2 DLF Alfalfa DLF Alfalfa – start growing your return today DLF Alfalfa improves farm profitability. It helps farmers run an easier, more reliable, and more self- sufficient farm. DLF Alfalfa offers a complete portfolio of varieties and mixtures to meet the requirements of different markets and varying soils and climates. With this range of varieties, it is now easier than ever to grow a successful crop. Become self-sufficient with an 18-20% protein content Alfalfa is the world’s largest forage crop and a field with DLF Alfalfa provides more protein than most other forage crops. It improves farm profitability by increasing the proportion of home-grown protein, hence reducing a farmer’s vulnerability to fluctuating commodity prices. Optimal energy-to-protein ratio with DLF Alfalfa DLF Alfalfa is a good partner for forage grasses. By sowing DLF Alfalfa-plus-grass seed mixtures, an optimal ratio of energy to protein is achieved. Better still, DLF Alfalfa’s drought-tolerance improves the forage yield during dry seasons. A productive livestock herd needs plenty of protein and DLF Alfalfa is an excellent source. With a protein content between 18% and 20%, alfalfa often generates more than 3.000 kg protein/ha. This means that alfalfa provides more protein than forage grass (14%) or maize silage (9%). PROTEIN CONTENT IN DRY MATTER 20 16 12 8 4 0 0% Maize silage Forage grass beginning of heading Weight for weight, alfalfa gives more protein. Alfalfa bud stage In trials conducted in Belgium on grass and grass-plus-alfalfa mixtures, researchers recorded yields that were on average 30% higher for the grass-plus-alfalfa mixtures (see chart below). The biggest difference was the superior yield during periods of spring and summer drought. Bear in mind also that the researchers had to apply up to 300 kg N/ha/year on the grass-only plots. AVERAGE RELATIVE DRY-MATTER YIELD PURE GRASSES COMPARED TO GRASS-PLUS-ALFALFA MIXTURES Alaska brome* Alaska brome + Alfalfa Tall fescue* Tall fescue + Alfalfa Cocksfoot + Tall fescue* Cocksfoot + Tall fescue+ Alfalfa Cocksfoot* Cocksfoot + Alfalfa Alfalfa 0 20 40 60 80 100 120 *) Grasses received up to 300 kg N/ha/year. 100 = average of all mixtures and species. Data from the two sites best suited for alfalfa. The third site was still in favour of alfalfa, with +5% higher average yield. Source: Essais multilocaux sur les potentialités de production et de valeur alimentaire des associations graminées – Luzerne. (Multi-site trials on the production and nutritional potential of grasses – alfalfa). Association Française pour la Production Fourragère (AFPF), 2016. By D. Knoden, M. Hautot and C. Decamps.
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