Evaluating Alfalfa Stands

May 11, 2022


Evaluating alfalfa stands

Will your alfalfa reach its full yield potential?

Assessing the health of alfalfa stands is extremely important in helping estimate future yield potential as well as anticipating which fields are likely to suffer yield loss due to winterkill. Learn from Agronomist Mikayla Caygill as she explains how to evaluating stands.

 


Another valuable piece of evaluating alfalfa stands but one that is often overlooked is taking a close look at the crown of the alfalfa plant. Heavy traffic and compaction cause injury to the crowns creating a wound allowing the introduction of crown rots and other soil diseases. This will impact the longevity of your stand as well as a reduction in yield potential. The root health of alfalfa is determined by on a scale from 0-5 (0 being healthy) and in this case I would call this between 1 and 2 with some light discoloration but still strong enough to make it though the winter.

Add-a-subheading-(1).png

Please contact your local Premier agronomist today if you have any questions on evaluating alfalfa stands.




 

     Mikayla Caygill
        Agronomist

 

 

 

Recent Posts

Jul 01, 2025
I hope everyone had the chance to enjoy the Independence Day holiday with family and friends. Thanks to all of you who called in your orders early and helped minimize the added pressure that the short work week brings. I’d also like to thank all of you who returned your propane contracts by the due date. With a short window of when contracts are mailed to when they are due back, we really appreciate your patience and support. If reading this reminded you that your contract is still sitting on the kitchen table, just pick up the phone and call the energy office nearest to you. Our friendly staff will be glad to take care of you. On behalf of our energy team and everyone at your cooperative, thank you for choosing us to serve your propane needs again this year.
Jun 30, 2025
I’m going to start with something most of you don’t want to hear. In 4 months, you will be firing up your furnace for the first time. In 6 months, you’ll be shoveling snow. I’m not suggesting that you should go out and buy that new snow thrower that you’ve had your eye on. However, now is a great time to buy propane for the winter.  
Jun 30, 2025
Did you know that Premier Cooperative is the largest Up North Plastics dealer in southwest Wisconsin?  Top producers know that the best way to preserve the quality of high-value forages is to store their feed in Up North silage bags.   Up North plastic has 2 to 3 times the puncture and tear resistance of foreign competitor’s products.  With the ever-increasing value of feed stuffs, why risk using anything but the strongest, most reliable, time-tested bag on the market?  Match that with Up North’s outstanding service record, and you have a combination that is unrivaled in the industry.  Trust the protection of your feed with Up North Plastics.