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Abstract
Alfalfa hay prices vary according to premiums and discounts assigned by quality grade. Relative Feed Value (RFV) tests can be used to assess hay quality. Through a field trial in Southern Utah, we measure RFV quality differences from cuttings at various treatment times during the day and conduct a simulation analysis to evaluate expected changes to returns per acre between the cutting times. Outcomes indicate that alfalfa harvested at 12:00 pm compared to 8:00 am increases average RFV by 7.3 points. As a result, gross revenue increases by $16.95 per acre and an equivalent increase occurs in net returns for operations without cutting constraints.