Alfalfa and Forages Program

Fertilizing for Mineralized, Energized Feeds

Quality alfalfa is defined by four components:

Protein: Nitrogen multiplied by 6.25 equals crude protein. For this protein to be optimally utilized by the dairy cow, there needs to be sulfur present in a 1-to-10 ratio with nitrogen. Without sulfur available in the fertilizer program, alfalfa plants cannot make the sulfur-containing amino acids. The alfalfa plant now contains nitrates and incomplete proteins which negatively effect the overall health and immune system of the cow. Including sulfur in your alfalfa fertilizer program assures you that your plants are making quality protein.

Fiber: Fibers in alfalfa plants are measured as acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF). The standards on feed tests are ADF 30 and NDF 40 or a 10 point spread. The difference in spread is highly digestible fiber. This digestible fiber is what makes cows milk. A 15-point spread between ADF and NDF means the alfalfa plant has more digestible fiber. This means your fertilizer program will put more pounds of milk in the tank.

Energy: Locked within digestible fibers are sugars. When alfalfa plants grow with the proper balance of nutrients, they produce solid stems. When you cut the stems open, they are filled with a white fibrous material. This is carbohydrates that break down into sugars in the rumen of the cow and provide energy. Cows eating alfalfa that is solid stemmed will produce more milk, and that shows up in the bulk tank.

Minerals: The availability of minerals from alfalfa plants can be more than double that of minerals fed to a cow from a bag. Plants have the unique ability to take up rock forms of minerals from the soil or fertilizer and change them into organic forms, which are highly available to the animal. Most alfalfa is low in calcium and too high in potassium. Your goal is to have calcium and potassium in a 1:1 ratio on the feed test. Both should be at about 2.0%. Phosphorus and magnesium should both be at 0.35% or higher. When minerals reach these target levels, cows perform exceptionally well and ration balancing is much easier.

Quality alfalfa is the base for a healthy, high-producing herd of dairy cows.

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