Read and follow label directions for safe use of insecticides and for haying and grazing restrictions. Spring growth may be harvested by grazing, green chopping, as silage, or baled for hay. Curing first and second growth alfalfa for hay in Coastal Plain regions is difficult due to unpredictable drying conditions. A cutter-conditioner encourages drying, but can squash blister beetles if present, preventing them from leaving the cut hay. Tedders and hay preservatives are helpful aids for hay production.
Slight dew helps prevent leaf loss from dry alfalfa during baling.
When alfalfa is grazed, bloat can be a problem. Bloat potential in cattle is lowered when grass is grown with alfalfa. The first harvest can be cut for hay or grazed at early bloom. Depending on weather, grazing can begin three to four weeks after the first harvest when the alfalfa has 10 to 12 inches of regrowth. When continuous grazing is practiced, the recommendation is to leave 7 to 8 inches of growth during the grazing season.