Alfalfa, Medicago sativa, is one of the most important crops grown for feeding livestock; it is also planted for making hay for ruminants. Alfalfa can grow up to three feet tall, producing clusters of purple flowers. Alfalfa can also be intercropped with grasses for grazing, although it should be a small percentage of the overall forage content to avoid bloating. Alfalfa seeds play a key role in the growth and quality of alfalfa forage and hay. Alfalfa seed of modern varieties is about $105 per 50 lb. bag.
Features of Alfalfa Seed
1. High yield potential
The yield of alfalfa seeds is influenced by the variety of the seeds planted; the higher the yield, the better the seed quality. While two alfalfa varieties can perform similarly, a slight change in the yield of one per cutting can result in a substantial drop in the profitability of the variety.
2. Disease resistance
Improved alfalfa seeds are disease-resistant; this implies that most diseases do not affect the health of the alfalfa plant each year. Disease-resistant alfalfa seeds usually have higher yields and the risk of crop failure is greatly reduced.
3. Stand persistence/winter survival
When you plant quality alfalfa seeds, the plants are persist throughout their productive life and this can result in higher profitability. Stand persistence can be influenced by plant health, insect management, soil fertility, and climatic conditions.
When other factors like the yield, disease resistance, and stand persistence criteria are met, growers may want to consider forage quality, or maturity as additional deciding factors.
Planting Alfalfa Seeds
Alfalfa prefers deep, well-drained soils with a pH range of 6.5 – 7.2; alfalfa seeds are best planted in a well-prepared garden bed at a depth of 1/4 inch. Ensure the bed is well-prepared and fortified with manure or compost. Alfalfa seeding rate is 15 pounds per acre; meaning you need 15 pounds of alfalfa seeds to plant 1 acre of land. Alfalfa seeds may be planted in spring or early fall and it is harvested the following spring; Alfalfa is harvested several times a season.