How much alfalfa should farmers seed?
There are several factors to consider regarding seeding rates:
- Moisture . If the soil will not have much moisture later in the year (especially sandy soils), lower seeding rates will reduce competition for moisture among the seedlings. ...
- Soil conditions. Low soil fertility or acid soils will require higher seeding rates to insure that enough seedlings survive. ...
- Species and variety. ...
What farm equipment do you need to grow alfalfa?
“The four questions include:
- What will you feed it to?
- What price can you get for it?
- Are you willing to cut hay on April 28?
- How will you feed it? Alfalfa is handled very differently than fescue.”
How much alfalfa seed do I plant per acre?
Planting methods for successful alfalfa establishment
- Site selection. Alfalfa does well on well-drained soil rather than wet, heavy clay soils and requires good soil pH ranging from 6.5 to 7.0.
- Seeding rate. For pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. ...
- Weed control. ...
- Conventional planting. ...
- No-till planting. ...
What is the cost of alfalfa seed per pound?
When milk prices are low, dairy producers begin to look for ways to reduce the direct input expenses of growing alfalfa. One option that growers have is to purchase lower cost alfalfa seed. Alfalfa seed of modern varieties can cost over $4.00 per pound, while older varieties can be purchased for $2.00 per pound or less.
See more
How much does it cost to seed an acre of alfalfa?
Alfalfa has to be planted at around 25 pounds per acre if I remember correctly. A 50 pound bag of seed is around $200 last I heard a few years back, so $100 an acre just for seed. Probably $120-150 per acre including tillage costs.Oct 17, 2014
How much does a 50lb bag of alfalfa seed cost?
Compare with similar itemsThis item NATURE'S SEED Alfalfa Seed (50 LBS)Outsidepride Alfalfa Seed - 10 LBSAdd to CartAdd to CartCustomer Rating4.5 out of 5 stars (79)4.3 out of 5 stars (332)Price$22000$5999Sold ByNature's SeedOutsidepride1 more row
How much alfalfa is an acre?
The average total yield is 20-35 tons per hectare (or 8-14 tons per acre) per year (distributed in 5-6 cuts). Top yields (intensive farming) can exceed 40 tons per hectare or 16 tons per acre per year. You can enrich this article by leaving a comment or photo of your alfalfa harvesting methods and yields.Jun 8, 2017
How many alfalfa seeds are in a pound?
199,000 alfalfa seedsThere are about 199,000 alfalfa seeds per pound. If that one pound was evenly spread over one acre (43,560 ft. 2), there would be in the neighborhood of five seeds per square foot.
Does alfalfa grow back every year?
You can harvest seeding-year alfalfa as early as 40 days after seedlings emerge. It takes plants about 40 days to become able to regrow from the crown after cutting. If plants are cut before this development occurs — maybe to control weeds — at least one set of leaves must remain on the plant for it to regrow.Jun 19, 2015
Does alfalfa reseed itself?
Alfalfa is a crop that naturally tends to lessen its density over time because alfalfa doesn't reseed itself. Planting more alfalfa into current alfalfa fields is not recommended since alfalfa has autotoxicity characteristics. A good population/density is about 35 well-growing stems per square foot.
Is growing alfalfa profitable?
Alfalfa is a major profit center on most dairy farms. Annual yield has the largest impact on its profitability because inputs, including harvesting costs, change little as yield increases.
Can you cut alfalfa the first year?
When alfalfa is seeded in the spring, the first cutting the same year should be done after flowers begin to appear, allowing greater energy reserves in the roots, she says. Generally, alfalfa will reach this stage of development between 60 and 70 days after emergence.
How much does alfalfa seed cost per bag?
Alfalfa seed of modern varieties can cost over $4.00 per pound, while older varieties can be purchased for $2.00 per pound or less.
How many acres does a bag of alfalfa plant?
Seeding rate. For pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. For mixed stands with grass, 15 to 16 pounds per acre is recommended. For broadcast seeding, seeding rates need to be increased by 10 to 20 percent.Mar 31, 2011
Is alfalfa a hard seed?
Alfalfa seed with impermeable seed coats are called hard seeds because, when exposed to water, these seeds do not take up moisture but remain unchanged, or hard. When planted, these hard alfalfa seeds may remain dormant in the soil for a matter of days or even years.
How big is an alfalfa seed?
Alfalfa is planted in the spring or fall. Since the seeds are so small (1-2 millimeters), slightly wider than the tip of a pencil lead, they must be planted close to the surface of the soil. Between 15-25 pounds of seeds are planted per acre, which is about the size of a football field.
