Alfalfa

Many horse managers have a keen eye for hay quality, but their buying habits may seem fickle because they need forages to fit an array of unique preferences and animal performance requirements.

The horse market is a unique niche for hay production within the U.S. Many horse owners have strict requirements, for they find and purchase hay for their horses which can be quite different than that of livestock owners.

Most of you have probably heard the story about the man who was disappointed in his purchase of a newfangled thing called a “chainsaw.”

Alfalfa, like any plant system, needs sufficient amounts of nutrients to maintain quality stands and yields. To determine those needs, the Irrigated Alfalfa Management for Mediterranean and Desert Zones book published in 2008 by the University of California Alfalfa Workgroup has a chapter dedicated to fertilization strategies for the arid and semi-arid growing areas of the world, including many parts of California.

While alfalfa is often recognized as “queen of the forages,” corn may be considered “king of the crops” since it currently ranks as the nation’s largest acreage crop with more than 87 million acres.

Clumps of alfalfa are a common sight along roads and vacant lots in areas that grow alfalfa for hay or seed.