Abstract: Alfalfa quality is a comprehensive trait composed of alfalfa chemical composition, feeding intake, digestibility, energy value and feeding effect in livestock. To explore the quality difference between varied alfalfa varieties, a total of 10 domestic and foreign varieties of alfalfa were selected as experimental materials in this study. The first stubble of alfalfa was mowed and collected at the initial blooming stage in 2017 and 2018. After drying at 65 ℃, the stem to leaf ratio and contents of DM, CP, NDF, ADF, ADL, ASH and EE of different varieties of alfalfa were determined and compared. The lowest stem to leaf ratio was observed in the variety of WL319HQ; the higher DM content was observed in the varieties of Zhongmu No.1 and Kangsai; the varieties of Kangsai and WL319HQ had higher CP content and lower ADF; the variety of Kangsai had the highest RFV and EE content and the lowest content of NDF; the lowest contents of ADL and ASH were observed in the varieties of Qishi No.2 and Zhongmu No.1, respectively. The cluster analysis of the above indexes showed that the variety of WL319HQ had the best quality followed by Kangsai. The correlation analysis demonstrated that CP content had extremely significantly （P<0.01） negative correlation with stem to leaf ratio and ADF content, had significantly （P<0.05） negative correlation with NDF content, and had extremely significantly （P<0.01） positive correlation with EE content; the content of NDF was extremely significantly （P<0.01） positively correlated with the content of ADF and ADL. Except for the contents of DM and ASH, there was a certain correlation between the other indicators.

Key words: alfalfa, variety, nutritional value comparison