Earth Sciences Commons^™

Status And New Developments In Seed Coatings, Bill Talley

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The acceptance and use of coated alfalfa seed has become the standard of how alfalfa seed is being sold. Coated seed, refers to a buildup in coating material of 10-34%. Seventy percent of proprietary alfalfa seed is now buildup coated, and 80 % of that amount is a 34% coating. The remaining is a 10% buildup and is usually only used as a carrier for inoculation and fungicide. The higher buildup coatings are able to carry more active ingredients that also enhance the agronomic benefit to the young seedling. The benefits to the young seedling, from the components of the …

Kentucky Department Of Agriculture Hay Testing Program, Kim Field

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The Kentucky Department of Agriculture offers a forage testing service which provides nutritional and energy value information. A Kentucky Department of Agriculture staff member will take sample(s) of hay and/or haylage at the farm and analyze them in the Kentucky Department of Agriculture Forage Laboratory located in Frankfort. Tested forages can mean higher profit, whether feeding cattle, horses, goats, sheep or other livestock. By knowing the nutritional and energy value, you can minimize your cost and maximize your production.

Marketing Quality Hay, Tom Keene

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

When marketing quality alfalfa hay, you basically have two markets that you are going to try to target. First, you are going to be in the cash hay market, that’s where you will sell alfalfa hay to several different entities…..locally, statewide, nationally, or potentially internationally. Secondly, and more commonly, you will be marketing your hay to your own livestock enterprise on your farm. Several times every month, I have people call me and ask me what their hay is worth. I tell them very honestly I have no idea what their hay is worth; only by keeping track of their …

How Are Roundup Ready Varieties Performing, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Roundup Ready® Alfalfa

The most significant new development in alfalfa varieties was the January 27, 2011 decision by USDA to deregulate Roundup Ready® Alfalfa (RRA) without conditions. This was the final step in an extensive environmental review process by the USDA that took place over a 4 year period of time. If you would like to know more about the safety of Roundup Ready® Alfalfa you can review the complete Environmental Impact Statement at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/biotechnology/downloads/alfalfa/gt_alfalfa%20_feis.pdf.

Most importantly, seed dealers in Kentucky and surrounding states now have Roundup varieties available for sale.

Getting More From Your Alfalfa, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Today marks the 32nd consecutive year we have come together to discuss alfalfa and its role on your farm, in Kentucky, and our nation. Over these 32 years we have discussed many topics and seen many advances, unfortunately we aren’t making progress relative to acres, yield and quality that I would like to see. Maybe I am getting impatient as I am actually thinking about retirement. Now wait, you are one step ahead of me. I know you are thinking he has shown many graphs, tables and charts over the years showing how we have improved and yes, I know …

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2012], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Photo Highlights Of The 31st Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, Kentucky Alfalfa Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

What's New In Forage Equipment?, Dan Undersander

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The forage equipment industry is changing in response to farmers’ needs. These changes consist of innovations to increase capacity, to improve the usability of the machine, and to improve the quality of the product. Most changes are occurring with existing equipment, but some totally new product innovations are occurring.

Dollars & Cents Of Alfalfa Production, Kenneth H. Burdine

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The last several years have been incredibly challenging for all of Kentucky agriculture and hay producers have been no exception to the rule. Statewide, alfalfa yields have been below average in 3 of the last 4 years due to challenging weather in 2007, 2008, and again in 2010. In addition to the weather challenges, producers are also dealing with higher costs of fuel, fertilizer, and machinery. These challenges make budgeting especially important looking ahead to the 2011 growing season.

Alfalfa Hay For Horses: Myths Vs. Reality, Laurie Lawrence

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Does it really matter if hay has some mold in it?

Hay that is high in dust or mold can irritate the horse’s respiratory tract. Optimum athletic performance depends on a healthy respiratory tract, therefore dusty/moldy hay should never be fed to horses used (or intended for) athletic events. A chronic respiratory disease commonly called “heaves” can be aggravated by moldy and dusty hay. Horses with heaves can have so much difficulty breathing that even mild exercise is impossible. In addition, moldy hay may contain toxins that could affect the horse if they are ingested.

Horse owners should not rely …

Hay Drying, Preservatives, Conditioning, Ash Content, Dan Undersander

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Drying forage for hay has always been a challenge. While we cannot control the weather we can manage cut forage to maximize drying. The purpose of this paper is to give a few principles of hay and silage making and discuss machinery available relative to these principles. Then we will also talk about minimizing ash in hay to optimize the total digestible nutrients of the forage.

Making Your Fertilizer Dollar Go Further, Greg Schwab

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa is a high quality, valuable forage crop that can be successfully produced on most well drained soils in Kentucky, for hay and silage, and for grazing. Fertilizing alfalfa can be uniquely challenging because it is a perennial crop. In addition, high-yielding alfalfa removes a tremendous amount of soil nutrients when compared to other crops grown in Kentucky. A thorough understanding of alfalfa’s growth habits, nutrient requirements, and the soil nutrient supply mechanisms for alfalfa is necessary to effectively manage fertilizer inputs and maximize profitability while minimizing the environmental impact.

Keys To Getting A Good Stand Of Alfalfa, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Profitable alfalfa production requires high yields of high quality forage, a long stand life and skillful marketing of the end product. This requires attention to details, timely action and advanced planning. There are four basic prerequisites for a successful alfalfa program: establishment, production, harvesting and marketing with a very specific goal within each component.

