Lowering the Cost of Alfalfa Establishment

Seed costs are generally considered to be one of the lowest input costs associated with establishing an alfalfa field. But, in recent years, seeding rates have increased, and now with the recent release of Roundup Ready® alfalfa, the cost of seed has increased 200-300 percent.

Research at the COARC has shown that under good management, seeding rates can be reduced without sacrificing yield. If a good seed bed is prepared and irrigated properly, there is no statistical yield difference between 6 to 25 lb/acre pure-live-seed of alfalfa planted after 5 years of production. There is a physical quality difference for higher seeding rates, resulting in an increased number of stems per square foot produced for the first three years of a 3-cut and 4-cut management system.

Depending upon the situation, producers can reduce seed input costs by as much 50-60 percent, by planting a reduced seeding rate under good to excellent management. Twelve to 15 lb/acre is still a more than adequate alfalfa seeding rate.

Mylen Bohle and Rhonda Simmons