May 25, 2017 Alfalfa Harvest Alert / Scissors-Cut Info
Update May 26, 8 PM
Central Minnesota Forage Council, U of M Extension, Farm and Business Cooperators Chart starts with all farms for most recent test - followed by all tests for individual farms. Farms are listed somewhat from south to north. Watch 3-4 samples for trend line. "Hgt" is height of tallest stems in 2 foot square sample area. "Mat" is Maturity of most mature stem 1=Veg 2=Bud 3=Flower Date County Farm Town Hgt Mat PEAQ RFV RFQ ADF NDF NDFd 5/18 Sibley Husfeldt S. of Glencoe 28 Bud 164 182 197 28.2 34.3 44.9 5/22 Carver Dreier Norwood 30 Bud 157 170 190 29.8 35.8 46.4 5/25 Carver Wandersee Cologne 29 Bud 160 190 209 27.5 33.1 47.7 5/25 McLeod Krienke Lester Prairie 31 BUD 170 182 28.5 5/25 Wright Poppler Howard Lake 31 BUD 165 169 30.0
CP 24.1 21.5 22.3 23.7 22.8
5/25 5/25 5/25 5/25 5/25 5/25 5/25
29.5 23 21.1 19.3 20.4 20.7
Meeker Stearns Stearns Stearns Benton Benton Morrison
Warren Gathje Maus Frericks Scapanski O & S Dairy Roerick
SW of Watkins Eden Valley S Freeport N Melrose NE Sauk Rapids
E Rice SW of Upsala
28.2 28 23.5 24.5 24.6 24.6 24
Bud VB Bud VB 1.2 1.5 V/B
163 168 191 183 183 187 213 186 200 183 206 190 201
248 228 248 250 245 230
23.7 25.5 22.6 26.6 24.5 23.8
34.3 35.1 32.1 31.7 31.4 32.6
70 61 59 56.5 53.7 55
KEY POINTS: For Scissors-cut sampling the goal is to have at least 3 tests that are 3-4 days apart to establish a trend that is more reliable than a one-time sample. Hay or Haylage in the feed bunk can be expected to have an RFV that is 15 to 25 points lower than the fresh-cut sample test or what the PEAQ stick or chart indicates - because of harvest and storage loss. So harvest might start when fresh-cut sample PEAQ RFV numbers are 15 to 25 points higher than the feed target. The PEAQ RFV number indicates what we could expect to see in a fresh cut lab test. NDF might be 3 to 6 points higher for the as-fed feed. Harvest might start when the fresh-cut samples of PEAQ NDF is 3-6 points lower than the feed targets. When the alfalfa gets to be 22 to 24 to 26 inches tall, buds are likely to start to form; and dairy producers might watch for a good weather opportunity to harvest. Livestock Producers will have different quality targets based on the type of animals, other ration ingredients, and past experience with harvest and feeding of hay products. It can be useful for livestock producers to talk with a nutrition advisor about harvet targets and strategies. As the new crop grows, we expect old crop residue to be a smaller share of the sample, and less significant. There is seldom a reason to remove old crop residue in the spring. Weeds can be an issue too. Grass will raise NDF numbers and lower RFV numbers usually. Grass NDF is usually more digestible, so an alfalfa grass mix can run a little higer NDF and still feed as well as pure alfalfa. Jerry Cherney at Cornell wrote an
Sponsors and Cooperating Agri-Businesses Paynesville Cooperative Gilman Cooperative Total Ag Business Services - Jim Kastanek Ag Venture/FormAFeed at Watkins Byron Seeds-Rick Tamm KASM 1150 AM Albany Stearns County DHIA LAB
(I will add to this list as I learn of other sponsors.) Helena Chemical, Royalton Nelson Dairy Consulting - Greg Lefebvre Vita Plus, Barry Viser United Farmers Cooperative Rich Shug & Bob Nelson KLTF 960 AM Little Falls Dairyland Lab at Sauk Rapids
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Husfeldt- Sibley Co. South of Glencoe Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/15 26 Veg 178 5/18 28 Late Bud 164 5/22 Not able to sample
RFV 183 182
RFQ 199 197
ADF 27.9 28.2
NDF NDFd CP GDD 34.2 46.5 22.8 34.3 44.9 24.1
Notes
ADF 21.9 24 27.9 31.8 29.8
NDF NDFd CP GDD 26.8 22.4 29.6 21.6 33.6 21.2 36.8 41.9 23.3 35.8 46.4 21.5
Notes
ADF 21.7 23.8 26.5 25.5 27.5
