FORAGE SEEDING IS
NOT ROCKET SCIENCE
Dr. Marvin Hall
Penn State Forage Specialist
Good stand establishment is
essential to optimizing the production
potential of a forage stand. Thin
stands encourage weed invasion, re
duce yield, and may shorten the life of
the stand.
Considering these negative conse
quences of poor stand establishment
along with the high actual and oppor
tunity costs associated with establish
ing a forage, it is important to mini
mize the chances of failure.
• Plan ahead. Numerous activities
including weed control, adjusting soil
pH and fertility, and selecting the best
variety need to be completed well in
advance of actually seeding a new
stand. Remember that “the lack of
planning is planning for failure.”
• Seeding depth. In my opinioin, the
number one reason for poor forage
stand establishment is seeding too
deep. The agronomic rule-of-thumb is
not to plant a seed deeper than five
times its diameter. That means that
most forages shouldn’t be seeded
deeper than V* inch. Any deeper than
'/* inch increases risks of poor emer
gence and a weak stand. A tilled seed
bed must be firm in order to have ac
curate seeding depth.
• Seed-to-soil contact. The forage
seed must absorb approximately its
own weight in water to germinate.
From the seed’s perspective, that’s a
V.
y\* \ t .
v Ml
* r tti
t *% 4
♦ Special Report *
" A*. V-
*4* \ &
K i * > u
>„- J* * *■
v , *< 41 * | >x
-•* ■*- -- - *%C*,. *' >r -
lot of water! Since the water must
move from the soil into the seed, it is
cmcial that the seed be in contact with
as much soil as possible. Poor seed-to
soil contact results in poor and spora
dic germination which lowers the
number of productive plants in the
stand.
• Seeding rate. Forage seeding rate
recommendations vary considerably
between species. Reducing seeding
rates below the recommended level is
not the place to cut comers on forage
establishment. Economic analyses
show that less than 5 percent of the to
tal cost associated with forage produc
tion is seed cost. Therefore, reducing
seeding rates is truly being “penny
wise and pound foolish.”
• Seeding method. While there has
been a lot of debate over which seed
ing method (for example, broadcast,
fluid seeding or notill) is the “best,” it
really isn’t a big issue as long as each
method is done correctly. This in
cludes not seeding too deep, getting
good seed-to-soil contact, and making
sure enough seeds are being seeded
per acre.
I realize these basic estab
lishment principles seem rather rou
tine, but every year there are unneces
sary establishment failures. Many of
these failures occur because one or
more of the basic principles outlined
above wasn’t followed. This year,
don’t focus on the details of forage es
tablishment so much that the basic
principles are forgotten.
Geneva Alfalfa
Drives Performance.
Introducing Geneva, our new high-yielding NK®Brand
alfalfa featuring the package of traits required by
Northeastern alfalfa growers. And its available
exclusively from Hoffman Seeds. Geneva's strong
disease-resistance package - combined with exceptional
regrowth characteristics - allows aggressive cutting
intervals for high-qualify forage production. In many
areas, this means extra cuttings and extra profits.
Geneva's strong combination of a fall dormancy rating of
4 and a winterhardiness rating of 2 sets a new standard
for alfalfas. As a result, Geneva delivers wider
adaptability, higher yield potential and improved
persistence.
Contact your Hoffman Seeds' dealer now to try Geneva,
or any of our high-quality alfalfas.
0
P.0.80x 12400 • Lancaster, PA 17605-2400 • 800/776-7929 • www hoffmanseeds com
NK® Brand and 919® Brand are registered trademarks of Novartis
* ♦* i
Foraging Around, Lancaster Farming, Saturday, September 11, 1999—Page 5
Application May Boost
Yields, Nutrient Values
(Continued from Page 1)
farm.
According to crop adviser Lei and
Miller of Advanced Agronomics,
Quartyville, with the use of the nitro
gen material stubble treatment, some
times “you can get real response, but
the quality falls on its face,” Miller
said. But the nitrogen, in a slow release
form, forces the plant to “think” diffe
rently, altering its “expression."
Said Miller, “Stubble treatment
that is the key.”
The spray-applied material also
contains calcium and boron two
essential micronutrients that university
crop exports have been saying are
necessary to improving yields and
nutrient value.
The material pays for itself, noted
Reiff, who said that he only needs to
get three bales mote of alfalfa per acre.
But the material can provide him with
a big difference in terms of yield. And
the response is quicker than is typical
of alfalfa without the boost.
With cool, dry weather, in combina
tion with the application, the roots of
the plant have to keep reaching down
in the ground for more nutrients. For
the seven acres of alfalfa on which it
was used, it helped that the plants were
in their third season, coming after com
in the rotation.
Reiff plants a total of 15 acres at the
farm. The soil is tested regularly.
Miller said his philosophy about soil
management is to test the alfalfa more
frequently than com, at least every
year. Com can be tested every 3-4
years.
Novartis Seeds Innovation
Drives Performance.
Alfalfa Stubble
Reiff said that he doesn't put any
extra fertilizer on the alfalfa ground,
other than liquid manure from his dairy
and swine operations. Each alfalfa
field goes through about four cuttings a
year and lasts about five years.
In the field, last fall cereal grains
were no-tilled into the alfalfa for a first
cutting. The cereal grains include oats,
wheat, barley, and rye. In the second
cutting, conducted in late June, mostly
alfalfa was harvested.
With the use of the application,
yields have increased at least 20 per
cent, according to Reiff.
This year the second cutting was
harvested at a total 0f3,300 pounds per
acre. Under dry conditions because of
a persistent drought, the alfalfa tested
17.2 percent protein, with a total diges
tible nutrient level of 61.1, relative
feed value of 125, at 0.90 phosphorous.
While the amine nitrogen solution
contains boron, producers have to be
careful more does not mean better.
If you use too much boron, “you’ll fry
the crop, absolutely,” said Miller.
The 9-0-0-7-1.5 solution is applied
at two gallons per acre (including 7
percent calcium and 1.5 percent mag
nesium), with boron added separately,
at 1 pint per acre (10 percent). Zinc is
also applied at a pint per acre. Spraying
is at a pressure of 40 pounds.
Another stubble treatment, of
15-0-0-3, is sometimes recommended
by Miller. “Timing is key to this
thing,” he said, “which affects
regrowth very early on.” Alfalfa is a
big user of potash, which is critical to
yield.
Phosphorous levels also affect zinc
usage, so it is important to consider
proper nutrient balance in the formula
tions, according to Miller.
This past summer, at least in the ear
ly part of the season, growing condi
tions were good for alfalfa growers,
because of the dry, cool weather. A wet
year does not do alfalfa well, according
to Miller. “You don’t have the quality
of forage,” he said.
With improved alfalfa, Reiff said he
has seen good responses in milk pro
duction and healthier animals. He
found that out when, a few years ago,
he lost half of his herd to health prob
lems mostly stray voltage which he
was able to correct. With stray voltage,
the animals simply stop drinking the
water because they can detect a few
volts of electricity. This directly
affects milk production.
Reiff farms about 59 tillable acres
and has a grade Holstein herd of 50
cows. He also maintains a 60-hcad
farrow-to-finish bam. On the dairy,
Reiff uses a TMR. Some of the fin
ished hogs are sold at the New Holland
Sales Stables and some are sent to
AVA Pork.
Reiff belongs to the National Far
mers Organization Dairy Cooperative.