Early autumn to early winter; late April is ideal. In southern Australia districts with an 8 month or more growing season, lucerne is best sown between late August & October, ideally on a winter fallow. Late Spring sowings are dictated by wet years.
Thereof How long does lucerne take to establish? Lucerne’s limitations are: the cost, and slow rate (6-12 months) of establishment. low winter production. requirement for rotational grazing for long-term persistence.
Does lucerne grow in winter? Very little winter growth, excellent persistence and summer quality for hay or grazing. Up to 3T/DM in winter, good for short term stands, good seed vigour and good recovery after cutting. In parts of the USA, where Lucerne is grown extensively, there is a much longer growing season due to the warmer climate.
Similarly, How do you prepare soil for lucerne?
A soil test is recommended before sowing lucerne as it will not tolerate acid soils with high aluminium. Soil pH (CaCl2) should be above 5.5. If the soil is acidic (less than 5.5), then lime is recommended to raise the pH level. Lucerne requires free draining soil types and does not like waterlogged conditions.
How often do you cut lucerne?
The optimal time to cut lucerne is when 5-10% of the plants are flowering (early bloom). At this moment more than half of all plant should have a new sprout coming from the crown. When aimed for the maximal quality, harvest occurs in pre-bloom or late-bud stage.
How much does it cost to grow lucerne? LABOUR REQUIREMENTS: – labour is not costed in this budget.
According to the above operations, labour required is 2.39hrs/ha. Then multiplying this by 1.25 to allow for machinery repair time etc, and using a basic labour cost of $21.00/hr, the cost of labour is $62.67/ha, increasing the costs to $271.94/ha.
How deep do you plant lucerne?
sow lucerne seed 5-10 mm deep into a moist seedbed with narrow points to create a furrow.
Is growing lucerne profitable? “Despite the fact that I have to spend a relatively large sum to re-establish the lands every five years, lucerne production remains decidedly more profitable for me than crops such as maize and sunflower.
Which cut of lucerne is best?
Ideally, Lucerne should be cut for the first time just as it comes in the bud stage. The second cuttings should be performed right after the field starts blooming. It is then when the plant is richest in carbohydrates, which are a valuable source of the energy in the animal’s alimentation.
How long does lucerne last? Lucerne may live for up to 20 years, although the life of an average stand is closer to five years. As swards age, inappropriate cutting or grazing management, weeds, disease and insects take their toll and the plant’s survival declines.
Is lucerne good for pigs? Lucerne is a versatile forage crop as it can provide valuable nutrients for pigs both as pasture and as silage. Lucerne contains between 15.4 and 24% crude protein and 1.15% and 0.27% lysine and methionine respectively (DM basis).
How many times a year can you cut hay? How Many Times Can You Harvest Hay in a Year? Depending on your soil and grass growth rate, you can harvest hay two or three times a year. In some places, you can even stretch for a fourth crop, but the harvest won’t be as fruitful.
Does lucerne need fertilizer?
Lucerne has no requirement for nitrogen fertiliser – apart from that needed for establishment in low nitrogen soils – after hungry crops, like cereals. Do not apply more than 30 kg N/ha to lucerne in the seedbed because higher N application can reduce nodulation and ability to fix N in the soil.
How much is lucerne per tonne?
Based on historical experience and depending on quality, storage and location, cereal hay will generally market from $130-$300 per tonne ex farm and Lucerne around $200-400, and this is what we expect to see in this coming new season.
Does lucerne grow in shade? The value of trees as shade and shelter for livestock is well known. Mature tagasaste trees provide good shade and, if grown in closely planted hedgerows, form an excellent windbreak.
How much lucerne can a horse have? Remember, the general rule of thumb is to provide at least 1.5% of the horse’s bodyweight in forage per day. This works out to be 7.5kg per day for a 500kg horse.
Does lucerne chaff make horses hot?
Tip #4 – Avoid ‘hot‘ feeds
Grains and grain based feeds, molasses and forages like lucerne hay tend to be commonly blamed for making horses ‘hot’. … In any case, if your horse reacts to grains, grain based feeds or forages like alfalfa, avoid using these in the diet.
Is lucerne hay good for cattle? Lucerne is especially beneficial to animals when it’s harvested at an early growth stage, ie. when it has the highest amount of protein and the lowest amount of fiber. Harvesting Lucerne as hay is a nutritious source of feed for your cows.
How many times a year can you harvest hay?
In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.
How much is lucerne per acre? Seeding rate will depend on expected productivity and end use of the lucerne. For dryland production, a sowing rate of 1–5kg/ha is recommended; for irrigated lucerne 10–15kg/ha.
Is lucerne good for chickens?
Lucerne (also known as alfalfa) is a valuable plant for poultry and rabbit forage, providing nutritious, protein-rich leaves containing minerals and vitamins. … Feed Lucerne to rabbits, free range chickens, quails and other poultry. Lucerne can be used to boost a hen’s off-season diet and encourage laying.
What is pig feed called? What is another word for pig food?
| pigswill | slops |
|---|---|
| swill | mash |
| scraps | hogwash |
| pigwash | swillings |
| slop | wash |
What is harmony chop?
Hominy chop, a by-product from the maize-milling industry, can be used when available at a reasonable price. It is a product that can vary a great deal depending on the miller it is bought from. It is higher in fat content than maize and can be used as a partial replacement for maize.
What grains do pigs eat? Small grains, such as barley, oats, rye, triticale, and wheat can be useful feedstuffs in swine feeding programs. In many instances, pigs fed well-balanced small grain-based diets can perform as well as those fed corn-based diets.
Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?
If they are scattered around the field the farmer is just waiting for a convenient time to pick them up and move them. If lined up along the edge of the field they are being stored there. Big round bales can handle being left outside, and even if the outside looks weathered the inside will be good for a year or longer.
How many bales of hay can you get from an acre? With an average bale weight of around 40 pounds (with our Abbriata small square baler or any of our mini round balers), that’s 100 bales to the acre for a first cutting. Our farm aside, we can offer some guidelines to consider when trying to predict the productivity of your hay fields.
How do you mow a hay field? How to Mow a Hay Field
- Mow outside rounds first. …
- Leave room to turn around. …
- Mow the center in straight rows. …
- Continue mowing straight paths, back and forth across the field, until the entire center is mowed.
- Turn your tractor around and mow the outside round.
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