ALFALFA

ALFALFA

Alfalfa, also known as lucerne, is considered the ultimate fodder legume for cattle rearing. Its excellence can be attributed to beneficial qualities such as: its high yield; the excellent nutritional value of the fodder; improvements it makes to soil fertility; its good drought resistance; its great nitrogen-fixing capacity; its ability to make use of nutrients deep in the soil’s reserves; and its weed suppression. Alfalfa has taken a leading role as a rotation fodder crop owing to its capacity to produce large quantities of high-quality fodder.

CHARACTERISTICS:

– long lifespan (up to 6-7 years);

– remarkably fast sprouting with a high yield;

– high-quality yield, rich in protein;

– easily preserved yield (hay, silage, dehydrated flour, pellets);

– different uses (meadow and pasture);

– enhances the chemical and physical properties of the soil.

Alfalfa has become popular for all of these reasons and it is now cultivated across all continents.

SEEDING:

As a general rule, there are suitable seeding periods for alfalfa:

– end of summer (“autumn” seeding)

– end of winter (“spring” seeding)

End of summer seeding usually takes place from mid-August to mid-September in the north and up to 1-2 months later in the south.

End of winter seeding is more common as it avoids subjecting young alfalfa seedlings to the colder winter weather.

End of winter seeding takes place from mid-February to mid-April.

IRRIGATION:

Since our catalog varieties are drought-resistant ecotypes, they do not require special irrigation measures.

Where irrigation is required, it is carried out:

– 7-8 days after sowing to ensure increased crop production;

– 14-16 days after the previous irrigation measure and at least 7-8 days before sowing again, (to ensure prompt regrowth after cutting and avoid having wet soil while making hay, which requires dry ground).

HARVESTING:

There are two ways to harvest the fodder:

– obtain the maximum yield of digestible nutritional matter from the crop (option 1)

– obtain a high quality yield from the crop regardless of the quantity harvested (option 2)

Option 1: this is perfectly compatible with the plant’s needs. Cutting coincides with the start of the sprouting stage (1st and 5th cut) or the start of flowering (2nd, 3rd and 4th cut) when the plant has already restored its reserves.

Furthermore, the greater digestible nutrient content is obtained from alfalfa that is used (cut) 10 % of the way through flowering, i.e., at the start of flowering.

Option 2: not compatible with the plant’s physiological needs. Cutting occurs during the pre-flowering stage (inter-cutting at 20-25 days) leading to a yield that is higher quality but limited in quantity. Furthermore, this approach does not allow the alfalfa plant to completely replenish its root reserves leading to reduced crop longevity.

USAGES:

– green fodder

– hay

– silage

WEED MANAGEMENT:

The main agronomy measures for effectively managing weeds include:

– high levels of fertility;

– cutting when plants are dry;

– preventing machinery from going from contaminated soil to healthy soil;

– using resistant seed varieties. (see PALLADIUM ROCK and ATEKA)

Where these measures have been inadequate in ensuring the alfalfa field is weed free, using appropriate weedkillers is certainly an option. Chemical herbicides can be applied separately in the planting stage (pre-emergence) or during maintenance (post-emergence).