Extension Field Agronomist Joel DeJong reports “I am not certain we have a good window of opportunity for harvesting alfalfa soon, but I hope so”. He was out in a couple of alfalfa fields near Le Mars yesterday (Wednesday), and the stems measured 25” tall, and were in the bud stage. That would give it a RFV today of 176. In review, making haylage reduces the final RFV by 15 units, or making dry hay would cost about 25 RFV units. It is generally recommended to harvest alfalfa at about 150 RFV for milking dairy herds and 125 RFV for heifers, stocker cattle and lactating beef cattle. Find more information about the PEAQ quality assessment model found here. While out there, he noticed low levels of alfalfa weevils feeding on the leaves. Scouting detail, thresholds, pictures and more can be found in this ISU ICM article titled “Alfalfa Weevils Active in Northern Iowa.”
Category: alfalfa
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Iowa hay offerings were tighter this past week and prices were higher even though the quality was lower. Supreme alfalfa could only be found in small squares and that supply, baled last year, was tight. The supply of large squares was limited, regardless of the quality of hay. The end of this week in Iowa was wet with the forecast for the rest of May also indicating wide spread rain and slightly below normal for temperatures. While this weather pattern may encourage the growth of pastures, it wrecks havoc in the harvesting of first cutting.
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, May 16, 2019 Receipts: 78 loads Last Week: 80 loads Last Year: 59 loads Alfalfa: Supreme: Large Squares, 6 loads 205.00-250.00; Large Rounds, 1 load 187.50. Premium: Large Rounds, 9 loads 170.00-182.50. Good: Large Rounds, 8 loads 155.00-165.00. Fair: Large Squares, 1 load 147.50; Large Rounds, 8 loads 130.00-145.00. Grass: Premium: Large Squares, 1 load 207.50. Good: Large Rounds, 18 loads 150.00-180.00; Large Squares, 1 load 152.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 7 loads 130.00-147.50; Large Squares, 5 loads 135.00-140.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 2 loads 125.00. Alfalfa / Grass Mix: Good: Large Rounds, 2 loads 147.50-155.00. Straw: Large Squares, 2 loads 155.00-162.50; Large Rounds, 1 load 120.00. Cornstalks: Large Rounds, 7 load 40.00-47.50.
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Hay and straw were more available this past week in Iowa, but the majority of it was lower quality. Some of the offerings may have been stored for an extended period of time. Prices continue to edge higher as end users continue scramble for both hay and straw to get them through a wetter and cooler spring.
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Apr 29, 2019 Receipts: 23 loads Last Week: 35 loads Year Ago: 26 loads *** This will be the last Rock Valley Monday Hay Auction Report until Rock Valley reopens Monday Hay Auctions again in November 2019.*** Alfalfa: Good: Large Rounds, 1 load 162.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 5 loads 140.00-155.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 3 loads 125.00. Grass: Premium: Small Squares, 1 load 255.00. Good: Large Rounds, 5 loads 150.00-157.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 3 loads 132.50-140.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 3 loads 110.00-120.00. Alfalfa/Grass Mix: Good: Large Rounds, 1 load 150.00. Straw: Scarce. Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 1 load 57.50.
Evaluate Alfalfa Fields For Winter Injury
This week ISUEO Field Agronomist Joel DeJong notes that he has been in a few older alfalfa stands that did not survive the winter very well. Sometimes they looked OK from the road, but when in them you could see that the stands were thinned significantly by the winter we just experienced.
Continue reading “Evaluate Alfalfa Fields For Winter Injury”
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Apr 15, 2019 Receipts: 35 loads Last Week: 16 loads Year Ago: 14 loads Alfalfa: Supreme: Large Rounds, 1 load 235.00. Premium: Large Squares, 1 load 200.00. Good: Large Rounds, 4 loads 170.00-180.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 5 loads 140.00-162.50; Small Squares, 1 load 165.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 3 loads 135.00-137.50. Grass: Premium: Small Squares, 1 load 205.00. Good: Large Rounds, 5 loads 150.00-170.00; Small Squares, 1 load 170.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 3 loads 132.50-145.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 1 loads 115.00. Alfalfa/Grass Mix: Good: Large Squares, 1 load 175.00; Large Rounds 155.00-175.00. Straw: Large Squares, 1 load 115.00 Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 4 load 45.00-57.50.
