Iowa Beef Center » Frosted Alfalfa??

How wide-spread was the frost this morning? I know my pasture had plenty of frost when I went out to move my horse. Most of the alfalfa was already wilting and the orchardgrass really crunched as I walked across it. But according to our forage experts, it is probably too soon to make any conclusions about the extent of the damage.

According to Dr. Steve Barnhart, “The only management suggestion at the moment is to wait a week or so to see what the damage is. The ‘light frost’ damage assessment and management recommendations are the toughest to make.”

To learn more about what your management options are, see his articles from the May 10, 2004 and May 2, 2005 issues of the ICM Newsletter. Then wait a few days and take a second look at your alfalfa fields.

Forages, Hay & Grazing, Uncategorized forages