Forage Quality and Testing

A major challenge faced by alfalfa growers during the past 30 years has been the increased emphasis on forage quality. The need to produce high-quality hay affects marketing and price, as well as yield and stand life. Demands for high-quality alfalfa by the marketplace have been relentless. Although crop yield is still the primary economic factor determining forage crop value per unit of land area, forage quality has become a close second. Milk production per dairy cow has more than doubled in 50 years, and increased more than 80 percent since the 1970s (Fig. 16.1). Such highly productive animals require forages with high digestibility, good palatability, high intake potential, and high protein levels, thus increasing the demand for alfalfa and other high-quality feeds. Growers have responded by producing higher-quality alfalfa; the average quality of hay tested by labs has increased dramatically since the 1970s (Fig. 16.2). The demand for high-quality forage is likely to intensify further, as dairy managers and nutritionists judge the value of alfalfa in comparison to the many other feedstuffs in a ration. Here, we examine the influence of forage quality on crop value, definitions of quality, the influences of agronomic practices on forage Chapter 16 Corresponding Author: Daniel H. Putnam ([email protected])