Table 3. Forage quality of alfalfa at Fargo, ND, in 2006 with varying maturity at
 
harvest.
 
Quality component‡
Treatment†
CP
ADF
NDF
HEMI
IVDMD
RFV
 
- - - - - - - - - - % of dry weight - - - - - - - - - -
 
             
 
Cut 2
26”, LB, 30%, 50%
19.2
23.8
32.2
8.4
70.0
203
26”, LB, 30%
19.1
22.8
31.2
8.4
70.6
212
MB, 10%, 30%
20.0
26.3
32.9
6.6
76.6
193
26”, LB, 30%, KF
18.9
23.1
32.2
9.1
71.9
205
26”, LB, 10%, 50%
18.1
22.8
30.2
7.4
67.6
219
  LSD (0.05)  
NS
1.5
NS
NS
10%
NS
             
 
Cut 3
26”, LB, 30%, 50%
24.4
23.8
27.3
9.9
79.0
257
26”, LB, 30%
24.9
21.2
27.6
9.1
79.7
251
MB, 10%, 30%
23.9
26.3
29.9
8.8
71.3
225
26”, LB, 30%, KF
24.7
23.1
27.1
9.7
79.9
260
26”, LB, 10%, 50%
24.6
22.8
27.9
10.1
79.4
251
  LSD (0.05)  
NS
10%
NS
NS
6.1
NS
                 
     
Cut 4
26”, LB, 30%, 50%
22.3
17.0
24.6
7.6
81.0
286
26”, LB, 30%, KF
21.7
16.1
23.6
7.6
81.4
301
26”, LB, 10%, 50%
21.3
18.3
26.0
7.7
78.3
267
  LSD (0.05)  
NS
NS
10%
NS
NS
17
†
Harvested at 26 inches; LB = late bud; MB = mid bud; 10% = 10% bloom; 30% = 30% bloom; 50% = 50% bloom; KF = killing frost
‡ CP = crude protein; ADF = acid-detergent fiber; NDF = neutral-determent fiber; HEMI = hemicelluloses (NDF-ADF); IVDMD = in vitro digestible dry matter; RFV = relative feed value