U of M Extension Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program boosts dairy production, helps farmers manage resources
As spring brought warmer temperatures and rain, Minnesota’s alfalfa fields hosted many a winged creature, as well as University of Minnesota Extension educators conducting the work of the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program.
Now in its 29th year, the collaboration between Extension and the Central Minnesota Forage Council serves farmers gearing up for the first cut of alfalfa, a valuable component of dairy cow diets.
The Alfalfa Harvest Alert helps forage producers make timely and informed decisions about when to harvest. Local Extension educators, like Jackie Estrem and Taylor Herbert, take scissors-cut samples and work with a lab to analyze them, providing data to optimize yield and quality.
Timing is everything
Dana Adams, a local Extension educator for livestock, emphasizes the significance of alfalfa for dairy producers. “Alfalfa is a legume that many dairy farmers grow because it’s a key source of protein in cow diets,” she says. “The protein content not only supports cow health but also contributes to quality milk production.”
Mark Skroch, a farmer at Sunny Oaks Farm in Benton County, is a longtime collaborator in the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program, opening his farm to Extension educators like Adams, as well as Jackie Estrem, Extension sustainable agriculture educator, for a scissors cut. Sunny Oaks Farm milks 120 cows and grows corn and soybeans in addition to their alfalfa.
“The first cutting is the most important,” says Skroch. “Knowing when to cut ensures we get the best quality and tonnage. Extension is very good to work with, and this really helps.”
Program details for 2025
This year, the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program began sampling when alfalfa reached heights of 14 to 16 inches. Cuttings were taken on Monday and Thursday mornings, with samples sent for analysis to determine key metrics such as Relative Feed Quality (RFQ) and Relative Feed Value (RFV).
According to Herbert, producers across Stearns, Benton, Morrison, Wright, McLeod, Sibley, Nicollet and Carver counties will benefit from the data collected.
How farmers can participate and stay informed
To keep up with the data, farmers access the Alfalfa Harvest Alert Data Tool, which tracks historical and current metrics. Local farm radio stations provide updates throughout the season.
“The Alfalfa Harvest Alert Program continues to play a crucial role in helping Minnesota dairy farmers optimize their practices,” says Adams. “It’s one step in ensuring the highest quality milk while managing resources effectively.”
For more information, visit Extension’s forage web pages, including those on harvest and storage.
The beauty of alfalfa
“Alfalfa’s value as a nutritious livestock feed, as a contributor of nitrogen to crops in rotations, and as continuous living cover is well known,” write Minnesota Crop News authors Craig Sheaffer, Deborah Samac and Mindy Dornbusch. “But often overlooked is the simple beauty of alfalfa’s lush green foliage flowing over the landscape and the accent provided by its deep purple flowers.” However, alfalfa varieties can have plants with a diversity of other flower colors, including blue, yellow, cream and white.
Read "The beauty of alfalfa" in Minnesota Crop News for photos showing alfalfa flowers and an understanding of why alfalfa blooms in a variety of colors.
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