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NW TX Panhandle | Generally we grow very good corn following hay. Obviously top growth removal on alfalfa would be comparable to corn silage over a period of years. I believe the difference would be that the alfalfa field has not been plowed in at least 4 to 5 years. In our area, we're very lucky to have OM over 1.5%. If you don't use tillage on a field for 5 years the OM, tilth, structure, etc… becomes very good. To cut a silage crop then run conventional tillage is a negative anyway you look at it. Tillage adds oxygen to the soils which speeds up the decomposition of below ground residue (which leads to loss of OM from that crop). I cringe when I see growers who continually grow silage for the dairies or feed lots. Our low organic matter soils & low rainfall levels are just not a good fit for continuous silage crops.
Edited by dwigg 4/19/2014 18:37
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Explain the concept of a crop being "hard on the soil"
