Green Gold Report â May 23, 2017 â EASTERN - AGCanada
Green Gold Report – May 23, 2017 – EASTERN Here is the second release for the Optimum Alfalfa Harvest Date for 2017. SITE Grunthal Ile de Chene Landmark New Bothwell Steinbach Stonewall EASTERN AVERAGE
RFV NIR 200 227 201 226 229 243
RFV PEAQ 237 260 260 252 244 267
Height 16 13 13 14 15 16
CP 28 27 28 28 26 30
221
253
14.5
27.83
Cool weather over the weekend has slowed alfalfa growth. Alfalfa growth from Thursday was generally one inch. RFV have dropped about 34 pts but due to the slow growth predicting when we may reach 150 will need to wait till our next sampling on Thursday. Presently we are looking at Hay Day being May 30th. Access all 2017 Green Gold Reports For more info: John McGregor, MFGA Green Gold Coordinator e: [email protected], w: www.mfga.net or follow us on Twitter!
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2017 MFGA Green Gold Report
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
What I am seeing All of the fields in the area this week were still in the late vegetative stage. We did have temperatures last week that dropped to -3 C but there doesn’t seem to be any damage to the alfalfa. Growing Degree Days Because each spring is unique in temperature, precipitation and growing degree days (GDD),the date hay is ready for a first cut can vary as many as three weeks from year to year. It typically takes 300 to 350 GDD to reach RFV of 180 for the first cut. If we look at the accumulation to date, we are at about 150 GDD. Alfalfa Weevil Last year, at this time, alfalfa weevils were a concern but due to the recent cool weather the possibility of alfalfa weevil emerging in the next week is minimal. Adult alfalfa weevils emerge before the 167 GDD accumulate they lay eggs on the alfalfa stems which hatch in one to two weeks. The larvae emerge and start feeding on the growing tips of the alfalfa plant. This feeding can go on for 2-3 weeks before pupating. Typical feeding takes place up to about the 350 GDDs, which is typically when alfalfa reaches the 180 RFV and is ready to cut. Presently we are at 60 GDDs (Base 9C).For more information click on Alfalfa Weevil Don’t Leave the Leaves The primary goal of any alfalfa grower should be to harvest as many leaves as possible. The ones left on the ground after the baler or chopper exits the field become fertilizer, but they won’t translate into much milk or meat. Alfalfa leaves have a relative forage quality (RFQ) of about 550 while stem RFQ is in the range of 70 to 80, According to Dan Undersander, in a recent study comparing hay rake types, they found that leaf percentage accounted for 71 percent of the variation in forage quality. At bud stage, standing alfalfa has about 45 to 50 percent leaves as a percent of total dry matter. Although it’s impossible to harvest all of those leaves, keeping the loss to a minimum often is a difference maker between harvesting exceptional and good-quality, or good- and fair-quality forage, Undersander said that forage producers need to be sensitive to the concept of “harvesting leaves” rather than “harvesting hay.” In most cases, timing, swath manipulation, and machinery adjustments can go a long way in taking more leaves off the field. Producer Support Always Welcome to Help MFGA Make a Difference Please visit mfga.net and join us, please visit our corporate MFGA Supporters, and help us continue to make an impact. Starting at just $50 per year for individual support, you can be part of our team.
2017 MFGA Green Gold Report
~2
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
RFV NIR 200 227 201 226 229 243
RFV PEAQ 237 260 260 252 244 267
Height 16 13 13 14 15 16
CP 28 27 28 28 26 30
221
253
14.5
27.83
Cool weather over the weekend has slowed alfalfa growth. Alfalfa growth from Thursday was generally one inch. RFV have dropped about 34 pts but due to the slow growth predicting when we may reach 150 will need to wait till our next sampling on Thursday. Presently we are looking at Hay Day being May 30th. Access all 2017 Green Gold Reports For more info: John McGregor, MFGA Green Gold Coordinator e: [email protected], w: www.mfga.net or follow us on Twitter!
GOLD SPONSORS
PLATINUM SPONSOR
SILVER SPONSORS
BRONZE SPONSORS
2017 MFGA Green Gold Report
~1
~
MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
What I am seeing All of the fields in the area this week were still in the late vegetative stage. We did have temperatures last week that dropped to -3 C but there doesn’t seem to be any damage to the alfalfa. Growing Degree Days Because each spring is unique in temperature, precipitation and growing degree days (GDD),the date hay is ready for a first cut can vary as many as three weeks from year to year. It typically takes 300 to 350 GDD to reach RFV of 180 for the first cut. If we look at the accumulation to date, we are at about 150 GDD. Alfalfa Weevil Last year, at this time, alfalfa weevils were a concern but due to the recent cool weather the possibility of alfalfa weevil emerging in the next week is minimal. Adult alfalfa weevils emerge before the 167 GDD accumulate they lay eggs on the alfalfa stems which hatch in one to two weeks. The larvae emerge and start feeding on the growing tips of the alfalfa plant. This feeding can go on for 2-3 weeks before pupating. Typical feeding takes place up to about the 350 GDDs, which is typically when alfalfa reaches the 180 RFV and is ready to cut. Presently we are at 60 GDDs (Base 9C).For more information click on Alfalfa Weevil Don’t Leave the Leaves The primary goal of any alfalfa grower should be to harvest as many leaves as possible. The ones left on the ground after the baler or chopper exits the field become fertilizer, but they won’t translate into much milk or meat. Alfalfa leaves have a relative forage quality (RFQ) of about 550 while stem RFQ is in the range of 70 to 80, According to Dan Undersander, in a recent study comparing hay rake types, they found that leaf percentage accounted for 71 percent of the variation in forage quality. At bud stage, standing alfalfa has about 45 to 50 percent leaves as a percent of total dry matter. Although it’s impossible to harvest all of those leaves, keeping the loss to a minimum often is a difference maker between harvesting exceptional and good-quality, or good- and fair-quality forage, Undersander said that forage producers need to be sensitive to the concept of “harvesting leaves” rather than “harvesting hay.” In most cases, timing, swath manipulation, and machinery adjustments can go a long way in taking more leaves off the field. Producer Support Always Welcome to Help MFGA Make a Difference Please visit mfga.net and join us, please visit our corporate MFGA Supporters, and help us continue to make an impact. Starting at just $50 per year for individual support, you can be part of our team.
2017 MFGA Green Gold Report
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
