# Dairyland Hybrid Alfalfa



## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

I recently was looking at the university data on alfalfa (http://www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/alfalfa/) and started to pull data on HybriForce 3400 and 2400 from Dairyland Seed. Yes, I do sell for them. Yes, I believe we have a superior product. Over the last 4 years, HybriForce 3400 has a 10% year over year yield advantage against 70 other alfalfa varieties that were tested during the same time. Over the course of 4 years, that is a huge difference. In the trials, the advantage was the equivalent of almost 2.5 tons per acre difference. Truly amazing. From 2005-2009, HybriForce 2400 had a 6% year over year advantage over 91 alfalfa varieties. The 2400 had roughly a 1.5 ton advantage during the trials over 4 years.

2.5 tons x $200 = $500/acre x 20# seeding rate = $1250 of extra value per bag!

Give me your thoughts or feel free to contact me(219.863.6828 or [email protected]) if you would like to try any for the upcoming season!


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

Price per bag? Recommended seeding rate? Average lifespan? We used to plant lots of Dairyland, so I'm just curious.


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

I like the idea of hybred seed but their pest resistance does not fit for HERE.


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## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

What are your pest challenges down there....other than severe droughts


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

Phytophthora, when it does rain, this heavy clay can pond.

A long time ago we just said the alfalfa flooded out. Then we learned we had Wet Foot Root Rot. Then we learned the pest is Phytophthora.

Aphanomyces, if we need PRR resistance then a HR for Aph will help, At an AFGC conference we were sitting around and I mentioned I needed HR PRR. A Kentucky Seed Breeder mentioned that IF I really NEED PRR resistance resistance for Aph will help even though we do not have any official Aph fungus. Unfortunatly in 2007 he was proved correct.

Pea Aphid wiped out alfalfa a number of years ago, with out resistance.

Spotted Alfalfa Aphid, the bug people say I have my fair share of SAA but short of being a train wreck, for now.

Our climate is drought with intermittent flooding. We are on the devide between the Arid West and the Humid East. Makes life interesting.


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## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

It definitely sounds like you have some challenges! What dormancy of alfalfa do you normally grow down there?


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

The Text suggest FD 7 or 8, but experience tells me a FD 4 will yield as well. A Forage Specialest of New Mexico insisted that at our lattitude a FD 3 to FD 8 will not show any measurable yield difference.

I do not mind going to other states for useful information


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## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

Knowing that, I guess I am a bit confused. To me, it seems that Phytophthora and Aphanomyces are two of your issues. Our hybrid alfalfa is all highly resistant to Aphanomyces Race 1 and highly resistant to Phytophtora as well. Here is a couple of links to our products:

http://www.dairylandseed.com/alfalfa/product-details/hybriforce-3400

http://www.dairylandseed.com/alfalfa/product-details/hybriforce-2400

http://www.dairylandseed.com/alfalfa/product-details/hybriforce-2420wet

We also have some non-hybrid lines that would potentially fit your acres down there as well.

http://www.dairylandseed.com/alfalfa/product-details/magnum7

http://www.dairylandseed.com/alfalfa/product-details/magnum7-wet

I don't know if any of the "wet" or branch root alfalfa would be recommended down there, as you probably have a need for the taproot. Is there anything that I am missing that would be a missing characteristic? I'm more just curious as to where these products can all fit. Thanks!


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## haystax (Jul 24, 2010)

Show me some plots with yields above 6 ton/ac and I might be interested. The direct comps I ran weren't all that impressive

I did 6.8 tons/ac on one field and 6.7 on another with PGI 215 last year even with 3" of rain on 2nd cut and running over 6" of regrowth in the process of getting hay out of the field. Only got 3 cuttings due to weather

Have high hopes for a new stand of PGI 459 for this year. Goal is 7.5 ton/ac on 4 cuts.

What do you have that I might have missed?


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## nathanhrnicek (Mar 6, 2013)

haystax,

I'm not sure where you were running direct comps, I'd be interested to know. Always looking! Here are some of the data sets from the University of Wisconsin Extension office. These include all states that did testing from 2009-2013 (Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin).

Individual Variety Results By Age of Stand

*Check Variety: PGI 459 (QWEST in Canada)*

Stand Age Total Trials Trial Mean Yield (T/A) Variety Yield (T/A) Percent of Mean​ 1 1 2.54 2.61 103%
2 1 5.77 5.96 103%
3 1 5.84 6.01 103%
4 1 6.95 7.32 105%

*Variety: HYBRIFORCE-3400*



Stand Age Total Trials Trial Mean Yield (T/A) Variety Yield (T/A) Percent of Mean
​ 1 2 3.22 3.48 108%
2 7 6.00 6.74 112%
3 3 7.31 7.79 106%
5 1 5.60 6.00 107%

Here you can see that the PGI 459 had a range of 3-5% yield advantage on 1 trial for each year. The HybriForce-3400 had 6-12% yield advantage on multiple trials per year (except 5th).

Individual Variety Results By Age of Stand

*Check Variety: PGI 215*

Stand Age Total Trials Trial Mean Yield (T/A) Variety Yield (T/A) Percent of Mean
2 2 5.24 5.23 100%
3 1 6.17 6.11 99%

Here is the data from the PGI 215. It was roughly average in the few trials that it was in.

*PLEASE READ THIS PART THE MOST CAREFUL!!!!!!*

If what you are using in your location, seems to be working successfully for you, and you have a great relationship with your dealer. THAT IS FANTASTIC! If those situations are both continually present, then maybe there is an opportunity to look at something different. Again, this is not me trying to slam anyone or any other brand out there, it is simply me responding to the question of mediocre comparisons. Not at all trying to start a war here.

If you are ever interested in learning more, please email me at [email protected]

Thank you for your response! Happy Easter

Nathan


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