Dairyland Seed has announced the availability of its second generation of hybrid alfalfa. HybriForce-2400 Gen-2 will be available to producers in limited quantity this year.

“This second generation of hybrid alfalfa produces significantly higher yields, better crop consistency and greater hardiness,” says Chad Staudinger, forage product manager for Dairyland Seed. “Our research shows that HybriForce-2400 performs well in both wet and dry years, through extreme winter weather conditions and in multiple cutting regimes.”

In on-farm research conducted by Dairyland Seed, HybriForce-2400 showed a 5% yield increase over the current HybriForce-400 hybrid alfalfa, Dairyland’s first hybrid alfalfa released in 2001.

“HybriForce-2400 has shown consistent yield performance from spring through fall, first cut to last, and from seeding year into older stands,” says Steve Wagner, an alfalfa breeder at Dairyland Seed’s research center in Clinton, WI. “Extensive field studies and trials throughout the Midwest have shown that HybriForce-2400 Gen-2 outperforms competitive alfalfa varieties in 94.3% of the head-to-head comparisons.”

HybriForce-2400 will become Dairyland Seed’s premium alfalfa product offering in 2010. Its current premium product, HybriForce-400, lists for $350/bag.