2023 Alfalfa Monitoring Project Underway

Regional Crops/Soils Educator Scott Reuss has begun to monitor area alfalfa fields to assist harvest date decision-making for area farms.  The first day of field work was Thursday, May 18 and showed that alfalfa is a ways away from being ready to harvest, but is starting to put on growth.  Other days of sampling will include Tuesday, May 23; Friday or Saturday, May 26/27; Tuesday, May 30; and Friday, June 2nd, with this date likely to be a shorter route due to maturity.  You can access new information here, by calling 715-732-7510 and listening to the recorded information, or by contacting Reuss via call/text at 715-701-0966.  Local and state-wide information are also available through the state-wide website, located at: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/scissorsclip/

You can conduct the PEAQ method in your own fields by following the procedure found at: https://fyi.extension.wisc.edu/forage/files/2014/01/PEAQTable.pdf

Alfalfa Monitoring Project Results, May 30, 2023

Most fields in the region are ready for harvest. In part due to heat pushing maturity of alfalfa and any grasses/weeds in the fields and partially due to dryness creating a lack of growth opportunity moving forward. I would strongly recommend beginning harvest if you are wanting to harvest any decent type of quality. This goes for beef/heifer feed, as well, as if we don’t get a significant rain event very soon, most fields in the four counties are done growing for first crop. Again, please remember that these results are the PEAQ readings for pure alfalfa.

This is the last set of readings that will be taken for the 2023 alfalfa monitoring season.

Site RFV Tallest Stem
Krakow 172 31 – half of the spots had visible buds
Shawano S 150 34 – all had visible buds
Caroline 172 30 – all spots with visible buds
Leopolis 173 31 – all spots had visible buds
Bowler A 177 27.5 – one third had visible buds
Bowler B 193 26 – one third had visible buds
Phlox 187 28 – half had visible buds
Polar 175 31 – 1 spot had visible buds
Bryant 183 28 – couple spots with visible buds
Beaver (poorer soil) 175 29 – all spots had visible buds
Beaver (poorer soil) 162 30 – all had visible buds
Alfalfa Monitoring Project Results, May 23, 2023

Again, please remember that these results are the PEAQ readings for pure alfalfa. Results from Outagamie County and my intuition both say that these results are still probably 30 or so points lower than what a laboratory analysis would return as RFQ, as we have just started to put on fiber growth. However, grasses and weeds will (usually) be lower forage value, so you need to think accordingly. I did note some adult alfalfa weevils in a few of the fields I walked, but not high populations and no signs of larvae, yet.

Next samples will be taken on Tuesday, May 30 and will likely be focused on the western and northern areas, as many fields in Eastern Shawano, Oconto, and Southern Marinette Counties will have been harvested by then. I am not able to collect data Friday/Saturday, as will be harvesting triticale nitrogen rate plots.

Site RFV Tallest Stem
Middle Inlet 238 22
Beaver East 225 21
Beaver West 190 26 – couple spots with visible buds
Grover 193 27 – couple spots with visible buds
Lena North 192 25 – 1/3 of spots with visible buds
Cty. Line 178 27 – 1/2 of spots with visible buds
Stiles Jct. 194 25
Gillett 195 27 – couple spots with visible buds
Chase 190 25
Angelica 185 27.5
Briarton Fall sdg 195 24
Caroline 195 25 – couple spots with visible buds
Bowler A 198 26
Bowler B 222 21
Phlox 210 24
Bryant 212 23

Alfalfa Monitoring Project Results, May 18, 2023

Although was in a bunch of fields Thursday, will likely walk more fields next Tuesday and Friday/Saturday. Please let me know if you have fields you consider representative of your area and you are willing to have me walk them. Particularly if you are in Shawano or Langlade Counties, as have a few areas where I don’t have participating fields.

Please note that these results are the PEAQ readings for pure alfalfa. Results from Outagamie County and my intuition both say that these results are probably 30-50 points lower than what a laboratory analysis would return as RFQ, as we have not had fiber growth conditions yet this year.

Site RFV Tallest Stem
Middle Inlet 255 17
Beaver 252 19
Grover 225 22
Lena North 217 22 – One stem with visible buds
Stiles Junction 227 21
Chase 217 21
Angelica 217 21
Caroline 222 20 – One stem with visible buds
Bowler A 237 18
Bowler B 250 18
Phlox 242 16

 

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