Terrific Tonnage From Soybean Hay: This one-cutting crop is less expensive to grow and harvest than alfalfa, says researcher

摘要

Steve Norberg wonders if growers will be physically able to mow, field-dry and bale 7-10 tons of hay per acre in a single cutting.That's his biggest concern about the feasibility of growing irrigated soybeans for hay production. In two years of research, he found that one cutting of the annual legume can deliver almost as much tonnage as alfalfa cut four times.'The range for the two years was from 4 to 10.5 tons of dry matter per acre," says Norberg, a Washington State University regional Extension specialist. "Averaged over treatments and years, we harvested 7 tons/acre. So let's start with 7 tons.