Trying to figure our when to cut your alfalfa stands can be a difficult thing to do. Depending on when you cut your stands it can determine just how persistent your alfalfa is. Luckily UW- Extension has a tool to help you determine when to make the cut.
“The main thing to consider with alfalfa stand life is whether you are getting as much productivity as you can out of the stand,” explains Scott Newell, the alfalfa outreach specialist at the UW-Madison’s Division of Extension. “Whether it’s a 5-7 year stand or a 3-4 year stand, the main thing is maximizing the total productivity across the entire life of the stand.”
Newell explains that one of the easiest ways to make sure the stands have good productivity is to manage the cutting times. Doing this will help ensure a good alfalfa crop to feed the state’s dairy cattle. The fall cutting heading into winter is very important. It can make or break the productivity and persistence of the stand.
The University of Wisconsin free cutting tool is a great resource. It can help you decide when to make the cut for best productivity. The tool can be found on their website and when there you put in the cut date and the location. After doing that you will be given the amount of good growing days before first frost. Having these good growing days before first frost will help determine how productive your stands will be in the future.
