Planning for forage success this spring
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EmailReview these tips and develop a plan for the best results with forage this year.
Successful forage establishment or harvest is usually a result of thoughtful planning prior to the spring. Taking the time to put a plan together will pay dividends to the novice as well as the experienced forage producer. A few points in these categories should be considered every year prior to spring: forage goals, soil fertility, harvest management, and emergency considerations.
Forage goals
Consider what kind of animals you have before spending valuable resources on tillage, seed and or fertilizer. Horses, cattle, sheep or dairy animals all have differing needs for forage quality. Consider if you want to plant a pure stand of alfalfa, a legume (clover or alfalfa) and grass mix, or a solid grass stand.
Another point to consider if using grass is to realize that a legume provides a symbiotic relationship that helps both the grass and legume to be more productive. MSU recommendations always encourage the use of improved varieties for both legumes and grass.
Know your production needs. Calculate how many pounds of forage you will need for your livestock. Assess if you will be rotating specific fields out of production and realize there may be fields that have winter kill or heaving decreasing your overall yield.
Soil fertility
A soil test is always a good start for assessing the nutrient needs of a forage crop. One common mistake by producers is to get a soil test and forget to let the lab know the sample is for a new seeding or an established stand.
One important consideration for any new alfalfa seeding is pH of the soils. A soil pH of 6.8 is recommended for mineral soils and a pH of 6.0 for organic soils. Based on your soils, the lime type and rates will vary. Plan on applying lime to your fields six months prior to planting a new alfalfa seeding.
Growers should consider the amount of fertilizer to apply to their fields based on: 1) the current soil fertility and, 2) the amount of crop removal. If you are not adding fertilizer to your fields, each and every bale will decrease the nutrients in your field. The following chart can be used for crop removal.
Nutrient removal in harvested portions for Michigan forage crops
(Warncke, D. et al, Nutrient Recommendations for Field Crops in Michigan, Extension Bulletin E-2904)
Yields are based on the following moisture contents: hay "*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*"*~ />
Emergency situations
Most experienced forage producers can remember a time when the weather was too hot and dry to get a good forage crop. If you have livestock, scrambling for hay following a hot, dry summer can be both expensive and time consuming. Consider having an alternative annual forage plan if the weather doesn’t allow for normal harvest yields.
Another potential challenge to consider involves the loss of your current alfalfa stands due to winter injury or heaving. If this happens, the time spent doing some early scouting and identifying problem fields pays dividends because of early planning and securing the best seed variety available for your cropping system.
