Harvesting and Storing Quality Alfalfa

Maintaining forage quality from field to dairy animal Minimum shrinkage and spoilage Excellent dairy animal performance Goals

There is no method of storage that can improve harvesting poor quality forage.

Forage Yield relative to Quality at Different Growth Stages Dry matter yield (tons per acre) % digestible dry matter

StageCPADFNDFRFV Late Vegetative Bud Early Bloom Bloom Full Bloom Leaves contain 70% of the protein and 90% of the vitamins and minerals, as compared to the stems.

Lactating Cows First two cuttings must be timely to provide highest yield of high quality forage. 1st cutting at bud stage. 2nd cutting 28 to 33 days after the first cut

Other Dairy Animals 10-20% bloom. 2nd cutting days after 1st cut

Cut Width Cornell University Study Only mow what can be merged (or raked) and chopped in one day.

Time of Day for Harvesting Leaf sugar and starch increase from late morning to mid-afternoon, then decease overnight. It is best to cut alfalfa in the morning for higher quality haylage.

Proper Particle Size Is Important Too coarse cause a sorting problem. Effective fiber is only effective if eaten Incorrect fiber length can lead to cows going off feed, low fat test, decline in milk production, displaced abomasums, laminitis, and liver abscesses.

Guidelines for Separator Box Analysis Type of feed Screen distribution -- % by wt Top*MiddleBottom TMR7 – 1045 – 5540 – 50 Haylage15 – 2040 – 5030 – 40 Corn Silage: Unprocessed< 550 – 60< 30 Processed< 1550 – 60< 30 *For Top Screen – quality of material is most important. Cows more likely to eat high quality long stem forage vs. cobs and big coarse stems.

Particle Size Guidelines 3/8” with a max of 15-20% of particles > 1”-1 1/2” long. Frequently observe the forages and make adjustments in harvest cut length to obtain desired particle sizes.

Forage Storage Management Get anaerobic fermentation to reach a pH below 5.0 as rapidly as possible. Goal  Fill as rapidly as possible  Sharp knives and cut forage at correct length.  Ensile at correct moisture.  Pack, pack and pack some more

Storage Moisture Recommendations Bag – 60-65% Bunker/pile – 65-70%