May 23, 2016 NNY Alfalfa Height Report
Alfalfa height at optimum mixed stand NDF (For 1st cutting only)
Check your fields!
Notice the differences among these
monitored fields.
It is important to get out and
measure alfalfa heights in your own
fields to help judge rate of growth
and maturity for best timing of 1st
cutting.
Field Background
Refer to table on page 2 for detailed
information on each site.
Points on the graph with 0" alfalfa
height have been mowed.
35
Alfalfa Height, inches
30
CUT!
25
20
15
10
5
0
0
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
% Grass
Optimal Alfalfa Height, inches
St. Lawrence
Franklin
Clinton
Jefferson
Lewis
The North Country 1st Cutting Forage Quality Monitoring Program is made possible by Cornell Cooperative Extension.
Data collection by Ron Kuck, Joe Lawrence, Harry Fefee, Sara Bull, Eric Bever, Jonathan Kraus and Kitty O'Neil.
Goal % NDF
NDF (Neutral Detergent Fiber) content is the best predictor of forage quality for lactating dairy cows. NDF content of standing first cutting alfalfa and grasses is
easily predicted by alfalfa height. The relationship between NDF content in an alfalfa-grass mix and alfalfa height only works for first cutting. Second and 3rd
cuttings should simply be taken according to the calendar - at 28 to 35 day intervals.
100% Grass - Goal NDF (on a dry matter basis) is 50% (target range 48-55). Tallest alfalfa height will be 14-16 inches.
100% Alfalfa - Goal NDF is 40% (target range 39-43). Tallest alfalfa height will be 28-30 inches.
Mixed stand - for a 50:50 alfalfa:grass stand, the goal NDF is 43%. Tallest alfalfa height will be 22-23 inches.
Begin harvest early enough so that most of your crop is harvested within the "ideal" range. Typically NDF increases about 0.5 to 0.7/day for alfalfa was and about
0.8 to 1.2/day for grass. Expect the lower end of that range in cooler weather and the higher end in warm.
Weekly Observations
With the little bit of rain we've had in the past week and warm days, alfalfa grew 1 to 14". Several monitored fields have been mowed - great
job. A few more fields are now past optimal NDF. These are the fields on the graph above where the dot has now passed the target NDF line.
Alfalfa is just starting to form buds in many fields, orchardgrass is largely headed across most areas now and other grass species are soon to
follow. Lots of hay will be cut in the next week.
May 23, 2016 NNY Alfalfa Height Report
County
Town/Field
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
St. Lawrence
Franklin
Franklin
Clinton
Clinton
Clinton
Clinton
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Jefferson
Lewis
Lewis
Lewis
Lewis
Lewis
Lewis
Edwards
Depeyster
Depeyster
Depeyster
Canton
Madrid
Waddington
Lawrence
Hopkinton
Moira
Bangor
Mooers
Plattsburgh
Peru
Peru
Hounsfield
Ellisburg
Ellisburg
Ellisburg
Adams
Pamelia
Rodman
Rodman
Adams
Lorraine
Champion
Champion
Philadelphia
Clayton
Orleans
Martinsburg
Martinsburg
Turin
Denmark
Denmark
Denmark
Elevation
(feet)
580'
364'
352'
340'
400'
340'
260'
460'
800'
460'
760'
225'
375'
420'
480'
276'
365'
308'
240'
446'
262'
879'
801'
705'
581'
1129'
712'
482'
340'
413'
1072
1105
840
883
943
1189
Soil
Type
Depeyster
Kalurah
Hogansburg
Adjidaumo
Malone
Hogansburg
Croghan
Depeyster
Malone
Rhinebeck
Moira
Hailesboro
Hailesboro
Appleton
Hogansburg
Galway
Bombay
Collamer
Gallway
Niagara
Niagara
Galway
Galway
Phelps
Blasdell
Farmington
0
Hudson
Rhinebeck
Wilpoint
Galway
Galway
Kars
Farmington
Nellis
Galway
% Grass
80
40
50
10
10
20
60
10
25
80
70
50
5
25
25
10
50
25
50
75
90
25
10
10
0
60
0
50
75
75
30
100
5
20
15
60
Grass
Species
Timothy
Timothy
Reed Canarygrass
Reed Canarygrass
Reed Canarygrass
Reed Canarygrass
Orchardgrass
Orchardgrass
Bluegrass
Orchardgrass
Bromegrass
Bromegrass
Tall Fescue
Orchardgrass
Orchardgrass
Reed Canarygrass
Tall Fescue
Tall Fescue
Alfalfa Height, inches
2-May
9-May
5
6.5
7
10
7
10
6
9
7
9.5
7
11
7
10.5
5
8
5
8.5
3.5
8.5
4.5
10.5
5
7
7
12
5
8.5
5
8.5
7
12
8
13
7
11
7
13
7
11
5
9
7
10
6
9
8
12
7
11
5
9
8
12
9
7
8
7
12
7
11
6
11
5.5
9
6.5
8.5
5
10
16-May
13
16
18
12.5
13
15
13
12.5
13.5
11
13
10
12
16
16
17
19
16
17
15
13
14
12
17
16
12
17
12
12
13
16
18
14
14
13
15
23-May
20
21
21
17
19
22
18
18
18
19
18
14
26
20
20
22
24
22
21
18
18
18
- cut 23
21
16
23
13
- cut 17
24
24
20
21
- cut - cut -
30-May
6-Jun