NDF NDFd CP GDD 26.2 25 28.4 51.9 25.6 30.7 46.2 24.6 30.3 46.3 23.2 33.1 47.7 22.3
Notes
Dreier- Carver Co - Norwood Date Height Mat 5/8 16 Veg 5/11 18 Veg 5/15 23 Bud 5/18 27 Bud 5/22 30 Bud
PEAQ RFV 240 225 185 167 157
RFV 250 221 186 162 170
RFQ
Wandersee - Carver Co - Cologne Date Height Mat 5/11 13 Veg 5/15 20 Veg 5/18 24 Veg 5/22 26 Bud 5/25 29 Bud
PEAQ RFV 260 210 190 170 160
RFV 255 230 207 212 190
RFQ
Krienke - McLeod - Near Lester Prairie Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/11 18 Veg 230 5/15 24 Veg 210 5/18 27 Veg 175 5/22 28 2/3Bud 167 5/25 31 BUD 170
RFV 254 229 200 180 182
RFQ
ADF 22.6 25.0 27.0 28.4 28.5
NDF NDFd CP GDD 24.9 26.6 27.2 25.2 22.8 23.7
Notes
Poppler - Wright - Howard Lake Date Height Mat 5/11 18.5 Veg 5/15 25 Veg 5/18 28 Veg 5/22 30 2/3Bud 5/25 31 BUD
PEAQ RFV 220 200 171 159 165
RFV 250 242 220 181 169
RFQ
ADF 22.4 23.9 25.5 27.3 30.0
NDF NDFd CP GDD 25.7 26.5 26.4 26.0 20.1 22.8
Notes
Warren - Meeker Co - 5 Miles SW of Watkins Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/11 19.9 Veg 210 5/15 24.8 Veg 183 5/18 26.6 Veg 174 5/22 27.6 Bud 165 5/25 28.2 Bud 163
RFV 196 205 150 177
RFQ
ADF 26.7 25.0 32.9 28.8
NDF NDFd CP GDD 32.4 21 31.6 54.7 23.8 39.3 22.3 35 48.1 23.2
Notes
172 190
261 226 232 209
246 199
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few buds
Gathje - Stearns Co- northeast of Eden Valley Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/11 15-16 Veg 235 5/15 22 Veg 200 5/18 25 V/B 185 5/22 26 1/2B 176 5/25 28 VB 168
RFV 213 209 201 175 191
RFQ 285 253 251 249 248
ADF 23.1 22.8 22.6 23.4 23.7
NDF NDFd CP GDD Notes 31 71 32.1 31.7 64 29 33 65 30.3 37.5 76 26.7 34.3 70 29.5 Plan to Cut 5/26
Maus - Stearns Co - south of Freeport Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/15 19.5 Veg 217 5/18 21.5 Veg 203 5/22 22.5 Veg 198 5/25 23.5 Bud 183
RFV 225 158 195 183
RFQ 284 196 247 228
ADF 23.2 26.8 24 25.5
NDF NDFd CP GDD 29.3 65 28.7 40 63 26.5 33.4 65 26.9 35.1 61 23
Notes
Frericks - Stearns Co 4 miles - north of Melrose Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/18 18 Veg 232 5/22 22 Veg 200 5/25 24.5 VB 187
RFV 182 221 213
RFQ 225 280 248
ADF 23.1 20.2 22.6
NDF NDFd CP GDD 36.2 63 26.9 30.8 66 24.7 32.1 59 21.1
Notes
RFV
RFQ
ADF
NDF NDFd
208 200 204 190 197 200
242 230 236 216 224 250
26.5 26.7 26.6 28.3 26.8 26.6
30.5 31.7 31.1 32.8 32.2 31.7
RFV
RFQ
ADF
NDF NDFd
220 226 223 186 219 206
252 259 256 214 251 245
25.6 24.2 24.9 28.4 24.2 24.5
29.5 28.8 29.2 33.4 29.8 31.4
D Scapanski - Benton Co - Northeast of Sauk Rapids Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/11 13-15 Veg >240 5/15-1 18.8 Veg 220 5/15-2 18.8 Veg 220 5/15Av 18.8 Veg 220 5/18 21.2 Veg 204 5/22 21.8 Veg 201 5/25 24.6 1.2 186 O & S Dairy - Benton Co - East of Rice Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/11 14.4 Veg >240 5/15-1 18 Veg 224 5/15-2 18 Veg 224 5/15Av 18 Veg 224 5/18 20.5 Veg 208 5/22 22 Veg 200 5/25 24.6 1.5 183 Roerick's next page
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52.6 52.2 52.4 50.2 50.8 56.5
52.9 53.2 53.1 50.5 52.8 53.7
CP
GDD
Notes No Lab two samples averaged* *
GDD
Notes No Lab two samples averaged* *
21.3 22.1 21.7 22.4 20.6 19.3
CP 22.5 22.6 22.6 22.5 22.7 20.4
Roerick - Morrison Co - southwest of Upsala Date Height Mat PEAQ RFV 5/15 21 Veg 205 5/18 24 Veg 190 5/22 24 V/B 185 5/25 24 V/B 190
RFV 208 211 184 201
RFQ 231 240 221 230
ADF 22.4 22.4 24 23.8
NDF NDFd CP GDD 31.9 53 25.9 31.5 54 26.3 35.5 60 23.4 32.6 55 20.7
Notes
NOTES Extension Educators involved with this project include: Dan Martens, Stearn/Benton/Morrison Counties 968-5077 or 1/800,964-4929
[email protected] Colleen Carlson, Carver/Scott Counties, 952-466-5300,
[email protected] Karen Johnson, McLeod, Meeker Counties 320-484-4334,
[email protected] Jason Ertl, Sibly County, 507-237-4100