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Mar 18, 2019
Receipts: 17 loads Last Week: 19 loads Year Ago: 24 loads
Alfalfa: Premium: Large Rounds, 1 load 157.50. Good: Large Rounds, 2 loads 140.00-150.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 5 loads 125.00-135.00.
Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 4 loads 150.00-180.00. Good: Large Rounds, 1 load 130.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 2 loads 120.00-122.50.
Alfalfa / Grass Mix: Good: Large Squares, 1 load 145.00.
Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 1 load 77.50.
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Mar 11, 2019 Receipts: 19 loads Last Week: 17 loads Year Ago: 33 loads Alfalfa: Premium: Large Squares, 1 load 170.00. Good: Large Rounds, 3 loads 140.00-150.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 3 loads 127.50-135.00. Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 1 load 147.50. Good: Large Rounds, 6 loads 132.50-140.00. Fair: Large Rounds, 1 load 127.50. Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 2 loads 70.00. Oat Hay: Large Rounds, 1 load 112.50.
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, Mar 7, 2019 Receipts: 49 loads Last Week: 75 loads Last Year: 34 loads Alfalfa: Premium: Large Squares, 2 loads 175.00-180.00. Good: Large Rounds, 5 loads 150.00-162.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 11 loads 130.00-145.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 1 load 127.50. Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 5 loads 160.00-180.00. Good: Large Squares, 1 load 157.50; Large Rounds, 10 loads 142.50-157.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 1 load 127.50. Alfalfa / Grass Mix: Premium: Large Rounds, 2 loads 160.00-162.50. Good: Large Rounds, 5 loads 142.50-157.50. Fair: Large Squares, 1 load 125.00. Straw: 2 loads Large Squares, 80.00-90.00. Cornstalks: Large Rounds, 7 loads 62.50-77.50.
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Monday, Feb 11, 2019 Receipts: 25 loads Last Week: 26 loads Year Ago: 21 loads Alfalfa: Premium: Large Squares, 1 load 162.50; Large Rounds, 2 loads 162.50. Good: Large Rounds, 6 loads 132.50-157.50. Utility: Large Rounds, 1 load 82.50. Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 2 loads 140.00-150.00. Good: Large Rounds, 4 loads 130.00-137.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 3 loads 117.50- 127.50. Utility: Large Rounds, 2 loads 110.00-112.50. Alfalfa / Grass Mix: Utility: Large Rounds, 1 load 60.00. Straw: Large Squares, 1 load 135.00; Large Rounds, 1 load 97.50. Corn Stalks: Large Rounds, 1 load 72.50
Weekly Hay Auction Report
Rock Valley Hay Auction for Thursday, Nov 29, 2018
Receipts: 53 loads Last Week: 50 loads Last Year: 87 loads
Alfalfa: Supreme: Large Squares, 1 load 187.50; Large Rounds, 1 load 185.00. Premium: Large Rounds, 3 loads 157.50-175.00. Good: Large Rounds, 9 loads 142.50-157.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 7 loads 127.50-137.50. Utility: Large Rounds, 3 loads 122.50-125.00.
Grass: Premium: Large Rounds, 9 loads 160.00-175.00. Good: Large Rounds, 10 loads 145.00-157.50. Fair: Large Rounds, 4 loads, 135.00-142.00. Utility: Large Rounds, 1 load 115.00.
Alfalfa/Grass Mixed: Good: Large Squares, 1 load 127.50; Large Rounds, load 137.50.
Straw: Large Rounds, 1 load 130.00.
Cornstalks: Large Rounds, 4 loads 55.00-62.50.