Javascript is required to use this website.

Leaf-to-stem ratio affects feed quality

Jan 11, 2018
Jan 11, 2018

1 of 2

Alfalfa varieties at the same stage of maturity often have different leaf-to-stem ratios. The variety on the right has been selected for enhanced leaf expression. A leaf-to-stem=ratio improvement from 55:45 to 60:40 can mean an extra 100 pounds of leaves per ton of green forage.

Alforex Seeds

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

Milk production per cow in the United States has increased by 50 percent to 60 percent in the past half century. That large jump in production has been aided by the utilization of more highly digestible feeds and high-intake forages such as alfalfa.

kAms6DA:E6 :ED C6AFE2E:@? 7@C 9:89 7@C286 BF2=:EJ[ 2=72=72 42? G2CJ 7C@> 9:89 E@ =@H BF2=:EJ 7@C 2 G2C:6EJ @7 C62D@?D] x? 2? 677@CE E@ >2:?E2:? 2 4@?D:DE6?E =6G6= @7 7@C286 BF2=:EJ E96C6 92D 366? 2 4@?46CE65 677@CE E@ F?56CDE2?5 H92E A=2?E 4@>A@?6?ED :?7=F6?46 G2C:2E:@?D :? 7@C286 BF2=:EJ]k^Am

kAmx? E96 42D6 @7 2=72=72[ E96 H9@=6 E@A 8C@HE9 :D 765 E@ =:G6DE@4<] %96 ?FEC:6?E 4@?E6?E 2?5 5:86DE:3:=:EJ @7 :ED EH@ 4@>A@?6?ED[ =62G6D 2?5 DE6>D[ 7:8FC6D 8C62E=J :? :ED 7665:?8 G2=F6 2E 92CG6DE] p?J C65F4E:@? :? 7@C286 BF2=:EJ[ D6A2C2E6 7C@> 92CG6DE\C6=2E65 =@DD6D[ :D 7@C E96 >@DE A2CE 2EEC:3FE65 E@ EH@ 724E@CD E92E 2C6 C6=2E65 E@ A=2?E >2EFC:EJ 2E 92CG6DE] u:CDE :D 2 G2C:2E:@? :? E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@[ 2?5 D64@?5 :D E96 :?4C62D:?8 =:8?:7:42E:@? @7 DE6> E:DDF6 5FC:?8 A=2?E >2EFC2E:@?]k^Am

kAm%96 C2E:@ @7 =62G6D E@ DE6>D :? E96 2=72=72 765 E@ =:G6DE@4< 8C62E=J 27764ED :ED 7@C286 BF2=:EJ] %96 25286 “>@C6 =62G6D 6BF2=D 36EE6C BF2=:EJj >@C6 DE6>D 6BF2=D =6DD BF2=:EJ” C67=64ED E92E] x7 H6 E2<6 2 4=@D6C =@@< 2E E96 496>:42= 2?2=JD:D @7 E96 A=2?E’D E@A 8C@HE9 :E D@@? 364@>6D 2AA2C6?E E92E >@DE @7 E96 7665:?8 25G2?E286 @7 2=72=72 :D 7@F?5 :? E96 =62G6D 2?5 E@ 2 =6DD6C 6IE6?E :? E96 DE6>D]k^Am

kF=mk=:m{62G6D 92G6 EH@ E@ E9C66 E:>6D E96 AC@E6:? 4@?E6?E @7 DE6>D]k^=:mk=:m{62G6D 4@?EC:3FE6 E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 7665:?8 G2=F6 :? 2? 2=72=72\7@C286 D2>A=6]k^=:mk=:m%96 =627 7C24E:@? @7 2=72=72 244@F?ED 7@C FA E@ f_ A6C46?E @7 E96 #6=2E:G6 u665 "F2=:EJ @7 2 7@C286 D2>A=6]k^=:mk=:m}6FEC2= s6E6C86?E u:36C @7 =62G6D :D >@C6 5:86DE:3=6 E92? E92E @7 DE6>D]k^=:mk^F=m

kAm(:E9 :?4C62D:?8 A=2?E >2EFC:EJ 2=72=72 =62G6D C6>2:? C6=2E:G6=J F?492?865 2D 72C 2D 5:86DE:3:=:EJ :D 4@?46C?65[ 3FE DE6>D 42? 364@>6 b_ A6C46?E E@ c_ A6C46?E =6DD 5:86DE:3=6]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m{627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ G2C:6Dk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm%96 D9:7E :? E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ @7 2=72=72 2D :E >2EFC6D :D H6==\5@4F>6?E65] x>>2EFC6 2=72=72 – AC63F5 E@ 3F5 – 92D E96 9:896DE =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ @7 23@FE e_ic_ 2?5 92D E96 9:896DE BF2=:EJ] %96 C2E:@ 2AAC@2496D d_id_ 2E 62C=J 7=@H6C:?8] xE C6G6CD6D E@ 92G:?8 76H6C =62G6D E92? DE6>D @C 23@FE c_ie_ 2E 7F== >2EFC:EJ] %92E C6G6CD2= @7 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ 25G6CD6=J 27764ED E96 7665:?8 G2=F6 @7 E96 7@C286]k^Am