Alfalfa Varieties For Today And Tomorrow, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

There are a number of new alfalfa varieties that have come on the market in the last few years. In fact, it can be hard keeping up with all the developments. In the following pages I will overview most of the important traits that can be found in new varieties. These include Roundup Ready®, potato leafhopper resistance, hybrids, lodging resistance, rapid regrowth, higher quality, resistance to new diseases, and more… Many times I am asked “Are new varieties really worth the cost?” The best way to answer that question is to consider work by Dr. Jimmy Henning where he summarized …

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2011], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Photo Highlights Of The 30th Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, Kentucky Alfalfa Conference

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

How We Produce & Market Alfalfa Hay, Clayton Geralds

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Growing Alfalfa For Wildlife, Don Ball

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Alfalfa has long been recognized as a superb forage crop, which is why it is widely grown for dairy cattle, horses, sheep, and many other types of domesticated forage-consuming animals. Reasons for its popularity include wide adaptation, excellent nutritive value, good yield potential, perennial growth habit, a long growing season, and the fact that (in association with Rhizobium bacteria) it is a nitrogen-fixing legume that does not require periodic applications of nitrogen fertilizer.

Alfalfa Varieties For The Future, Joe Bouton

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

When breeding tomorrow’s alfalfa varieties, most groups employ a model of combining traditional plant breeding with biotechnology tools in order to incorporate useful traits. In this model, the conventional variety development process will be the method of choice for most traits where breeders have traditionally made progress such as adaptation, heading date, disease and insect resistance, general persistence conditions such as grazing and traffic tolerance, and even yield. It has been very successful in adding economic value to the forage and livestock operations of many producers (Bouton 2007). These traditionally developed varieties will also be used as the germplasm platform …

Do's And Don'ts In Grazing Alfalfa, Ken Johnson

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

I want to discuss some of the issues in a talk I presented nearly twenty years ago. At that point we had been grazing Alfalfa about eight years and made some general remarks about the concerns I had at the time. I will look at these as presented then and how the thoughts may have changed.

Is There A Benefit To Alfalfa Balage?, Gary Bates

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Making hay in the mid-South has always been a difficult process. High humidity and rainfall often make drying a long, tedious, if not impossible proposition. Over the last few years there has been an increased interest in making round bale silage, or balage, from forage crops. Fermenting alfalfa for storage has several advantages and disadvantages over regular haymaking systems.

Alfalfa Hay For Horses, Robert Coleman

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

When horse owners consider hay for their animals, a number of criteria are generally considered. Of major importance is the hay must be free of mold and dust. It needs to contain nutrients needed by the horse and it must be palatable. If these criteria are met, the type of hay should not matter. However, that is not the case with many horse owners. When discussing the selection of hay, many owners first consider the type of hay. Can it be alfalfa or should it be a grass or how about a mix of grass and a legume. If a …

Value Of Alfalfa In Rotation, S. Ray Smith

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

There are about 23 million acres of alfalfa in the US. Alfalfa plus other hay is the most valuable crop in the US, behind only corn and soybeans. In Kentucky alfalfa is planted on over 300,000 acres and is an economically important crop for beef and dairy farmers, cash hay producers, and provides tremendous benefits for subsequent crops. There are also many non-agricultural benefits to alfalfa.

Advances In Alfalfa Seed Coatings, Bill Talley

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The volume of alfalfa being sold as coated seed has been in the growth mode for several years. This growth is being fueled by greater acceptance from the producer, as well as the many value added components that are now labeled and being offered as seed treatments. Originally seed coatings were looked at as a better way to deliver rhizobia to insure plant nodulation. This is still one goal, but many more value added components are now labeled that offer better plant protection, increased water absorption, enhanced germination, and micro-nutrient availability, as well as insect and parasite control. Another area …

Kentucky Alfalfa Conference Reflections After 30 Years, Garry D. Lacefield

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

This event today marks the 30th consecutive year we have come together for a full day’s conference featuring "Alfalfa - Queen of the Forages" as the theme and focal point. Only one other state (California) in the U.S. has such an annual event.

Foreword And Recipients Of Kentucky Alfalfa Awards [2010], Garry D. Lacefield, Christi L. Forsythe

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

How I Produce And Market Alfalfa Hay, Clayton Geralds

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Cost And Return Of Alfalfa Hay Production, Kenneth H. Burdine

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

The last few years have been nothing short of a roller coaster ride for Kentucky agriculture. Kentucky is coming off back-to-back drought years, which have challenged both livestock and crop producers. At the same time, farmers are dealing with decreasing output prices and rising input prices. This is a recipe for pure frustration and alfalfa producers have not been isolated from these challenges.

Roundup Ready Alfalfa And Future Gmos In Alfalfa, Dennis Gehler

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

No abstract provided.

Keys To Success With Alfalfa Balage, Dennis W. Hancock

Kentucky Alfalfa and Stored Forage Conference

Baled silage (or Balage) has many advantages over conventional hay production. Losses during the curing, baling, storage, and feeding phases are each dramatically lower when the forage is conserved as Balage rather than hay. Of course, this comes at an expense. The cost of the wrapper (generally $14,000 – 21,000), plastic wrap (usually $4-6 per ton of DM), and added labor can make this system quite costly. Furthermore, there is an environmental cost for disposal of the plastic. However, Balage enables the alfalfa producer to quickly harvest a crop with more independence from unfavorable weather and to create a more …