If you grow dryland alfalfa, your fields probably ran out of water and stopped growing at some point during the production season. When this happens, the future generally isn't too bright for these fields.
Alfalfa roots can grow very deep -- 10 to 15 feet isn't unusual for older dryland fields. This enables alfalfa to tap into subsoil moisture that previous crops couldn't reach. As a result, growth and yield during the first several years is supported by both rainfall and subsoil moisture. But there is a limit to the amount of subsoil moisture available. And many dryland hay fields, especially those that were three years old or older, exhausted their soil moisture supply during last year's drought.
Hay yield this summer will be determined mostly by how much rain falls and enters the soil during the growing season. Unless we receive much more than average rainfall, dryland hay yields will be lower. Consider this: It takes about six inches of water getting into the soil to grow each ton of alfalfa hay. If you get real lucky, 90% of the rain you receive will actually end up in your soil. And most growers lose at least 20% of the potential yield due to harvest losses. Putting these numbers together, it could take at least 25 inches of rain just to yield three tons of hay.
The chances of renewing your hay supply just from existing dryland alfalfa fields is pretty low. Keep track and adjust management as needed.
Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist
|
 | ||
| Published by University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension in the Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources Cooperating with the counties and the U.S. Department of Agriculture. | ||
| The University of Nebraska-Lincoln does not discriminate on the basis of gender, age, disability, race, color, religion, marital status, veteran's status, national or ethnic origin, or sexual orientation. | ||