Having a herd, an operation and your respective goals and priorities to tend to is not for the faint of heart. In such a volatile business, it is common to keep a long list of things to consider and control. But with all that’s on your plate, what is the best way to plan for profitability?
At Forage Genetics International (FGI), questions like this have continued to drive research and variety development for over 30 years. While there is no singular solution to guarantee success, we’ve found that embracing innovation can expand your options, and investing in technologies like HarvXtra® alfalfa can help an operation thrive regardless of unpredictable changes in the market or the weather.
The HarvXtra alfalfa trait is one of the most advanced on the market, developed to improve the quality of your alfalfa compared to conventional alfalfa at the same stage of maturity. Why does that matter? It offers unparalleled flexibility in crop management.
The earlier you cut, the higher the quality, but the lower the yield. The later you cut, the higher the yield because the plant has had a chance to develop more biomass, but the lower the quality. HarvXtra keeps quality for longer so you can wait out rain with less worry. In fact, you can add up to 10 days to your cutting window without sacrificing forage quality compared to conventional alfalfa cut at the same maturity.
“In my career, I’ve witnessed a number of scenarios where someone gambles with the weather and loses,” shared Pat Barry, strategic product support, animal nutrition, Forage Genetics International. “At times, alfalfa is harvested too early to try to put the crop in ahead of inclement weather, which leads to a forage inventory that is not fully matured and low in fiber. Or, they tried to beat it, the weather came in once they cut it, and it got rained on for three days. At that point, it won’t ferment properly, and there is higher potential for large leaf losses. In other situations, they may have waited to harvest once the weather passed and, since it was conventional, the quality decreased dramatically. In all three of those scenarios, they are left with a marginal hay crop to feed.”
With HarvXtra alfalfa, you don’t have to take such risky gambles.
“The agronomic inputs needed to manage HarvXtra are similar to conventional, but they go further when you get higher quality alfalfa at the same stage of maturity,” noted Pat. “Plus, the herbicide cost with the Roundup Ready® trait that’s included in HarvXtra alfalfa is lower than conventional alfalfa.”
Many HarvXtra alfalfa growers even use the ability to delay the cutting to eliminate a cutting from their annual schedule. This saves time, money and energy while greatly increasing tonnage.
“I encourage producers to consider technologies like HarvXtra alfalfa that can help give them a positive return,” explained Pat.
While market conditions and weather will always fluctuate, the value of strategic investment in agricultural technologies does not waver. Help set your operation up for larger, longer term potential returns with HarvXtra alfalfa.
To learn more, contact your local alfalfa dealer or call 800-406-7662 to find a dealer near you.
© 2024 Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® is a registered trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, used under license by 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.
At Forage Genetics International (FGI), questions like this have continued to drive research and variety development for over 30 years. While there is no singular solution to guarantee success, we’ve found that embracing innovation can expand your options, and investing in technologies like HarvXtra® alfalfa can help an operation thrive regardless of unpredictable changes in the market or the weather.
The HarvXtra alfalfa trait is one of the most advanced on the market, developed to improve the quality of your alfalfa compared to conventional alfalfa at the same stage of maturity. Why does that matter? It offers unparalleled flexibility in crop management.
Increased Flexibility
The earlier you cut, the higher the quality, but the lower the yield. The later you cut, the higher the yield because the plant has had a chance to develop more biomass, but the lower the quality. HarvXtra keeps quality for longer so you can wait out rain with less worry. In fact, you can add up to 10 days to your cutting window without sacrificing forage quality compared to conventional alfalfa cut at the same maturity.
“In my career, I’ve witnessed a number of scenarios where someone gambles with the weather and loses,” shared Pat Barry, strategic product support, animal nutrition, Forage Genetics International. “At times, alfalfa is harvested too early to try to put the crop in ahead of inclement weather, which leads to a forage inventory that is not fully matured and low in fiber. Or, they tried to beat it, the weather came in once they cut it, and it got rained on for three days. At that point, it won’t ferment properly, and there is higher potential for large leaf losses. In other situations, they may have waited to harvest once the weather passed and, since it was conventional, the quality decreased dramatically. In all three of those scenarios, they are left with a marginal hay crop to feed.”
With HarvXtra alfalfa, you don’t have to take such risky gambles.
Gained Efficiencies
“The agronomic inputs needed to manage HarvXtra are similar to conventional, but they go further when you get higher quality alfalfa at the same stage of maturity,” noted Pat. “Plus, the herbicide cost with the Roundup Ready® trait that’s included in HarvXtra alfalfa is lower than conventional alfalfa.”
Many HarvXtra alfalfa growers even use the ability to delay the cutting to eliminate a cutting from their annual schedule. This saves time, money and energy while greatly increasing tonnage.
“I encourage producers to consider technologies like HarvXtra alfalfa that can help give them a positive return,” explained Pat.
While market conditions and weather will always fluctuate, the value of strategic investment in agricultural technologies does not waver. Help set your operation up for larger, longer term potential returns with HarvXtra alfalfa.
To learn more, contact your local alfalfa dealer or call 800-406-7662 to find a dealer near you.
© 2024 Forage Genetics International, LLC. HarvXtra® is a registered trademark of Forage Genetics International, LLC. Roundup Ready® is a registered trademark of Monsanto Technology LLC, used under license by 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.
