CAVE CITY, Ky. — It’s last call to plan for the 32nd Kentucky Alfalfa Conference at Cave City on Feb. 23, at the convention center. The program theme will be Getting More From Your Alfalfa, and speakers will include representatives from university, government, industry and farmers.

Dr. Garry Lacefield, a University of Kentucky (UK) extension forage specialist who has under his belt over three decades of research on alfalfa grasses as forage, is directing the event.

“Getting more from your alfalfa will require attention to the basics: soil, fertility, variety, seeding technique, pest management, harvest, storage and marketing,” he said. “I believe you get more from your alfalfa because you pay more attention to detail, do the practices in a timely manner, evaluate inputs carefully, use research-proven inputs, control the controllable and market efficiently and enthusiastically.”

Immediately following Lacefield in the program is fellow UK forage extension specialist Ray Smith. Smith will discuss the Roundup Ready varieties of alfalfa.

He has said the most significant new development in alfalfa happened in 2011 when the USDA unconditionally deregulated Roundup Ready Alfalfa (RRA). That’s why today seed dealers in Kentucky and surrounding states are selling RRA varieties.

“Extensive research shows that Roundup Ready varieties have excellent tolerance to Roundup, good disease resistance and good yield potential,” said Smith.

There will also be university livestock specialists discussing using alfalfa as forage. The first, UK extension equine specialist Bob Coleman, will talk about horses and alfalfa.

Immediately after Coleman’s presentation, beef cattle specialist Jeff Lehmkuhler will talk about the advantages of grazing cattle on alfalfa.

Another speaker, Kentucky Department of Agriculture (KDA) forage testing coordinator Kim Field, will discuss the department’s forage testing program. The KDA currently offers testing service throughout the state, which provides nutritional and energy value information to producers. A staff member takes samples of hay and/or haylage at the farm and analyzes them in the lab in Frankfort.

KDA stated forage testing can mean higher profit, whether feeding cattle, horses, goats, sheep or other livestock. By knowing the nutritional and energy value, one can minimize cost and maximize production.

Other speakers of the day will include UK extension hay marketing specialist Tom Keene, who, when it comes to marketing alfalfa hay, quipped, “green is good and brown is bad.” Also, Bill Talley of Summit Seed Coating in Caldwell, Idaho, will talk about the future of seed coatings.

Next, Beth Nelson of the National Alfalfa & Forage Alliance will talk about cooperation among seed and hay affiliates. Finally, the last presentation will be a panel of successful farmers: Clayton Geralds, Bill Payne and Charles Powell have all received producer recognition awards at past year’s alfalfa conferences.

Geralds, who operates Geralds Farms in Hart County, Ky., will talk about managing a commercial hay farm. Payne, from Knob Lick Farm LLC in Lincoln County, will discuss managed grazing and producer profits. Powell, from Powell Farms in Christian County, will talk about getting more out your alfalfa.

The conference is sponsored by the UK College of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service, the Kentucky Forage and Grassland Council and the KDA. For signup or more information go to www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage or call Christi at 270-365-7541, ext. 221.