Determining When to Harvest First Crop Alfalfa in a Warm Spring

The exceptionally warm spring has alfalfa growth well ahead of normal, with some farmers expecting to harvest first crop in April. Those that normally harvest first crop alfalfa by calendar date, often harvest in mid to late May. Harvest should be much sooner this spring, but when? Consider using the Predictive Equations of Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) to determine when to harvest. PEAQ is a simple management tool to estimate alfalfa quality in the field to help predict the best time to harvest first crop