Posted: 05.31.2011

Most growers will admit - the timing this spring is all goofed up.

Some Wisconsin growers are just starting on corn planting - while others have almost finished soybeans.  And then there's alfalfa!

Dr. Dan Undersander, UW Extension Forage and Alfalfa Specialist, says reports are streaming in that the alfalfa crop for most of Wisconsin is ready to go!  "The quality of alfalfa is not as delayed as our field crops may be.  Where farmers may be 10-14 days delayed in their corn planting - our alfalfa is probably only 3-4 days behind, so it's critical that we give our attention to that first cutting."

Undersander believes there will be a premium for alfalfa harvested and processed to maintain top quality.  "There's some mixed stories on that."  Undersander says, "You remember most of us didn't make a lot of good quality hay because of the wet weather we had.  So we've got a lot of hay, but not much good quality dairy hay."  Undersander says right now he's seeing prices ranging from $160 per ton or higher for dairy quality hay - and he expects those prices to stay firm.  Undersander says the higher price of corn is going to push that hay cost up too.

So - what about seeding NEW alfalfa fields this late?  Undersander doesn't really discourage it - just reminds growers to be careful.

"I think some individuals were thinking they'd come back and seed some alfalfa after they got done planting corn,"  Undersander told the WI Farm Report Radio, "The short answer is they can still do that."  Undersander says the two issues that influence when Wisconsin farmers seed alfalfa is soil temperature and moisture.  Making sure that fledgling seed has ample moisture to get established is key - that's why most growers try and have that seed in the ground early in the spring season.  "We can seed alfalfa any month - as long as there's moisture available to support the crop,"  Undersander says.

 

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