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Description

Alfalfa is the most productive legume for Missouri, with potential yields exceeding six tons of hay per acre on good soils. Unlike red or white clover, established alfalfa is productive during midsummer except during extreme drought. Alfalfa is a tap-rooted crop and can last five years and longer under proper management. Whether grazed or fed as hay, alfalfa is an excellent forage for cattle and horses. More than 400,000 acres of alfalfa are harvested annually in Missouri, averaging about three tons of hay per acre. Alfalfa as a cash hay crop could produce more than $60 million each year. To realize this potential, you should plant a productive, disease-resistant variety that is adapted to Missouri conditions. Once established, good management practices are necessary to ensure high yields and stand persistence. These practices include timely cutting at the proper growth stage; control of insects, diseases and weeds; and replacement of nutrients removed in the forage. Alfalfa has superior forage quality when managed properly. The major problems are getting a stand and keeping it productive. These factors are stressed in this publication.