How much does alfalfa seeds cost?
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.
When should I plant alfalfa seeds?
Spring alfalfa should be planted from early April to early May. The month of choice for planting spring alfalfa is April. The crop can be planted into May in irrigated situations. While planting alfalfa in the fall increases the amount of forage produced the first year, planting alfalfa in the spring is less risky.
How long does it take lucerne to mature?
Lucerne’s extensive root system enables the crop to produce good yields even under relatively dry conditions. It’s perennial nature means that once successfully established reliable production could be expected for the following 3 to 4 years.
Is alfalfa and lucerne the same?
Alfalfa (/ælˈfælfə/) (Medicago sativa), also called lucerne, is a perennial flowering plant in the legume family Fabaceae. It is cultivated as an important forage crop in many countries around the world. It is used for grazing, hay, and silage, as well as a green manure and cover crop.
How much does it cost to seed 1 acre with 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.
Can I grow alfalfa in my yard?
You can do that most easily by sowing and cutting a “stand” of alfalfa each fall, treating it as an annual. It’s more involved, but also possible to plant alfalfa as a perennial source of mulch and compost, or to cut some for those purposes and then work the rest into the soil.
What is the best grass to mix with alfalfa?
Meadow fescue and orchardgrass This cool-season grass is a viable forage choice for alfalfa-grass mixtures. For lactating cow forage, the mixture of alfalfa with meadow fescue and tall fescue resulted in higher yields and higher-quality forage compared to alfalfa alone.
What is the best seed for hay?
Alfalfa- It is probably the best high quality feed for livestock and as a cash crop but it requires deep, well drained soils and high fertility for high yields. While it can be used for grazing, it is best adapted for hay or silage.
Is lucerne easy to grow?
Once established, lucerne has good drought tolerance and is well suited to irregular rainfall patterns, but it will appear to go dormant during extended dry periods. It grows in areas receiving as little as 325mm annual rainfall but also provides good summer production in areas up to 700mm rainfall.
How much does it cost to grow lucerne?
LABOUR REQUIREMENTS: – labour is not costed in this budget. According to the above operations, labour required is 2.39hrs/ha. Then multiplying this by 1.25 to allow for machinery repair time etc, and using a basic labour cost of $21.00/hr, the cost of labour is $62.67/ha, increasing the costs to $271.94/ha.
What do you plant before alfalfa?
First, spray the growing grass sod with a non-selective herbicide. Second, no-till plant an annual forage crop, such as winter wheat or rye, to smother regrowth of any grass sod or break-hard sod. Third, harvest winter annual forage crops. Fourth, spray herbicide before planting alfalfa.
Will 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.
How much do Lucerne seeds cost?
The seed customers come back for year after year. Best suited for hay production, highly winter… $8.60 $9.46Inc. GST A persistent semi dormant variety that tolerates prolonged close grazing. Due to its low winter… $8.60 $9.46Inc. GST A general purpose lucerne suited to both grazing and hay production in irrigation or dryland…
What is Lucerne used for in Australia?
Tree lucerne has long been used for animal fodder. In Australia it has been planted around homesteads for windbreak and decorative purposes and shade in fowl yards, and most often used for fodder. Tree lucerne, being an evergreen, can provide green feed at any time of the year.
How long does it take for Lucerne to grow?
All local commercial lucerne farmers use irrigation to grow crops of lucerne for baling. MATURITY: Plants will set seed within 6 months, and then live for 3-4 years, benefiting from occasional cutting to extend vigour. SUITABLE SOIL TYPE: Nourished gardens.
What is lucerne hay?
Lucerne is also known as Alfalfa when sown as hay to the equine market. It is a high protein nitrogen fixing legume which thrives on free draining, non-acidic soil and requires no fertiliser. PLEASE CALL FOR AVAILABILITY More details…