Detail to attention = alfalfa-yield profits

LeeAnne Bulman For Agri-View
May 26, 2022
May 26, 2022

Tractor in field — To have maximum harvest, Jared Goplen suggests paying attention to proper maintenance of machinery.
Contributed

Facebook
Twitter
Bluesky
WhatsApp
SMS
Email
Print
Save

LeeAnne Bulman For Agri-View

When growing alfalfa, yield is profitability, says Jared Goplen, University of Minnesota-Extension crops specialist. The money is in the details and seed is expensive, so choosing the right variety of alfalfa is important.

kAm“xE’D ?@E F?FDF2= E@ =@D6 b_ A6C46?E E@ d_ A6C46?E @7 E96 4C@A 367@C6 :E 9:ED E96 7665 3F?<[” 96 D2:5]k^Am

kAmq642FD6 2=72=72 :D 2 4C@A E92E DE2?5D 7@C >@C6 E92? @?6 J62C[ :E 5@6D?’E E2<6 2 H9@=6 =@E @7 J:6=5 E@ >2I:>:K6 AC@7:E23=J]k^Am

kAmu6CE:=:K6C[ G2C:6EJ[ D665:?8[ 4FEE:?8 2?5 C2<:?8 2C6 :>A@CE2?E 724E@CD[ v@A=6? D2:5]k^Am

kAmkDEC@?8mu6CE:=:K6Ck^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m:D :>A@CE2?Ej :E ?665D E@ 36 5@?6 :? 25G2?46] %96 :562= Aw :D e]d E@ f]_] %92E 27764ED E96 6DE23=:D9>6?E @7 E96 4C@A 2?5 5CJ\>2EE6C J:6=5] %96 Aw D@:= 2>6?5>6?ED ?665 E@ 36 5@?6 2E =62DE 2 J62C 29625 @7 D665:?8]k^=:mk^F=m

kAmkDEC@?8m'2C:6EJ 49@:46k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:mD9@F=5 36 32D65 @? H:?E6C DFCG:G23:=:EJ[ 5:D62D6 C6D:DE2?46 2?5 J:6=5] p? 6IEC2 Sa A6C A@F?5 7@C D665 D9@HD 2 C6EFC? 3J :?4C62D:?8 ]` E@? A6C 24C6 :? AC@5F4E:@?] xE 5@6D?’E E2<6 2 H9@=6 =@E @7 J:6=5 E@ A2J 7@C E92E D665:?8 6IA6?D6 H96? J@F 2C6 5:G:5:?8 E92E 6IA6?D6 24C@DD E96 E9C66 @C 7@FC J62CD @7 E96 DE2?5]k^=:mk^F=m

kAmkDEC@?8m!FC6 =:G6 D665:?8 C2E6k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m7@C >2I:>F> J:6=5 :D 2E `b\`d A@F?5D A6C 24C6[ H:E9 E96 C2E6 2 =:EE=6 =6DD 7@C =:89E6C D@:=D] q6 DFC6 E@ >2<6 2? 2==@H2?46 7@C 2?J 4=2J 4@2E:?8[ H9:49 >2<6D E96 D665 962G:6Cj 7:8FC6 E92E :?E@ E96 D665:?8 C2E6] p 7:C> D665365 :D 6DD6?E:2=[ H:E9 D665 56AE9 36EH66? @?6\7@FCE9 :?49 2?5 @?6\92=7 :?49] &D6 2 AC6DD H966= 5C:== @C 2 qC:==:@? D6656C E@ 249:6G6 2 8@@5 D665365] x7 ?646DD2CJ 8@ @G6C :E H:E9 2 A24<6C @C 2 C@==6C]k^=:mk^F=m

People are also reading…

Bison may not have future on Great Plains
Propagating the prairie: Couple creates business out of raising native plants
100-year-old veteran recalls battles of World War II
Back to grass: Focused on conservation, Midwest farmers return cropland to prairie state
Illinois ag museum lets visitors step into past
Iowa farmers want action from lawmakers
Online tool helps take guess-work out of planting
Morel hunting sees varied success
How Mitchell-based Trail King powers heavy haul across North America
Finding the right cow size for your herd
Pasture growth mostly strong after wet spring
High input costs challenge farmers
Northwest Missouri brothers get late-April start
A hard working, honest man
2026 Wisconsin Dairy Breakfasts

kAmkDEC@?8mrFEE:?8 96:89Ek^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m?665D E@ 36 4=@D6 E@ E96 8C@F?5[ H9:49 AFED >@C6 DE6>D :? E96 7665 – 3FE ?@E D@ D9@CE E92E :E 42? 5@ 52>286 E@ 3F5D 2?5 4C@H?D] rFEE:?8 9:896C :D C64@>>6?565 :7 E96 4C@A :D DEC6DD65 3J 7=@@5[ 5C@F89E @C H:?E6C :?;FCJ – @C :7 E96C6 2C6 8C2DD >:IEFC6D 25565 E@ E96 2=72=72] x? 72== :E’D 36DE E@ 4FE 2E c :?496D E@ 42E49 D?@H 2?5 AC@E64E E96 DE2?5 282:?DE 6IEC6>6 4@=5 H62E96C] &D6 =@H6C\A:E49 3=256D 3642FD6 9:896C\A:E49 3=256D 42? DF4< FA 5:CEj E96J 2C6 8@@5 7@C A:4<:?8 FA =@5865 7@C286] rFE :? 2 H:56 DH2E9 E92E =:6D FA E@ f_ A6C46?E @7 E96 7:6=5 H:5E9] %96 8@2= :D 7@C 2=72=72 E@ 5CJ BF:4<=J 3642FD6 :E’D DE:== 3FC?:?8 DF82Cj :E 4@?E:?F6D E@ C6DA:C6 F?E:= :E C62496D e_ A6C46?E >@:DEFC6] z66A:?8 E96 DE@>2E2= @A6?:?8D – E96 9@=6D :? E96 =62G6D H96C6 E96 42C3@? 5:@I:56 8@6D :?[ 2?5 @IJ86? 2?5 H2E6C 8@ @FE – 42? 2==@H E96 2=72=72 E@ 5CJ 72DE6C :? E96 DF?[ H9:49 >2I:>:K6D DF82C BF2=:EJ]k^=:mk^F=m

