1st Cutting Forage Quality Update ~ April 30, 2019
Kevin Ganoe, Area Field Crop Specialist
Central New York Dairy and Field Crops
Here are numbers that are helpful when using alfalfa and grass height as an indicator of NDF content. In general:
- Begin cutting 100% grass stands should be cut when nearby alfalfa is 14 inches tall to achieve the desired 50% NDF. Begin cutting 50/50 mixed alfalfa and grass stands when nearby alfalfa is 22 inches tall for the desired 44% NDF. Begin cutting 100% alfalfa stands when alfalfa is 28 inches tall for the desired 40% NDF.
- The desired NDF for all grass fields is 50%, 50/50 mixed alfalfa and grass fields is 44%, and pure alfalfa stands is 40%. Predicted days to cut are based on daily NDF increases for grasses of 1% point, 50/50 mixed stands of .8% points and alfalfa of .5% point. Typically NDF increases about 0.8 to 1.2/day for grasses expecting the lower end of that range in cooler weather and the higher end in warm. Alfalfa NDF increases about 0.4 to 0.7/day again figuring the lower end of that range with cool temperatures and the higher in warm. Predictions are adjusted for the coming week's weather and right now we are assuming normal growth.
- In the tables in the pdf, locations around the region are listed where we have measured alfalfa height. You can use the location and elevation as a guide to conditions that may be similar to your own. Always check your fields to verify your heights and conditions!
This week was supposed to be a dry run for starting our monitoring next week but we have enough alfalfa growth to predict a few pure grass stands to be ready before Tuesday, May 7. That may be a little ambitious given predicted high temperatures are only in the 60s for the week but never the less felt we should report the chance exists for a few grass fields to be ready. If we by chance get 70s things will move fast. It is hard to imagine grass fields would be dry enough to run equipment on.
We need an alfalfa height of 10 inches for our prediction equations to work and 28 percent of the fields were 10 inches or taller though none were taller than 12 inches.
A number of fields were observed considerable frost heaving. Make sure to check your fields to confirm they are alive and intact.
Next report will be May 7.
4-30-2019 1st Cutting Forage Quality Summary (pdf; 645KB)
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