People are also reading…

Beef lovers try new farming approaches
Life in a Farmhouse Kitchen
Finding local beef: South Dakota’s new directory connects producers, consumers
Online tool helps take guess-work out of planting
Fabricating the future: FFA alum builds metalwork business, FFA welding kits
Family support propels Iowa Shorthorn ranch success
Spickler Ranch South Annual Production Sale
Wendel Livestock Annual Angus Production Sale
Bocks build soil, raise crops together with faith, family
After 24 years, SDSU effort aims to bring back South Dakota custom rates survey
Spring and fall calving strategies differ
Always improving: Sandhills cowboy was an early AI adopter
Solar power helps keep Illinois farms alive
Back Home
Dig deeper on how tillage methods affect soil health, yield

kAm%96 C2E:@ @7 =627\E@\DE6> 4@?E6?E :? 2=72=72 :D ?@E 4@?DE2?Ej =627 A6C46?E286D 42? 564C62D6 2D E96 4C@A >2EFC6D] q642FD6 =627 4@?E6?E :D 4C:E:42= E@ 7@C286 BF2=:EJ[ :E’D :>A@CE2?E 7@C 2 AC@5F46C E@ <?@H 9@H E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ 492?86D H:E9 :?4C62D:?8 A=2?E >2EFC:EJ] %96 >@C6 2=72=72 =62G6D 2 AC@5F46C 42? 42AEFC6 2E 92CG6DE E96 36EE6C]k^Am

kAm~?6 EC:65\2?5\ECF6 >6E9@5 AC@5F46CD FD6 E@ @AE:>:K6 =627 4@?E6?E 92D 366? E@ 92CG6DE E96 4C@A 62C=J @C 2E `_ A6C46?E 3=@@>] t2C=J 92CG6DE D24C:7:46D D@>6 J:6=5 3FE 42? :>AC@G6 7@C286 BF2=:EJ :? D6G6C2= H2JD] x>>2EFC6 2=72=72 92D 2 9:896C 4@?46?EC2E:@? @7 =62G6D[ 9:896C 4CF56 AC@E6:? 2?5 2 9:896C =6G6= @7 5CJ\>2EE6C 5:86DE:3:=:EJ] !C63F5 2=72=72 @7E6? 92D 4CF56 AC@E6:? G2=F6D @7 8C62E6C E92? aa[ p4:5 s6E6C86?E u:36C =6G6=D @7 8C62E6C E92? b_ 2?5 }6FEC2= s6E6C86?E u:36C =6G6=D @7 8C62E6C E92? c_] |2EFC6 2=72=72 42? 36 D:8?:7:42?E=J =@H6C :? BF2=:EJ[ H:E9 4CF56 AC@E6:? 2E G2=F6D @7 8C62E6C E92? `f[ p4:5 s6E6C86?E u:36C 2E =6G6=D @7 8C62E6C E92? be 2?5 }6FEC2= s6E6C86?E u:36C 2E =6G6=D @7 8C62E6C E92? d_]k^Am

