• Lower Lignin. HarvXtra technology allows alfalfa to be harvested later, without greatly impacting digestibility. Just like what is said about BMR products, lignin is non-digestible. With this technology, digestibility is much more consistent throughout the cutting cycle and for the entire year. Consistency is important!
  • Greater Flexibility. Producers now have an extra 7-10 days for harvesting alfalfa, without any negative impact on forage quality. Effective producers understand the reality for completing aggressive cutting regiments - therefore, they appreciate the value of HarvXtra.
  • Same or Better Yield, Less Cost. By harvesting later due to delayed maturity, more yield can be harvested in each cutting. This delay in harvest (7-10 days) equals one less cutting over the course of the season. Think about the costs associated with cutting alfalfa:

Yes, the initial outlay for HarvXtra alfalfa is $160 per bag more than Roundup Ready (or $64 per acre assuming a seeding rate of 20 pounds). However, the costs associated with harvesting alfalfa (per cutting) is costlier than many assume. The numbers below show one less cutting compensates for that initial spend – in one cutting of one year. 

la crosse table1c

These numbers do not even factor in the costs of baling. University of Illinois Extension summarizes those additional costs in the table below. With the added expense of around $25 per acre, that brings the total well over $75-80 per acre, per cutting. The extra $64 per acre out-of-pocket expense for HarvXtra is covered in the first year of production.

la crosse table2

Costs per acre for hay baling are shown in Table 3. These costs only include baler operation costs. Not included are costs of moving hay to storage. Costs per acre represent an average over all cuttings. During first cutting, production may be greater than later cuttings, increasing the amount of time required to cover an acre. Therefore, costs per acre may be higher for the first cutting than for later cuttings.

La Crosse Seed recently introduced its new Forage First HarvXtra alfalfa – FF 4215.HVX RR. For additional information on this and other forage products from Forage First and La Crosse Seed, visit www.lacrosseseed.com.

Advertisement

Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, used under license by Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® is a registered trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® Alfalfa with Roundup Ready® Technology and Roundup Ready® Alfalfa are subject to planting and use restrictions. Visit ForageGenetics.com/legal for the full legal, stewardship and trademark statements for these products. © Forage Genetics International, LLC.