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.

Several Dodge County Forage Council producers will be reporting PEAQ readings from around the county on Mondays and Thursdays, through June 6th, or as long as their hay is standing. When alfalfa RFV’s near 160, it’s usually time to start harvesting first-crop hay.

In addition to PEAQ readings this year, Extension Dodge County and the Forage Council, will be conducting three scissor cut samplings across the county to help farmers compare the estimated RFV values based on PEAQ readings to actual RFV values from the same fields.

That’s because 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.

ALFALFA READINGS