My impression/ experience is that in PA conditions quality and quantity have an inverse relationship. As you try to increase quality - i.e. cut earlier - you tend to lose yield. Also, in PA conditions, quality - esp in 1st cutting - is very much weather related. A dry spring will improve quality, and a wet spring will result in lower quality. There are some management decisions you can make; however, you can't change the weather. I am also of the opinion that some of these nutritionists do not understand agronomics. They think you can make a change and see a difference in 7-10 days. That make work in a cow, but not in a field of alfalfa. One suggestion I have- with some reservation - is to contact Dairy Alliance and see if they have any suggestions on how to price forages by quality. Or contact your extension office and ask for a dairy specialist - ask that person for the same kind of information. Beyond that, maybe you need to find a new market for your crops ?? (Not knowing your location, I don't know if that is realistic or not). |