Grazing Alfalfa — Momentum Continues

In my presentation at our XIII Kentucky Alfalfa Conference held here last year, I stated. that interest in grazing alfalfa was at an all time high. Five other speakers followed me on the program with presentations about alfalfa grazing. Steve Osborne discussed alfalfa grazing trials in Monroe County. Ken Johnson talked about the Do\u27s and Dont\u27s in Alfalfa Grazing. Dr. Roy Burris talked about alfalfa grazing from a state perspective and Mr. Warren Thompson discussed the topic from a national perspective. Professor Joe Bums concluded the grazing portion of the program with grazing alfalfa experiences in Tennessee. Despite a rather poor spring and late summer for seeding alfalfa, interest among Kentucky farmers remains high for alfalfa as a crop and for grazing as an option for utilization. Interest continues to increase nationally. In a survey conducted in seventeen states this past year, all 17 said interest in grazing alfalfa was on the increase. Thirteen out of seventeen reported alfalfa grazing research programs now underway. All seventeen states reported at least one alfalfa grazing demonstration. Sixteen states indicated acres devoted totally or partially to alfalfa for grazing would increase over the next few years. It was interesting to note that eleven of the seventeen states stated that bloat was not considered to be a serious problem. Response was varied when asked what factors were limiting use of alfalfa for grazing. Increased management was listed by five states as most limiting, with three states listing bloat, two listed soils, with labor, economics, weather, tradition, fencing, water, and lack of information each getting one vote for most limiting factors