kAmp?@E96C 724E@C E92E 42? 27764E 2=72=72 7@C286 BF2=:EJ :D DE6> =:8?:7:42E:@?] pD E96 A=2?E >2EFC6D E96 =:8?:? 4@?E6?E @7 E96 DE6>D :?4C62D6D 2D 2 >62?D @7 DFAA@CE:?8 A=2?E 7F?4E:@?D 2?5 <66A:?8 E@A 8C@HE9 7C@> =@58:?8] qFE H:E9 E96 :?4C62D6 :? =:8?:? :? A=2?E E:DDF6 4@>6D 2 564C62D6 :? 7:36C 5:86DE:3:=:EJ] %92E’D C67=64E65 :? E96 724E E92E p4:5 s6E6C86?E u:36C 2?5 }6FEC2= s6E6C86?E u:36C G2=F6D :?4C62D6 H:E9 A=2?E >2EFC:EJ] %96 :?4C62D6 :? =:8?:? 4@?E6?E :? E96 A=2?E E:DDF6 >2<6D E96 7@C286 >@C6 5:77:4F=E E@ 5:86DE :? E96 CF>6?[ H9:49 :? EFC? D=@HD A2DD286 2?5 E9FD 2?:>2=\7665 :?E2<6 – 2== @7 H9:49 ?682E:G6=J 27764E >:=< AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mx??@G2E:@?D :>AC@G6 BF2=:EJk^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAm#646?E 3C665:?8 677@CED E@ :>AC@G6 2=72=72 7@C286 BF2=:EJ 92G6 366? 5:C64E65 2E :>AC@G:?8 E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ 2?5^@C C65F4:?8 DE6> =:8?:? E@ :>AC@G6 7:36C 5:86DE:3:=:EJ] x? C682C5D E@ E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@[ A2DE :>AC@G6>6?ED 7@C =627 4@?E6?E :?G@=G65 2? :?4C62D6 :? E96 =627=6E ?F>36C 2?5^@C D:K6 @7 =62G6D – >F=E:=627 2=72=72] %96 >@DE C646?E :>AC@G6>6?E :? 7@C286 BF2=:EJ 92D 366? :? E96 2C62 @7 >@5:7J:?8 A=2?E 2C49:E64EFC6 E9C@F89@FE E96 A=2?E 42?@AJ[ :?4=F5:?8 E96 =@H6C DE6>D[ E@ :?4C62D6 E96 @G6C2== =627 A6C46?E286 3J d A6C46?E E@ g A6C46?E] %92E :>AC@G6>6?E[ 4@FA=65 H:E9 2? :?4C62D6 :? =627 5:D62D6 C6D:DE2?46[ 92D :>AC@G65 @G6C2== =627 4@?E6?E 2?5 E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ 2E 92CG6DE]k^Am

kAm%96 D64@?5 2?5 6BF2==J 6I4:E:?8 3C665:?8 :??@G2E:@? 92D 366? E96 C65F4E:@? @7 =:8?:? 4@?E6?E] p ?6H 4=2DD @7 2=72=72 G2C:6E:6D =236=65 2D =@H\=:8?:? 2=72=72 :D AC@G:5:?8 2 D:8?:7:42?E C65F4E:@? :? H9@=6\A=2?E =:8?:?[ C6DF=E:?8 :? :>AC@G65 7:36C 5:86DE:3:=:EJ] p=@?8 H:E9 E96 =:8?:? C65F4E:@? 4@>6D 2? :?4C62D6 :? 92CG6DE 7=6I:3:=:EJ] %96 C65F465 =:8?:? 4@?E6?E 2==@HD 2 AC@5F46C E@ 92CG6DE @? 2 ?@C>2= 4FEE:?8 D4965F=6 H:E9 36EE6C 7@C286 BF2=:EJ[ @C 92G6 E96 @AE:@? E@ 56=2J 92CG6DE H9:=6 >2:?E2:?:?8 2446AE23=6 7@C286 BF2=:EJ 2?5 A@E6?E:2==J :?4C62D6 J:6=5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8m$F>>2CJi 2=72=72 :??@G2E:@?D :?4C62D6 AC@5F4E:@?k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kAms:86DE:3:=:EJ @7 2=72=72 564C62D6D 2D E96 A=2?E >2EFC6D[ >2:?=J 5F6 E@ 2? :?4C62D6 :? DE6> =:8?:? 2?5 2 ?682E:G6 D9:7E :? E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@] &?E:= ?@H E96 36DE C6>65J E@ @G6C4@>6 E9@D6 724E@CD H2D E@ D9@CE6? E96 92CG6DE :?E6CG2= E@ :>AC@G6 7@C286 BF2=:EJ]k^Am

kAm%96 C646?E C6=62D6 @7 =@H\=:8?:? 2=72=72D – 4@?G6?E:@?2= 2?5 EC2?D86?:4 – 4@FA=65 H:E9 :>AC@G6>6?ED :? A=2?E 2C49:E64EFC6 E92E :>AC@G6 E96 =627\E@\DE6> C2E:@ 2C6 8:G:?8 AC@5F46CD >@C6 E@@=D E@ :>AC@G6 2=72=72’D 7:36C 5:86DE:3:=:EJ 2?5 :?4C62D6 :ED @G6C2== 7@C286 BF2=:EJ] s6A6?5:?8 @? E96 2>@F?E @7 2=72=72 :? E96 52:CJ C2E:@? E9@D6 ?6H :??@G2E:@?D 92G6 E96 A@E6?E:2= @7 :?4C62D:?8 >:=< AC@5F4E:@?]k^Am