Extension/Research Information

1997 Ohio Forage Performance Trials

Ohio State University Extension
Ohio Agricultural Research and Development Center
The Ohio State University

Horticulture and Crop Science
Series 195
December 1997

Alfalfa Forage Quality Evaluation

Forage quality of selected alfalfa varieties is reported below in Table 13. Research has shown that varietal rankings for forage quality are relatively stable across many environments. Therefore, the data presented below from Wisconsin and Minnesota can be used to evaluate forage quality of varieties to be grown in Ohio. Relative feed value (RFV) is an excellent measure for ranking varieties for forage quality since fiber, not protein, is the first limiting factor in high performance rations. However, sacrificing yield to improve forage quality results in reduced profitability. Therefore, when considering forage quality, varieties should be evaluated on the basis of milk per acre, which combines yield and quality into a single value. Milk per acre was calculated using forage quality weighted by yield of each cutting at Arlington, WI and/or Rosemount, MN. Consider varieties with both high milk per acre and high forage yield in Ohio.

Table 13. Forage quality and milk per acre of alfalfa varieties.
(Provided courtesy of D. Undersander, N. Martin, and C. Sheaffer, Univ. of Wisconsin and Univ. of Minnesota)
 Ohio
Relative
Yielda		1991-1995 96 seeded/97 harvested97 seeded & harvested
 WI/MNWisconsinMinnesota Wisconsin
VarietyRFVbMilk/acrecRFVMilk/acre RFVMilk/acreRFVMilk/acre
 % % of check varieties
631 99 96 103 * * * * * *
645 101 98112 * * * * * *
5312 103 101 112 * * * * * *
Achieva 99 98 129* * * * * * *
Avalanche 100 104* 105 * * * * * *
Dividend 99 108* 122* * * * * * *
DK127 103 106* 116 103 116* 108* 105* 108 122*
DK133 103 101 111 103 120* 100 96 * *
DK140 105 * * * * * * 106*116*
DK141 103 * * * * * * 102 119*
GH 794 107 106* 108 **** **
 Ohio
Relative
Yielda		1991-1995 96 seeded/97 harvested97 seeded & harvested
 WI/MNWisconsinMinnesota Wisconsin
VarietyRFVbMilk/acrecRFVMilk/acre RFVMilk/acreRFVMilk/acre
GH 797 103 101 110 * * * * * *
Innovator + Z 102 102 109 * * * * * *
Magnum 111 103 97 109 * * * * * *
MagnumlV 101 98 116 * * * * * *
Precedent 9898 101 * * * * * *
Rushmore 99 104* 118* * * * * * *
Sterling 103 102 117 * * * * * *
Stine 9227 10198 108 * * * * * *
Vernal 89 99 98 100 100 99100 99102
WL 252 HQ 93 103 109 * *** **
WL 322 HQ 86 102 104 * * 102100 10299
Checks averaged d 17810,750 17981291378577 1865081
LSD (0.05)  7 12 5 15 5 9 7 13
C.V. (%)  5.2 8.13.2 8.7 3.4 6.1 4.4 7.9
* Not significantly different from the highest value.
a Average yield in Ohio as a % of the mean across all site years tested (see Table 3).
b RFV = relative feed value of varieties, as tested in Wisconsin and Minnesota teals.
c Milk per acre is calculated from season average yield and quality at Arlington, WI and/or Rosemount, MN.
d Checks are Vernal and WL 322 HQ except for Wisconsin 1996 where the check is Vernal.


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