It's that time of year again.  Do I cut alfalfa or not?  The big picture answer is that such a practice comes with some degree of risk.  In recent years, however, fall cutting has not been extremely detrimental to alfalfa stands.  So what might be different about this year?  Let's examine the issues, both positive and negative.  

        Of primary concern is that alfalfa is in short supply this year coming off the heels of severe winterkill and a dry summer.  That puts many producers in the “need” category.  Also different this year is the fact that many stands are relatively young (seeded in 2004 or 2005).  This puts them in better shape to weather the weather.  Recall that it was the new seedings that looked the best coming out of last winter.  

        It's unlikely that October-harvested alfalfa stands will regrow to the point of significantly reducing stored root carbohydrate reserves.  This makes such a practice somewhat less risky than harvesting during September.  It also offers producers the opportunity to harvest relatively high quality forage.  From a winterhardiness and persistence standpoint, alfalfa varieties today are better than they were ten years ago.  Some really poor survival years in the early 1990's helped refocus breeding efforts in this area.  

        Harvesting alfalfa in October can, and often does, result in yield reductions next spring.  That may not be a bad tradeoff this year.  The degree to which spring yield reductions occur depends largely on the type of weather we experience during late fall, winter, and early spring.  For example, an alfalfa plant will "harden" better during a fall typified by clear, cool weather than one characterized by cloudy and warm conditions.  Obviously, snow cover during the winter and early spring will be of great benefit as well.  A Michigan State University study found that the number of temperature fluctuations above and below 32 degrees was also an important factor in determining alfalfa winter survival.  

        My observations have always been that the simple presence of dead alfalfa stems from the fall before usually has a large impact on alfalfa survival.  Certainly they help to catch snow and inhibit the snow from melting away.  However, there seem to be other advantages.  Possibly, they retard temperature fluctuations at the soil surface.  This may be especially important in the early spring.  

        Many producers are concerned with large amounts of alfalfa forage smothering itself out during winter.  I have never seen this to be a problem unless there is a significant amount of grass in the stand.  After alfalfa plants freeze, the leaves drop off and the remaining stems pose little threat to smother remaining plants.  I have advised producers to cut new seedings in the late fall where a massive flush of annual foxtail is dominating the stand.  This is a situation where alfalfa will smother under the grass.   

       The bottom line is that there is no right or wrong answer for making late fall harvest decisions. The economic feasibility of harvesting in October depends largely on uncontrollable factors and the individual need for additional forage.