Part 1, Section 12: Farm Management: Enterprise Budgets
Farm Management: Enterprise Budgets
SAMPLE BUDGETS
Alfalfa Budgets
- Receipts: For the sample budgets, yields of 2.5 tons of hay per acre in the establishment year and 3.75 tons of hay and 2.5 tons of haylage per acre for production years are used. Alfalfa hay is valued at $220 per ton and alfalfa haylage at $100 per ton.
- Variable costs: A seeding rate of 18 pounds per acre for conventional tillage and 15 pounds per acre for no-till is used in the establishment budget. Labor is charged at $12.50 per hour for operator labor and $10 per hour for other labor. Off-road diesel fuel is budgeted at $4.20 per gallon. Fertilizer applied is 0-50-150 for establishment and 0-100-300 for production. An application of 2 tons per acre of lime is assumed in the establishment budget.
The weed management program consists of one postemergence application of herbicide in the establishment year only for both conventional tillage and no-till and the addition of a burndown application of gramoxone for no-till. The insect management program consists of one application of insecticide in the establishment and production years. The pesticides used for developing cost estimates are for example purposes only; see Part 2.6: Forages Pest Management for a complete listing of recommended materials.