a question:
Does your RR Alfalfa agreement state that the stand will not be allowed to go to bloom? 
I ask because with the climate HERE it might be difficult to comply.[/QUOTE']

Wilson, the Technology agreement that I signed with Monsanto asked that you cut the RR alfalfa at 10% bloom or less if there are non-RR alfalfa varieties in the immediate area that could produce seed. If there is NO alfalfa grown in the immediate area, then you are allowed to harvest up to but before green pod stage. Now, this is NOT the exact terminology in the agreement, just the gist of it. One thing that I learned was that Alfalfa is strictly insect pollinated and not wind pollinated due to the heavy nature of the pollen spores. Now, they are not saying it is impossible for it to be wind pollinated.....just highly unlikely. Bill, thought you might like to look at the agreement so I attached a link. I think the RR alfalfa bloom suggestions are on page 18.

Best Regards, Mike

http://www.monsanto.com/SiteCollectionDocuments/Technology-Use-Guide.pdf


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

Wilson, the Technology agreement that I signed with Monsanto asked that you cut the RR alfalfa at 10% bloom or less if there are non-RR alfalfa varieties in the immediate area that could produce seed. If there is NO alfalfa grown in the immediate area, then you are allowed to harvest up to but before green pod stage.

The Monsanto Agreement is not as draconian as I was afraid.

Though Monsanto would not be happy with the style of management that has evolved on this farm.

In the far distant past we would harvest seed in late August. Reason was all varieties were Public Domain. Maybe Oklahoma Common or Kansas Common, here it was Hairy Peruvian Alfalfa. Our summer drought and little of no irrigation the stand quits growing in July, but would go to seed. Those thin "cuttings" were perfect for combining seed. With the coming of the Seed Companies protected varieties this practice came to an end. 
The climate did not change and Summer Dormancy of alfalfa, with out irrigation, has not changed. Now the few hundred pounds/Acre of seed just becomes scattered on the ground. .
I am slow but after a number of years I noticed that these seed could and would germinate and freshen the stand.
Would Monsanto take a dim view of this practice? I believe they would.

I have looked at the listed Pest Resistance for the RR varieties and they do not have as good a Pest Resistance as their non RR varieties. That being a fact of life, I had planned to only plant a 15 ft wide strip of a RR variety next to my neighbors corn ground, so he would feel free to let his boom over lap the property line and get ALL his weeds. Probably do the same next to my bermudagrass hay meadows.

The GMO traits are interesting. They just have not fit my evolved management style. Probably need to do a lot more evolving.

Thank You Again.


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