News — Hay Quality

Successful alfalfa establishment depends on more than seed choice and drill settings. Light competition, irrigation depth, tillage order and field traffic all shape root development and stand longevity. Dr. Carson Roberts explains why deep ripping should begin with a diagnosed compaction layer—and why the passes that follow may determine whether the investment lasts.

Dr. Carson Roberts explains when oat companion crops help or hurt alfalfa establishment, forage quality, stand life and returns per acre in dry areas.

Washington hay production has fallen nearly 25% since the early 2000s, a decline driven by both drought and economics. This chart traces that shift, showing how repeated years of severe drought and a strong U.S. dollar since 2022 have squeezed growers from two sides—reducing yields at home and pricing out key export buyers abroad. As traditional export markets weaken, Washington’s hay industry is steadily pivoting toward higher-value domestic markets, where resilience, efficiency, and quality matter more than sheer tonnage.

“You might be giving up $10,000 in beef production to raise $5,000 worth of hay.” -Dr. Carson Roberts

When hot, dry summers reduce cool-season hay yields, warm-season grasses like millet, sorghum, and sorghum-Sudan hybrids can fill the gap.

As Jeffrey “Alfalfa” Jackson says: “If you like to haul manure, go ahead. If you want more efficient feed, think fiber digestibility.”