Green Gold Report â May 25, 2015 â EASTERN
Green Gold Report – May 25, 2015 – EASTERN With the return of warm weather and good growing conditions Hay Day estimate is June 1st. SITE Il de Chene St Pierre Grunthal Kleefeld south Kleefeld east Steinbach Giroux NewBothwell AVERAGE
RFV NIR 264 253 235 226 275 215 223 258 241.57
RFV PEAQ 277 268 252 260 277 237 237 252 258.29
Height 11 12 14 13 11 16 16 14 13.29
CP 26 31 23 23 27 21 27 25 25.43
Looking at the decline of RFV over the past week we are averaging 13 pts/day. Assuming that this continues we could be at an average RFV of 170 on June 1st. Normally with Green Gold we recommend that if you are targeting 150 hay that you cut at 170 RFV for silage you can normally cut somewhere in the 160 range depending on curing time. Since the 21st of May the alfalfa has grown only 1-3 inches. Although this seems to be slightly below normal GDD accumulations are presently above normal and therefore we should start to see the alfalfa jump in height and maturity. All fields sampled still in the late vegetative stage but many were close to entering the early bud stage.
Access all 2015 Green Gold Reports For more information contact: John McGregor, MFGA Extension Support e: [email protected], website: www.mfga.net or follow us on Twitter!
Financial support for this project provided by the following sponsors: SILVER SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSORS
2015 MFGA Green Gold Report
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
What I Am Seeing Alfalfa has grown between 1 and 3 inches. It is still in the late vegetative stage but getting close to early bud (photo left). Early bud is considered as1 to 2 nodes having visible buds. Buds may be hidden by leaves. To check for presence of buds pinch stem tip with fingers. Presence of a small, hard “ball” means that a bud is present. The most advanced fields are presently 16 inches in height and these are the fields that jumped the 3 inches over the weekend. We accumulate 40 GDD units over the weekend with normal being 25. From the end of April to today (May 27) we are at 220 GDD. Looking at 350 as a guide for first cut and assuming 15 pts/day, we are about 8 days from first cut for some of the more advance fields.
Heavy Frost Damage Although I have mention previously that frost damage in the SE was minor there are still plants and or areas of fields that did experience more damage. In the photo below you can see how the growing point of this plant was damaged by frost and as a result the auxiliary bud on the lower stem is becoming the new growing point. When this type of damage occurs, depending at what point it can set back the plant and reduce yield.
What is Hay Day? Hay Day is the estimated day that alfalfa will reach a RFV of 170. Past experience has shown that approximate 20 points are lost during the haying process and the time taken to get the entire crop cut, cured and baled. Silage shortens this process and therefore the quality can be higher. Grass/alfalfa mixes can and do reduce the RFV by 20-30 points depending on the % of the blend. Nutritionist like to target hay in the 135-150 RFV towards Dairy cows in the 1st trimester and towards dairy calves. The RFV hay from 125-140 is fed to the dairy cows in the last 200 days and heifers 12-18 months of age. Hay at 115-130 makes excellent Beef cow and heifer 12-18 month old feed and any from 100-115 is good for the Dry cow and heifer between 18 and 24 month.
2015 MFGA Green Gold Report
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
RFV NIR 264 253 235 226 275 215 223 258 241.57
RFV PEAQ 277 268 252 260 277 237 237 252 258.29
Height 11 12 14 13 11 16 16 14 13.29
CP 26 31 23 23 27 21 27 25 25.43
Looking at the decline of RFV over the past week we are averaging 13 pts/day. Assuming that this continues we could be at an average RFV of 170 on June 1st. Normally with Green Gold we recommend that if you are targeting 150 hay that you cut at 170 RFV for silage you can normally cut somewhere in the 160 range depending on curing time. Since the 21st of May the alfalfa has grown only 1-3 inches. Although this seems to be slightly below normal GDD accumulations are presently above normal and therefore we should start to see the alfalfa jump in height and maturity. All fields sampled still in the late vegetative stage but many were close to entering the early bud stage.
Access all 2015 Green Gold Reports For more information contact: John McGregor, MFGA Extension Support e: [email protected], website: www.mfga.net or follow us on Twitter!
Financial support for this project provided by the following sponsors: SILVER SPONSORS
GOLD SPONSOR
BRONZE SPONSORS
2015 MFGA Green Gold Report
~1
~
MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
What I Am Seeing Alfalfa has grown between 1 and 3 inches. It is still in the late vegetative stage but getting close to early bud (photo left). Early bud is considered as1 to 2 nodes having visible buds. Buds may be hidden by leaves. To check for presence of buds pinch stem tip with fingers. Presence of a small, hard “ball” means that a bud is present. The most advanced fields are presently 16 inches in height and these are the fields that jumped the 3 inches over the weekend. We accumulate 40 GDD units over the weekend with normal being 25. From the end of April to today (May 27) we are at 220 GDD. Looking at 350 as a guide for first cut and assuming 15 pts/day, we are about 8 days from first cut for some of the more advance fields.
Heavy Frost Damage Although I have mention previously that frost damage in the SE was minor there are still plants and or areas of fields that did experience more damage. In the photo below you can see how the growing point of this plant was damaged by frost and as a result the auxiliary bud on the lower stem is becoming the new growing point. When this type of damage occurs, depending at what point it can set back the plant and reduce yield.
What is Hay Day? Hay Day is the estimated day that alfalfa will reach a RFV of 170. Past experience has shown that approximate 20 points are lost during the haying process and the time taken to get the entire crop cut, cured and baled. Silage shortens this process and therefore the quality can be higher. Grass/alfalfa mixes can and do reduce the RFV by 20-30 points depending on the % of the blend. Nutritionist like to target hay in the 135-150 RFV towards Dairy cows in the 1st trimester and towards dairy calves. The RFV hay from 125-140 is fed to the dairy cows in the last 200 days and heifers 12-18 months of age. Hay at 115-130 makes excellent Beef cow and heifer 12-18 month old feed and any from 100-115 is good for the Dry cow and heifer between 18 and 24 month.
2015 MFGA Green Gold Report
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MANITOBA FORAGE & GRASSLAND ASSOCIATION