kAmkDEC@?8m(96? >6C8:?8[k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m5@?’E 36 27C2:5 E@ 5C:G6 @? E96 92J] p >6C86C :D 36EE6C E92? 2 C2<6 3642FD6 :E >:?:>:K6D 5:CE 4@?E2>:?2E:@?] p C@E2CJ H:E9 2 D:5632C :D E96 D64@?5\36DE H2J E@ >6C86] %96 A@@C6DE :D 2 H966= C2<6] x7 FD:?8 2 H966= C2<6 36 DFC6 E@ D6E :E AC@A6C=J E@ 86E >2I:>F> 92J 2?5 >:?:>F> 5:CE]k^=:mk^F=m

kAmkDEC@?8m(96? 32=:?8 @C 49@AA:?8[k^DEC@?8mk^Am

kF=mk=:m>2:?E2:?:?8 E96 A:4<FA 7:?86CD <66AD E96 92CG6DE 7C@> 36:?8 =67E 369:?5] (9:=6 8@:?8 5@H? E96 7:6=5[ >2E49 8C@F?5 DA665 H:E9 A@H6C\E2<6\@77 DA665] s@?’E 4@>3 E9C@F89 E96 H:?5C@H E@@ D=@H] sC:G:?8 72DE :D @<2J[ 3FE ?@E 2=H2JD 8@@5 3642FD6 @7 A@DD:3=6 =627 <?@4<286] |@C?:?8 :D ?:46 3642FD6 :E >2I:>:K6D E96 DF?=:89E] qFE :E ?665D E@ 36 5@?6 H96? E96 H62E96C 5:4E2E6D]k^=:mk^F=m

kAm!2J:?8 2EE6?E:@? E@ 56E2:=D 42? 96=A H:E9 2 8@@5 6DE23=:D9>6?E[ v@A=6? D2:5] r@?D:56C2E:@? @7 96C3:4:56 42CCJ@G6C :D :>A@CE2?E E@ AC6G6?E 92C>:?8 E96 2=72=72 DE2?5] sCJ H62E96C 42? AC6G6?E 496>:42=D 7C@> 3C62<:?8 5@H? 2D :E 5:5 :? A2CED @7 E96 |:5H6DE E9:D A2DE J62C]k^Am

kAm~?46 E96 4C@A :D 8C@H:?8 2?5 AC@5F4:?8[ D4@FE:?8 7@C :?D64ED 2?5 5:D62D6 :D >@?6J H6== DA6?E :? E96 2=72=72 7:6=5] |2?J A6DED 42? 36 >2?2865 H:E9 4FEE:?8 :7 2 72C>6C <?@HD H92E’D @FE E96C6]k^Am

kAm*:6=5D H:== 72== @77 7@C 2? 2=72=72 4C@A 27E6C EH@ J62CDj 6G6?EF2==J 56E6C:@C2E:@? 2?5 AC@7:E =@DD 5:4E2E6 H96? :E’D E:>6 E@ BF:E] q6 AC@24E:G6 2?5 92G6 2 A=2? E@ FD6 E96 ?:EC@86? 4C65:ED]k^Am

kAmv@A=6? DA@<6 2E 2 C646?E D6>:?2C 9@DE65 3J p=36CE {62 $665 r@>A2?J] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]28C@?@>J]@C8^D62C49nD62C49"F6CJl2=72=72U2>Aj@AQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<QmHHH]28C@?@>J]@C8k^2m – D62C49 7@C “k2 9C67lQ9EEADi^^HHH]28C@?@>J]@C8^D62C49nD62C49"F6CJl2=72=72U2>Aj@AQ E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qm2=72=72k^2m” – 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^Am

kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQAC:?E0EC:>Qm%9:D :D 2? @C:8:?2= 2CE:4=6 HC:EE6? 7@C p8C:\':6H[ 2 {66 t?E6CAC:D6D 28C:4F=EFC2= AF3=:42E:@? 32D65 :? |25:D@?[ (:D4@?D:?] ':D:E k2 9C67lQ9EEAi^^p8C:':6H]4@>Q E2C86ElQ03=2?<Qmp8C:':6H]4@>k^2m 7@C >@C6 :?7@C>2E:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am

LeeAnne Bulman writes about agriculture from her farm overlooking the beautiful Danuser Valley on Wisconsin’s west coast. When not writing she helps her husband on their small grain and beef farm. Email genwim2@gmail.com to reach her.