Alfalfa Plants Boosted by Moisture

Excessive moisture this year has really given alfalfa plants a boost.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada researcher Alan Iwassa says he's been fielding calls this year about alfalfa taking over some pasture stands.  At a recent forage tour at Swift Current's SPARC station, he advised producers to evaluate their options.

Iwassa says alfalfa is a wonderful forage with lots of potential, and farmers should take the opportunity to hay the forage material.  He says producers may want to bale the stand, or let it mature and graze it later in the flowering stage or after it's done in order to reduce bloating concerns that can kill cattle.

Iwassa adds, having the extra hay around is always helpful, especially when you look back at the last couple of years when producers were struggling to find enough feed.