The United States produces almost 50 million acres of hay crops each year. Single- and mixed-grass stands account for roughly 35 million acres, while alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures account for the remaining 15 million acres. These production numbers show that the United States is both extremely productive in these crops and extremely reliant on them as the important, nutrient-dense feed sources for the 37 million head of U.S. beef and dairy cattle.
The current agricultural economy is far from ideal, with input prices too high and crop values too low. As a result, producers are forced to place every input under the proverbial microscope, investigating the true value and ROI they bring to best prioritize the critical tools from the chaff.
Soltellus™, a multifunctional, biodegradable biopolymer produced from aspartic acid, has been shown to enhance yield and hay quality across two years of on-farm field trials. These effects were the result of Soltellus’ unique nutrient chelation effects coupled with microbiome stimulation to better feed the plants and to enhance plant resiliency and stress tolerance.
Soltellus the Haymaker: Boosting Alfafa and Hay Yields, RFV and More
In Montana in 2025, Soltellus was applied once at 2 qt/A after winter dormancy broke and irrigated alfalfa regrowth was 3-5” in height. On the first cutting, the Soltellus-treated alfalfa resulted in a 12% increase in dry hay yield vs. untreated alfalfa. The Soltellus-treated hay also had noteworthy gains in TDN, crude protein, and a whopping 17-point gain in Relative Feed Value, leading to a 232-point gain in Milk/Ton score. It also returned $3.60 for every dollar spent on Soltellus for yield gains alone.
Assuming that every point difference in RFV accounts for an additional $1.00/A/ton profit due to increased animal production, the actual ROI from Soltellus was much higher than that.
These results were further corroborated in Kansas in 2026 on irrigated alfalfa. Again, a single application of Soltellus at 2 qt/A was made post-dormancy to 4-5” alfalfa, and yield was tracked as haylage yield at the first cutting. In this case, Soltellus-treated alfalfa gave a 6% yield increase, enhanced RFV by 11 points, and increased crop value by $31.00/A vs. untreated alfalfa and after paying for the cost of the Soltellus!
Similar results on mixed grass hay were seen from a single application of Soltellus at 2 qt/A following winter dormancy in Montana in 2025 (=4% yield gain, +10/+13 point gain in RFV/RFQ, and a 262-point gain in Milk/Ton). A bromegrass hay trial in Kansas in 2025 (pictured at right), having a single foliar application at 2 qt/A at 10” height, gave 5-8” taller plants and more total biomass at harvest leading to an 8% increase in yield.
These results prove that Soltellus is a critical tool in producing not just more hay yield but substantially higher hay quality. Thus, the grower (and the animals they feed) win twice from a single product. These gains far outweigh the cost of the product, delivering true value.
Make Hay While The Sun Shines
To learn more details about Soltellus, check out our website and download product information at www.dober.com/agronomy/soltellus, or feel free to contact any member of our Dober Agronomy Team.
Also be on the lookout for our regular webinar sessions and summer field days and trade shows that highlight Soltellus as an important tool for crop production.
