The alfalfa scissors cutting program will kick into gear within the next couple of weeks.  Typically we expect RFV to drop about 4 points per day through late May and early June, but this is highly dependent on air temperature and soil moisture.  Research from the USDA Dairy Forage Research Center indicates that alfalfa gains about 100 pounds of dry matter per acre per day during the harvest period.  As always, it becomes a compromise between forage quality and yield. 

     Scissors-cut forage quality information will again be made available to area farmers on the radio (AM 1450 KFIZ at 5:35 a.m.) and through the FORAGEline phone system.  To access FORAGEline, dial 920-929-3175 and at the prompt enter “1”.  Additionally, the forage quality information is posted on the internet at the following address:  www.uwex.edu/ces/crops/scicut2009.htm 

     Both scissors-cut analysis and PEAQ estimates are done on Monday morning (lab results not back until Tuesday afternoon) and PEAQ estimates are again made every Thursday.  The Fond du Lac County Forage Council sponsors the alfalfa scissors-cut program.