Evaluation and Maintenance of Sustainable Systems for Alfalfa Production and Marketing Strategies on Coastal Plain Soils

Evaluation and Maintenance of Sustainable Systems for Alfalfa Production and Marketing Strategies on Coastal Plain Soils

Summary

This on-farm research proposals/grant was initiated to determine the longevity of alfalfa production on individual farm sites. Individual plantings were made in fall 1999. Sustainability of alfalfa production on four ranch sites was continued in 2002, the third production year for for alfalfa on these sites. Results from this third year of alfalfa production are presented.

Objectives/Performance Targets

1. Evaluate sustainability of alfalfa stand on stakeholder farm sites.

Accomplishments/Milestones

Alfalfa production demonstrations on stakeholder ranchers were maintained and harvested in 2002. Sites located in Gregg, Cherokee, Anderson, and Smith Counties in Texas were treated with best management practices that we have developed for alfalfa production on Coastal Plain soils. Yield estimates were made from meter-square quadrant samples collected before each harvest. Yields in 2002 ranged from 1.66 to 5.34 tons of 12%-moisture hay/acre depending on management.

Alfalfa yield was highest at the Seven-P ranch where the variety ‘GrazeKing’ yielded 5.08 tons/acre and Amerigraze 702 yielded 5.34 tons/acre. No major problems were experienced on this site during the 2002 growing season. Harvesting operations were conducted in a timely manner. The estimated economic return on this site was the highest of these four sites at $208/acre.

The Taylor ranch site had the next highest yield with the economic return similar to the Seven-P ranch. Yields on this site were 4.0 tons per acre for GrazeKing and 3.9 tons per acre for Amerigraze 702. Economic evaluation of yield data indicated a net income of $203/acre. Plant stand appeared to be declining due to invasion of common bermudagrass into the alfalfa.

Yields on the Griffin ranch are about 0.5 tons lower than at the Taylor ranch. At the Griffin ranch, regrowth following the third cutting was affected by drought, grasshoppers, and extensive grazing by the resident native whitetail deer population, so there was not a fourth cutting. Yield for both varieties at this site was equal at 3.4 tons per acre. Economic evaluation of yield data indicated a net income of $135/acre. Invasion of common bermudagrass is increasing at this site and additional spraying for pest control was needed, so the economic return was decreased.

Estimated hay yields on the Riley ranch were much lower than at other locations. At this site, harvest delays due to extended grazing periods reduced the number of regrowth cycles from which to estimate yields, and the economic return based on hay yield indicates that this site lost money (-$83/acre). Weight gains of livestock grazing alfalfa on this site were not determined for economic evaluation; therefore the net economic return is misleading.

Average crude protein concentration of this alfalfa ranged from 18.5% to 22.3% and was not consistent between varieties at locations. Crude protein content ranged from 21.6 to 19.5% on the Griffin ranch, 24.3 to 18.6% on the Taylor ranch, 23.5 to 14% on the 7-P Ranch, and from 24.6 to 15.7% on the Riley Ranch. The highest level of crude protein occurred in the first cutting and generally declined in successive cuttings into late summer. Plant P concentrations range from 0.40 to 0.47%.

At the end of the third production year and this granting period, stands of alfalfa on each of these ranches are adequate to continue production and economic evaluation for another season.

Impacts and Contributions/Outcomes

Results from this research and demonstration project offer producers high-quality alternative forage for production on carefully selected soils on farms and ranches in the Southern Region. Intensive grazing of first growth alfalfa during a time when environmental conditions are not conducive to hay production and grazing of final growth alfalfa following a hard freeze may be the best grazing alternatives for this region.

Economic analysis of hay yields from demonstration sites projected that net income ranged to $208 per acre during the third year of production when hay was valued at $135 per ton. Income in this range exceeds that from most other forages produced in the Southern Region, and can be used to greatly improve the standard of living of farmers, ranchers, and local and regional communities. We are continuing on-farm alfalfa stand sustainability into the fourth year in 2003.

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