Selecting the Right Alfalfa Variety
Selecting less expensive alfalfa seed may appear cost-effective, but this decision can ultimately result in an overall loss due to reduced yields, diminished quality, and increased expenditures on supplemental feed. Avoid letting short-term savings jeopardize long-term farm profitability—explore the true value of thoughtful alfalfa variety selection.
During this time of year, farmers are making their buying decisions for the next planting season. There are many varieties of alfalfa to choose from, and prices can vary tremendously. Most often, the temptation is to plant the cheapest variety available, without considering the long-term ramifications of planting a perennial crop, like alfalfa. For corn and soybeans, selecting the incorrect variety will only be a 1-year mistake, whereas selecting the incorrect alfalfa variety can mean a 4-5 year mistake. Our research and public trials show that there can be a 3 to 8 ton yield difference between the top and bottom varieties over a 4-year period. That is a significant difference!
There are many tools available to calculate the input costs a farmer should use when planting alfalfa, and they will see that seed cost is one of the least expensive inputs when prorated across the life of the stand.
Alfalfa Seed Cost:
- $3.00/lb x 20 lbs/acre = $60.00 prorated over 4 years = $15.00/acre/year
- $4.00/lb x 20Lbs/acre = $80.00 prorated over 4 years = $20.00/acre/year
- $5.00/lb x 20 lbs/acre = $100.00 prorated over 4 years = $25.00/acre/year
- $7.00/lb x 20 lbs/acre = $140.00 prorated over 4 years = $35.00/acre/year
- $10.00/lb x 20 lbs/acre = $200.00 prorated over 4 years = $50.00/acre/year
This means that spending a few more dollars per pound for the improved alfalfa genetics is very economical compared to other annual crops, and the return per acre is significantly higher. It only takes 1/3 of a ton more yield per year to pay for the improved variety. We often hear requests to buy Vernal alfalfa, a variety released in 1954 and one of the first to offer Bacterial Wilt resistance and winter survival. Our follow up question is always, “Are you still planting corn or soybean varieties that are 70+ years old?”. The answer is usually “No,” and when pressed, their response is that newer varieties have higher yield and better disease resistance. Then why do we treat alfalfa any differently?
Factors to Consider When Selecting an Alfalfa Variety:
- Which animal(s) do you plan to feed?
- What is the desired quality of feed you need for the animal?
- What fall dormancy is best for your area?
- Are you going to harvest as silage or dry hay?
- How many cuttings do you plan to take per year?
- What is your cutting frequency: 24, 28, 32, 35 days?
- What type of ground are you planting in (low/high pH, good/poor drainage, salinity, dryland, irrigated)?
- What diseases or insect pests are you most concerned about?
- If irrigating, how many acre-feet of water are you going to have?
- What fertility program do you need to maximize tonnage?
- Will this be land you own or rent, and if renting, what are the terms of the land?
Suppose a farmer selects an alfalfa variety based on the cheapest price. In that case, it may actually be costing them more because the variety has low yield, may not be adapted to the area, has poor winter survival (reducing stand life), lacks pest and disease resistance (placing it in the wrong environment), slow recovery (impacting yield if harvesting at 24 days), or poor quality seed. These factors alone can cause poor performance and a lack of revenue or feed that was needed for their farm, requiring them to buy additional feed.
Alfalfa plant breeders have been focused on developing varieties to meet the demands of challenging environments, as it can take 10 to 14 years to bring a commercial variety to market. Being a tetraploid perennial crop, it takes much longer to develop these new varieties without making sacrifices to the most important factor: Yield!
The additional cost the farmer pays for a new alfalfa variety is offset by increased yield, forage quality, and disease/pest resistance. If you look at public alfalfa trials, you can observe that the yield range is significant.
Example: Washington State Trials (2021 to 2023) showing the top variety in a 3-Year Forage Yield vs. 2020 Conventional Alfalfa Variety Trial in Pasco, Franklin County, WA.
Top Variety: X-Force 5400 33.3 tons per acre
Bottom Variety: Vernal 25.6 tons per acre
Yield Difference: 7.7 tons per acre
In the example above, 7.7 tons x $150.00/ton converts to $1,155.00/acre additional revenue over a 3-year period. That is a significant return on investment, even when the seed cost was $80.00 to $140.00/acre higher than the cheapest variety.
Alfalfa is bought and sold in the United States based on the USDA quality standards of the following classes: Supreme, Premium, Good, and Fair. The higher the quality, the greater the impact on animal performance, and with each class, the value of the alfalfa increases and is worth more money. This is another reason why alfalfa varieties have been bred for improved forage quality. Higher quality can help move the alfalfa into a higher class and is generally worth $15.00 to $20.00+ more per ton.
The selection of an alfalfa variety should not be based solely on seed cost, but on the profit potential the variety generates over the life of the stand. Even as little as a 1/3 ton per acre yield increase or a 20-point increase in forage quality on a single cut more than pays for the cost of the newer variety in the first year. Even if you try to manage the low-cost variety to increase yield and quality, it is very difficult to outperform newer varieties. It can be the difference between buying feed (due to low yield/quality) and generating additional revenue from your farming operation.