First Cutting Hay vs. Second By Emily Konkel: Please fill out the rest of the form below. Then, use a baler at a steady, moderate speed, which will be the most effective. When your horse can extract the full nutrition available from its hay, you may find less of a need for additional processed feed. For example, planning to cut hay for the first time on Memorial Day weekend or every 28 days with subsequent cuts. As we get closer to spring time many horse owners find themselves having to make decisions between first and second cuttings. It is a myth that second cutting hay always provides the hay quality that is best for feeding horses. Timothy/alfalfa/ brome mix, 40-50% alfalfa max, is weighing an average of 70-75 lbs It also tends to be more expensive than the first cutting. I clear seeded about 30 pounds of seed per acre and would like to get 7-10 years … It usually takes about 40-45 days for re-growth. However, overly mature second cutting hay can also become less palatable and nutritious, just like first cutting. Before focusing on which hay to select from your dealer, start by evaluating the unique needs of the horses in your care. The seedheads tend to appear just in time for the first cutting, which results in more bales for the grower, but also in a more stemmy, fibrous hay. Dried forage products, such as hay, chaff and beet pulp, also provide many important nutrients for health as well as up to 70% of a horse’s energy requirements. Maximum dry-matter yield of alfalfa and most forages is often obtained by harvesting the first cutting of the season at nearly full bloom and harvesting subsequent cuttings at 40 to 45 day intervals until late August or early Less than 20% moisture content is Second cut alfalfa hay is usually the fastest growing because it is developing during the hottest part of the season, and it usually has more stem in relation to leaf. Lindquist says that alfalfa typically requires a critical growing period between August 1 and the first killing frost, which normally occurs around September 15. First cutting hay has a longer growing period than any other cutting. When to cut first year alfalfa? She’s been riding since age four, reining since the mid-90s, and claiming NRHA wins since 2010. Time to get excited about our new collection for Men! Second cut smells sweeter and is richer in nutrients. Hay can be cut whenever you have excess growth and stored for long stretches with little loss in nutritional value. - posted in Alfalfa/Hay: I planted an alfalfa field 4/3/10 and was wondering what stage of bloom I should cut it at. Additionally, hay that sits on the field too long once it has been cut, or that gets wet, can leach nutrition before it gets baled. This is because it is lower in nonstructural carbohydrates (sugars and starches) and is typically softer, greener and leafier. There should be no scent of mould and as low dust as possible. It usually has more leaves on the stems which is more attractive to your rabbit. Learn More, SUCCEED Veterinary Formula, available only from veterinarians, is an advanced version of SUCCEED and comes backed by the SUCCEED Healthy Gut Commitment. The terms first and second cut refer to the number of times that hay is harvested and the maturity level of each cutting within a growing season. “The most important factor that determines hay quality is the state of maturity at harvest,” he said. As a result of this, the factors that affect quality and nutrition have nothing to do with which cutting a crop is from, but have everything to do with: So you can’t just opt automatically for second cutting hay and assume you are getting what is best for your horses. Season grasses due to the time of the horses, every Day, Shannon. Can extract the full nutrition available from its hay, test results request! 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