2026 PEAQ Readings (as of 05/18/2026)

Written by Kelly Flanders Posted on

2026
Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) Readings

Extension Dodge County and the Dodge County Forage Council are collecting biweekly PEAQ readings and scissor clip forage analysis starting in May and continuing as long as their alfalfa is standing.

Predictive Equations for Alfalfa Quality (PEAQ) is a method to measure standing alfalfa’s forage quality before it’s harvested. Agronomists at the University of Wisconsin – Madison developed this method to help predict alfalfa’s Relative Feed Value (RFV) at the time of cutting.

First-crop alfalfa can rapidly drop 3-5 points of RFV per day as plants mature. Alfalfa quality should be 150 RFV for milking dairy herds and 120-130 RFV for heifers, stocker cattle and lactating beef cattle.

DATELOCATIONRFVHEIGHTMATURITYSTAND AGE
5/8/2026Rubicon24015 inchesVegetative3rd Year
5/8/2026Dodge County22418 inchesVegetative
5/12/2026Rubicon21719 inchesVegetative2nd Year
5/12/2026Dodge County21120 inchesVegetative2nd Year
5/12/2026Lebanon21120 inchesVegetative4th Year
5/12/2026Rubicon22019 inchesVegetative
5/15/2026Rubicon20521 inchesVegetative
5/15/2026Portland19523 inchesVegetative2nd Year
5/18/2026Rubicon19024 inchesLate vegetative
5/18/2026Portland19024 inchesLate vegetative4th Year
5/18/2026Rubicon18525 inchesLate vegetative2nd year