Regional Extension Educators Scott Reuss and Kimberly Schmidt walked a variety of alfalfa fields on Thursday, June 2nd to assess standing forage quality. The results strongly indicate that optimum forage harvest timing is at hand for dairy farms and can take place whenever beef or heifer forage harvesting is appropriate according to weather. There is still a bit of variance moving from south to north and caused by soil type and age of forage stand. Grasses found in many forage fields in the area are also maturing quickly, with most species heading out. At this stage, they lose forage quality relatively quickly and do not gain much more yield.
The results of the June 2nd survey are listed below. This will be the last forage quality survey completed for 2022.
Site County RFV Max Ht.
Wausaukee Marinette 167 30
Porterfield Marinette 179 28
Grover Marinette 160 33
Lena Oconto 135 38
Lena West Oconto 135 38
Spruce (new sdg) Oconto 163 30
Brazeau Oconto 155 33
Beaver (new sdg) Marinette 157 33
Beaver Marinette 152 33
Gresham Shawano 150 34
Bowler 1 (New sdg) Shawano 162 31
Bowler 2 (New sdg) Shawano 167 30
Farms that have questions for Reuss can contact him by emailing to scott.reuss@wisc.edu or calling/texting him at 715-701-0966. Any farm that wants to be added to the direct contact list about Extension news or events should contact Reuss in one of these ways, as well.