DEKALB, H. - Ask alfalfa experts what management practice affects alfalfa quality and yield the most, and they’ll probably say the timing of cut tings. “Alfalfa produces its highest quality when cut in the late bud stage before any flowers appear,’’ states Greg Jones, Regional Agronomist for DEKALB-PFIZER GENETICS. “Crude protein is at its highest level, while new fiber percent is at a low level,” Jones says. “As maturity advances beyond the late bud stage, crude protein percent decreases, while fiber con centration increases. Keep in mind, the leaves are where the quality is. You want to harvest a fine-stemmed, leafy plant.” Providing top-level management after you’ve established a stand from high-quality alfalfa seed pays dividends in the end, Jones em phasizes. Feed value increases with proper fertilization, weed Lawn Tractor with 42" Mower 16HP twin cylinder positive gear transmission adjustable steering wheel fuel gauge ammeter seal beam headlights two year limited warranty floating mower on front axle prevents lawn scalping if* payments at M V Annual I'ercintaqi Halt (ixtd SWO trade all >u*unct or cash uith approved credit Total non* 18 i 76 FREE MOWER ONLY *B52 7 per month FORD LGT-12 Garden Tractor with 42" Mower 1 1 HP gear drive side discharge mower Reg. $3295 now $3095 36 payments ul 14% AnnmW Rercentuqe Rate fixed $6OO trade allowance or c ash with approved credit Total note f 3069 7Z Limited quantities in some We take TRADE-INS! i“= men ' $ I^l 717-949-6501 NEW TOLL FREE NO. 1-800-822-2152 Rt. 419 Between Schaefferstown & Cornwall, Lebanon County Alfalfa cutting - digestibility, timing, weeds, fertility control and the right harvest schedule-especially that all important first cutting. Dr. Sidney Bosworth, Extension Agronomist, Pennsylvania State University, and Dr. Dwayne Rohweder, Extension Agronomist, University of Wisconsin, agree wholeheartedly. Bosworth says, “The very first cutting ties it all together-yield, quality and persistence of stand for the rest of the season.” By hitting that late bud stage correctly, he adds, you should be rewarded with potentially higher yields, 20 per cent or more crude protein levels, acid detergent fiber (ADF) levels below 35 percent and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) levels below 40 percent. Digestibility Good digestibility readings are important for many reasons, especially for their positive effect on your profitability. High-quality alfalfa harvested correctly can save dollars by now $2175 SAVE $6O FORD RT-5 Tiller SHP Briggs & Stratfon engine Fasy Spin start precision gear drive cast iron gear case 7 ' deep up to 26” wide Forward neutral reverse positions Reg. $379 now s3x9 TrjelOfS l Equipment reducing protein supplement purchases; and at the same time, it can help producers get a few more pounds of milk per cow or better gains from feeder cattle. For example, researchers estimate that increasing crude protein levels by 3 percent or 4 percent can increase the value of your alfalfa by as much as 25 percent. Crude protein measures the protein most available to the animal when a feedstuff is digested, and high levels are desirable. Acid detergent fiber represents the (indigestible components of feed, such as heat-damaged protein, cellulose, lignin and silica. As alfalfa matures, ADF con centration increases. When ADF is high (above 35 percent), it takes animals longer to digest feed, and less energy is available for other body functions. Neutral detergent fiber is a measure of the cell wall material or structural fiber concentration in PRICE DAYS FORD 1210 Diesel Tractor 1 r ) 1 HP } cylinder diesel engine rugged 10X2 transmission (Hydrostatic dnvt optional) Reg $6804 00 payments at 7 70X Annua/ Percentage Hate fixed $U()() trade allowance or rush with ap prated credit Total note sr>*»s7$ r >*»57 10 Store Hours: Mon. -Fri. 8 to 5 Sat. Parts & Service 8 to Noon Sales Dept. Open Until 3 now $5795 Sale Ends June 15,1985 Lancaster Fannins Saturday, June 1,1985-Dl9 feed. As alfalfa matures, NDF also increases. The higher the NDF, the lower the intake and nutrient availability. NDF of 40 percent or less is desirable. In addition to increasing digestibility, proper timing of the first cutting can boost total yields as well. “Cutting alfalfa in the late bud stage often improves annual yield potential,” Jones says. “Although the yield per cutting is usually less, an extra cutting is often possible, resulting in a net increase in total yield.” Fertility, Weed Control Of course, there is more to raising good alfalfa than just cutting it at the right time. For example, Rohweder advises most Wisconsin alfalfa producers to follow a fertility maintenance program of applying 100 pounds of 0-11-55 fertilizer per ton of yield goal. He recommends applying one-half of it after the first cutting $ % -Hesston Big Baler,. s Roll-Back! % The Hesston Model 4800 $48,000! Get the Big 48 for 48! Thai's right' Hesston has ROLLED BACK the price on their exclusive Big Baler from $71,000 to $48,000 You save $23,000' More than enough to buy the rest of the Hesston Big Bale System This is the baler they call the “hay factory" Featuring center-line design, exclusive flake preforming system and building big 48"x51" x up to 8' long bales that can weigh up to a ton in the right crop and conditions Now get high-density Hesston Big Bales without the high price tag' Model 4870 Processor now just $9,900! The 4870 feeds Hesston Big Bales two at a time with optional kit feeds small bales too' and the other half after the last cutting. Jones says that controlling weeds in alfalfa helps prolong stand life and improves forage quality. Although established alfalfa can compete effectively with weeds, most weeds are less palatable and lower in protein than alfalfa. Eliminating weeds through use of herbicides can increase protein levels, digestibility and consumption of alfalfa forage. Timing Bosworth warns against pushing the alfalfa too hard. “I’d be wary of continuously cutting at too short intervals,” he comments. Greg Jones agrees. “You need to allow regrowth time to get the plant’s food reserves built up,” he says. “After the first cut, a 35-day interval will keep the plant healthier and help it survive a rugged winter.” Jones adds that the productive life of a stand is often reduced to three or four years under intense cutting. Susquehanna River Race HARRISBURG Registration is now open for the June 15th Susquehanna River Celebration 10,000 Meter Bud Light Foot Race. The 10K race starts at 9 a.m. on Harrisburg’s City Island. The first 200 runners to register will receive a T-shirt compliments of Bud Light Beer and Wilsbach Distributors. Call 255-1369 or 558-1092 to request a registration form. See us for details: GRUMELLI FARM SERVJCE Quarryville, Pa. 717-786-7318 HESSTON
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