What is yellow blossom alfalfa?
Falcata Yellow Blossom Alfalfa, or Medicago Falcata, is a subspecies of alfalfa that displays some key differences from the much more common purple-flowered alfalfas used for hay production . Falcata should be used almost exclusively in mixtures with grass and in rangeland interseeding projects.
Does Falcata alfalfa have a creeping root system?
It has more of a creeping or fibrous root system than purple-flower ed alfalfas, which allows it to spread by root to some extent. Falcata alfalfa will also have less risk of bloat in a grazing application and responds well to grazing pressure.
Total Cost to Plant an Acre of Alfalfa
The total cost of planting an acre of alfalfa depends on a number of factors. Some of them can be avoided and some can’t be. So, let’s see the cost chart of planting an acre of alfalfa.
Alfalfa Plantation Full Cost Breakdown
Breaking down the total cost will explain the numbers. It’s far easier to spend if you’re spending correctly, right?
Frequently Asked Questions
Answer: Alfalfa yields $98.82/acre on average over three years. If you compare it to $44.77/acre for maize and $39.68/acre for soybeans, it’s really profitable.
Conclusion
So, how much does it cost to plant alfalfa per acre? By now you already know the answer to this question.
How much does alfalfa seed cost?
One option that growers have is to purchase lower cost alfalfa seed. Alfalfa seed of modern varieties can cost over $4.00 per pound, while older varieties can be purchased for $2.00 per pound or less.
How many varieties of alfalfa are there?
One of the most important alfalfa management decisions a producer makes is which variety to plant. Hundreds of alfalfa varieties are marketed, and thirty or more new varieties are released each year, making this decision difficult.
Why is alfalfa seed important?
Purchasing alfalfa seed for forage production is an important management decision. The true “cost” of seed is not reflected in the purchase price alone. Planting an inferior yielding variety means that long-term costs of production are higher per ton of forage produced. In addition, more risk is introduced into your operation by buying “cheap” seed.
What questions to ask when purchasing seed?
Finally, there are other questions to ask when purchasing seed. Does the company provide agronomic support services to growers? What is the product warranty or germination guarantee? Will the product be delivered in a timely manner? Are there quantity discounts ?
Is Alfalfa based on seed price?
Alfalfa variety choices should be based on long- term variety performance information, not on the price of seed.
Is alfalfa seed a blend?
Often in years of sur plus alfalfa seed production, several varieties are blended together to and sold as an unnamed seed blend. The blended seed varies by dealer and company. However, there is potential for several modern varieties to be included in these blends, making their performance quite good.
How much does it cost to plant alfalfa seed?
Most operators plant Roundup Ready alfalfa seed with Brillion seeders 1/4 inch to 1/2 inch deep at 25 pounds of seed per acre. The seed is planted in September or October and the stand life is expected to be three years. Cost of seed varies; Roundup Ready seed cost at least $5.84 per pound with an additional $3.00 per pound tech fee.
How to establish good stands of alfalfa?
Establishing good stands of alfalfa can be done by proper site selection, seeding rate, weed control and planting method. However, the cost of planting and maintaining an Acre of Alfalfa goes beyond these factors. Below is an estimated cost of planting and successfully harvesting Alfalfa in the United States.
How does alfalfa water flow?
During the production years, most growers use border flood irrigation. The water is pumped through alfalfa valves at the head of the field and flows down the alfalfa check between the borders. A semi – permanent drain ditch is dug at the edge of the field using a V – Ditcher pulled by a tractor.
How much does it cost to pump water?
Estimate $130 per acre – foot, ($10.83 per acre – inch).
How much P2O5 is removed from alfalfa?
According to experts, each harvested dry matter ton of alfalfa removes approximately 11 pounds of P2O5 and 53 pounds of K2O. For good and pure alfalfa stands, 18 to 20 pounds per acre should be planted. For mixed stands with grass, 15 to 16 pounds per acre is advisable.
How much does it cost to level a corn field?
Then the field is then rolled with a rice roller. After that the field is laser levelled at a cost of $175 per acre. Lastly, the field is disked and harrowed with a ring roller to prepare the seedbed.
Is alfalfa a good forage?
Alfalfa remains one of the primary forage crops in dairy and livestock production as well as an expensive crop to plant and manage. That is why it is very important to note the steps of planting alfalfa before you start. Have it in mind that Alfalfa does well on well-drained soils rather than wet, heavy clay soils and requires good soil pH ranging ...