[email protected] POTENTIAL WEATHER EFFECTS Typically cool weather results in Lower Fiber, Higher Digestibility, Lower Crude Protein. Cloudy weather may result in More Fiber and Lower Digestibility. Wet weather may result in Higher Leaf to Stem Ratio and Lower Fiber accordingly. So you can think about the results of different combinations of these. It's not always a clear conclusion. Some Feed Reps tell me 1st cutting usually has better fiber digestibility because it usually grows under cooler weather conditions.
5/11/2017 Winter Injury has been significant on some farms this year; and more decisions about fields could be made as first cutting alfalfa gets done. Field are likely to be more variable with weather stress and winter injury. I checked soil temperatur at OS Dairy where alfalfa canopy was about 14 inche in a good stand on loam soils. It was about 2:30 p.m. and read 60 degrees. 5/15/2017 Warm weather since Thursday resulted in 4 to 6 inches of growth on some fields. At the Warren farm in Meeker County, they noted "mostly vegetative-moving to bud stage. If we're supposed to get rainy weather for a chunk of this week, there could be some people looking for a weather opportunity to harvest some hay the next time the weather gives and opportunity - depending on feed goals. In Benton County at the Scapanski and O&S farms, 1 clipped two sample at each clipping location in the field because I wanted to check for sampling variation. They turned out quite similar. Sometimes in previous years, I have seen a difference from one sample day to another that is much greater than expected. That could be cause of sample differences, more than from a real difference in the field. Once again , 3 or more samples help to establish a trend line that offers more confidence in the numbes. 5/18/2017 I recorded 2.5 inches of Rain from Monday noon to Thursday morning; and I've several othe observations in this range. The two field I checked were lodged to about half their height. As expected fields farther north generally are running behind southern areas. It's probably pretty safe to say hay will be cut in some of out neighborhoods when the weather offers a chance. It's difficult to guess at how fields respond to weather conditions related to notes listed earlier. Will you get a flush of new leaves with minimal stem growth with cool weather? Cooler weather is suppose to help hold digestibility, but protein might be lower.
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5/22/2017 Cloudy, rainy, cool weather since Thursday. Created some line graphs. Don't know whether they mean a lot. Same Answer, when the weather gives people a chance, they'll be making some hay. There might be some places where RFQ is consistently higher than RFV, for example, or Lab RFV's run consistently better than the PEAQ stick indicates, where you might hope it feeds better than you'd expect. Eventually some of us will find out how this crop feeds. 5/25/2017 Less rain, still cool. Some people on sand or firm soil where they are OK with fields carrying machinery OK, started hay harvest, maybe cutting much as they think they can wrap or chop before the next rain threat. Past experience and preferences count. It's not the same for everyone. 5/26/2017 Additional field and lab resorts. People are checking fields, checking the weather, other things on the do-list, figuring out what might make sense. Safety First... with the Memorial Day Holiday... and the work RAINED ON ALFAFLA : Dan Undersander, UWEX offers this discussion about managing harvest with rain issue: http://www.foragefirst.com/wp-content/uploads/Managing-Rained-on-Forage.pdf. You can do a website search for "Undersander Managing Rained-on Alfalfa for Haylage." Shake it through the sreen of your own experience, expertise, and needs.
