High-quality forage directly impacts herd health and milk yield, but the right balance means managing many variables. Deciding which factors have the biggest effect on quality is the first step in understanding how better feed converts into higher yields. This article breaks down the ways we can improve digestibility and explores how specific nutrient profiles affect overall production.
Forage
When totaling the acres of pasture, grass hay, alfalfa, corn and sorghum silages, and grazing wheat, forages account for the largest footprint of any US crop category. According to the USDA National Agricultural Statistics Service, land used for grazing currently covers approximately 775 million acres. This accounts for roughly 40% of the entire US land area, which is nearly double the acreage dedicated to all other crop types combined.
Specific forage crops also cover a large amount of area. Harvested alfalfa stood at approximately 14.1 million acres in 2025, corn was at 95.2 million acres, with about 15 million acres harvested specifically as silage, and sorghum added another 6.6 million acres to the forage and grain total. We’re dealing with a lot of cropland…but the majority of grazing lands aren’t fertilized. With even a very small amount of inputs applied at the right time, growers can see a better ROI.
Alfalfa
Fertilizing alfalfa keeps yields from dropping and prevents the soil from being stripped of essential nutrients. However, there’s an even bigger reason – digestibility.
Since a cow’s milk output depends heavily on how well she can process her feed, producers want the best harvest timing, weather windows, and weed control. The dairy industry is also focused on alfalfa’s fiber digestibility. Our research shows a clear correlation between nutrient management and feed quality. By focusing on the factors that make alfalfa easier to digest, we’ve found a way to help with higher milk production.
Our trials show that you can increase tonnage while also improving the energy and digestibility of the crop. Here is what we’re seeing in the field:
- Grass hays: We are seeing higher protein, more sugar, and better palatability. Namely, the Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility (NDFD) scores show significant improvement.
- Alfalfa: Results consistently show lower lignin and higher water-soluble carbohydrates. This leads to better Relative Feed Value (RFV) and Relative Forage Quality (RFQ) numbers, alongside more extractable net energy.
- Permanent pasture: Even with low rates of High NRG-N, Pro-Germinator, Sure-K, and fertiRain, we’re seeing strong responses in both total yield and overall quality.
Alfalfa fertilizers
Our trials consistently show that replacing commodity fertilizers with AgroLiquid products improves forage quality.
- Phosphorus: Replacing 11-52-0 with Pro-Germinator on grass pasture results in higher quality forage. In the high pH soils of the Central Plains, Pro-Germinator outperforms 11-52-0 in both yield and quality, making it a superior full replacement.
- Potassium: Using Sure-K instead of (or to reduce) dry potash improves forage quality.
- Nitrogen: When High NRG-N replaces urea or UAN, pastures and hay fields show higher quality, larger root masses, and more consistent growth.
While an AgroLiquid program can entirely replace dry fertilizers, a hybrid approach is sometimes more effective. For example, in soils with low potassium, applying Sure-K as a supplemental foliar treatment after a dry potash top-dress typically yields better results than using dry potash alone.
Alfalfa research
AgroLiquid provides a complete nutrient program – including macronutrients, secondary nutrients, and micronutrients – designed to improve plant strength and feed quality.
On average, the AgroLiquid alfalfa program achieved:
- 40% more milk per acre.
- 37% more yield per cutting.
- 4 days faster maturity between cuttings.
- 5% higher protein and 6% lower lignin.
Field trials
Research at Poplar Farms in Manitowoc, WI, compared conventional dry potash top-dressing to a foliar application of Sure-K at the 6-inch growth stage.
The Sure-K treatment consistently outperformed dry potash in protein, Relative Feed Quality (RFQ), and Neutral Detergent Fiber Digestibility (NDFD).
Follow-up testing across 11 trials in Michigan, Wisconsin, and Minnesota confirmed these results. Despite different soil types and stand ages, every trial showed a high ROI and superior performance over manure and dry fertilizer.
Average performance across 11 regional trials:
- Yield: 37.3% increase in dry matter per acre.
- Production: 2.6 lbs more milk per cow, per day (based on NDFD).
- Digestibility: Over 20% faster digestion rate (Dynamic NDF kd).
- Efficiency: 3 to 5 days faster regrowth, potentially allowing for an extra cutting per season.
While managing the many variables of herd health is complex, it can start at the root level. With the right balance of potassium and nutrition, that link between soil quality and milk yield can become more predictable.
Have questions? Contact our agronomists today.
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Joe Leslie is the account manager working in the Northeast. With almost a decade of experience in agronomy and an agribusiness management degree from Penn State University, Joe’s passion for the industry is aligned with the producers he works with. He feels privileged to work shoulder-to-shoulder every day with people dedicated to feeding the world.
