Stand management
When first established, new lucerne stands should be allowed to flower before their first cut or grazing.
- Adequate recovery time should be allowed for root systems to recharge their carbohydrate levels before subsequent cutting or grazing. This is usually around 28 days for winter-actives (WL 525HQ and WL 612), and about 35 days for semi-dormants (WL 414 and Kaituna).
- Cutting or grazing should commence once about 50 mm of new shoot has appeared at the base of the lucerne plant. This should occur just prior to flowering.
- Once flowering has commenced the quality will decline, affecting both the quality of conserved fodder and animal performance.
- Cutting at 10% flowering is a practice sometimes adopted to obtain a good compromise between, yield, quality and stand persistence.
- Cutting or grazing at 50% flowering will aid persistence and grazing safety, but reduce lucerne quality.
- Allow lucerne to flower before last cut/grazing of season.
- Spell during winter prior to herbicide applications.
 
Haymaking
- Cut at about 5 cm above ground level to minimize risk of crown damage
- Aim to dry lucerne as quickly as possible down to 1 7- 1 8% moisture.
- Best practice techniques such as conditioning and raking at night or before dew evaporates can assist in more even drying and reduced leaf losses.
Animal health
Animals grazing lucerne can be at risk of bloat and pulpy kidney. The risk is higher for animals that are inexperienced at grazing lucerne.
- Preventative measures such as 5 in 1 vaccination for pulpy kidney, bloat bombs, rumensin mixed with grain or fencing-off water courses and putting teric oil in water troughs are some alternatives that are commonly used.
- Lucerne plants become safer to graze at the onset of flowering, though quality losses occur as flowering progresses.
- If grazing beef cattle without a hot wire you should graze when lucerne has reached 50% flowering.
- Lucerne provides a high protein ration but may not provide adequate fermentable energy to support optimum rumen function. Whilst many producers graze lucerne on its own, energy supplements such as rolled grain can enhance liveweight gain potential.
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