GENERAL NOTES Your common sense and past experience means a lot. Farmers and Nutrition advisors should discuss harvest strategies related to farm needs and goals. The weather is really tough to predict or bank on. You can do a website search for "National Weather Service Climate Prediction Center " for 6-10 and 9-14 day forecasts. You might use DTN or another source; and your hunch might be just as good. Some people don't try to dance around the weather too much. Remember, getting hay and haylage up in good physical condition is just as important as trying to catch it at the right feed quality level - fast drying is good, baling-bagging-chopping-wrapping as baleage at the right moisture, getting it off field and into storage quickly, good haylage packing, a quality haylage inoculant. Talk to neighbors or custom operators about options you might be able to use. Farmers do their best - as much as the weather and field conditions allow. REDUCING ASH CONTENT OF FORAGE FEED. Some people might find some value in an article posted recently by Wisconsin Extension Forage Specialist Dan Undersander on this topic. "http://fyi.uwex.edu/forage/reducing-ash-in-forage" OR do an Internet Search for "Wisconsin Forage FYI."
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Dreier
260 240
220 200 180 160
PEAQ RFVLab RFV RFQ 240 250 225 221 185 186 167 162 172 157 170 190
5/8 5/11 5/15 5/18 5/22
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV RFQ Linear (PEAQ RFV) Linear (Lab RFV)
140
5/8
Wandersee
5/11
5/15
5/18
5/22
280
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 255 210 230 190 207 170 212 160 190
260
5/11 5/15 220 5/18 200 5/22 180 5/25 240
PEAQ RFV
RFQ
Lab RFV
261 226 232 209
RFQ
Linear (PEAQ RFV )
160 140 5/11
5/15
5/18
5/22
Linear (Lab RFV)
5/25
260
Krienke
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 230 254 210 229 175 200 167 180 170 182
240
5/11
2205/15 2005/18
1805/22 1605/25
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV Linear (PEAQ RFV ) Linear (Lab RFV)
140 5/11
Poppler
280 260
5/11 5/15 220 5/18 200 5/22 5/25 180 240
5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 220 250 200 242 171 220 159 181 165 169
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV Linear (PEAQ RFV ) Linear (Lab RFV)
160
140 5/11
5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
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260
Warren
5/11 240 5/15
220 5/18
5/22 200 5/25
180
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 210 196 183 205 174 150 165 177 163
RFQ 246
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV
199
RFQ Linear (PEAQ RFV )
160
Linear ( Lab RFV)
140 5/11
300
Gathje
280 5/11 260 5/15
5/18 240 5/22 220 5/25 200
5/15
5/18
5/22
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 235 213 200 209 185 201 176 175 168 191
5/25
RFQ 285 253 251 249 248
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV
RFQ Linear (PEAQ RFV )
180 160
Linear (Lab RFV)
140 5/11
Maus
300
5/15 280 5/18 260 5/22 240 5/25 220
5/15
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 217 225 203 158 198 195 183 183
5/18
5/22
RFQ 284 196 247 228
5/25
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV RFQ
200
Linear (Lab RFV)
180
Linear (RFQ)
160 140 5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
The second sample probably skews this some.
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Scapanski
270
PEAQ 220 204 201 186
2505/15
5/18 5/22 2105/25 230
Lab RFV 204 190 197 200
RFQ 236 216 224 250
PEAQ Lab RFV RFQ Linear (PEAQ)
190
Linear (Lab RFV)
170
Linear (RFQ)
150 5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
Variability in field can make taking a representative sample difficult from time to time.
270
OS Dairy
250
PEAQ Lab RFV 224 223 208 186 200 219 183 206
230 5/15
5/18 210 5/22 190 5/25
PEAQ
RFQ 256 214 251 245
Lab RFV RFQ Linear (Lab RFV ) Linear (RFQ)
170 150 5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
The second sample probably skews this some.
260
Roerick
240
5/15 220 5/18 5/22 200 5/25
PEAQ RFV Lab RFV 205 208 190 211 185 184 190 201
RFQ 231 240 221 230
PEAQ RFV
Lab RFV RFQ Linear (PEAQ RFV )
180
Linear (Lab RFV) Linear (RFQ)
160 140 5/15
5/18
5/22
5/25
May 25 Sample taken in a different part of the field, original area showing more winter injury issues.
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