Conservation Agent Proven to Increase Alfalfa Quality

Lizzy SchultzAg Group, Alfalfa, Conservation, Forage, Harvest, Research

brookside-agra-logo A recent Illinois feed trial performed by Cardinal Agriculture Services is reporting higher feed quality in alfalfa treated with all-natural H2OExcel water conservation agent.

During the feed trial, alfalfa treated with H2OExcel exhibited the following results compared to the untreated alfalfa:

An increased yield of 2.2 tons and an additional cutting, a 6.5% decrease in the Acid Detergent Fiber (ADF), resulting in increased palatability for the animal, an 8.5 % increase in the Neutral Detergent Fiber (NDF), generally resulting in a decrease in dry matter intake, an 11% increase in the Relative Feed Value (RFV), and a 15% increase in protein levels.

The 2015 field trial was conducted in Washington County, Illinois on a 40-acre alfalfa dry land production area. One quart of H2OExcel was applied to the treated alfalfa per acre at green-up, then 1-pint per acre after each cutting. The study results were compared to the production area’s 2014 yield, which was not treated with H2OExcel.

“We harvested a much higher quality crop and I point
specifically to the effects of being able to better manage the increased rains from mid-summer 2015,” said Ben Elliott, Cardinal Agriculture Services soil and plant nutrition specialist. “I noticed that the disease pressure was moderately reduced, while the inputs were not changed, with the exception of adding H2OExcel to the program. We were impressed with the positive results H2OExcel had on the alfalfa’s overall forage quality improvements. And because H2OExcel is all-natural, producers can feel safe about feeding alfalfa or any other forage treated with H2OExcel to their animals.”

H2OExcel is a proprietary blend of desert plant extracts, high-quality, humic acid-containing biologicals and other all-natural, non-plant derived nutrient enhancers. It is highly efficient, working to change the polarity of water and soil, increase biological activity, interact with soil capillarity pressure and defend against dehydration of both the soil and the plants by keeping water available deeper in the soil profile. H2OExcel has been scientifically proven in university studies to reduce water usage by 30-50%, lower costs to maintain vegetation, increase plant strength and reduce crop failure.

H20Excel is listed on the Generally Recognized as Safe (GRAS) list approved by the FDA and AAFCO, will not harm plants, animals or humans and is safe to blend with fertilizers, pesticides and herbicides. H2OExcel can be used as a spray mixture or used in an injection/irrigation system on plants, crops or turf.