Is first or second cut hay better?

Hay is often cut three or more times each season. The first cutting in any cut will have thicker stems, perhaps have flowers (usually called tassel), and is the highest in fiber of any cut. The second cutting is softer, greener, has a higher protein but lower fiber than first cutting.

Is first cut or second cut hay better for horses?

Timothy Hay

Timothy must be harvested in the pre- or early-bloom stage to ensure a high nutrient content. The first cutting usually has a higher weed content, and quality decreases after the second cutting, so the second cutting is usually the best to feed.

What is the difference between 1st 2nd and 3rd cut hay?

To begin with, 1st cutting is the first hay cut from that field for the year. It tends to be more coarse and have more grasses in it. 2nd cutting is usually greener in color and has a sweeter smell. And lastly, 3rd cutting is very thick and rich.

Is second cut hay good?

Second cut hay is a good hay for healthy adult rabbits. It usually has more leaves on the stems which is more attractive to your rabbit. This hay is greener than 1st cut and not as stemy. The protein and fat content is a little higher than 1st cut and the fiber level is a bit lower.

Why is first cut hay better?

First cutting of hay is the one harvested first in the year from the field before it blooms. This cutting is good for horses. There is a lot of fiber, so it is nutritious, plus it is easy to eat because the stems are flexible and thin.

Whats the Difference Between 1st 2nd and 3rd Cut Hay? Does It Matter?

What cutting of hay is best for cows?

Producers should strive to harvest 1st cutting hay in the early heading stage. Hay harvested at this stage should meet the nutrient requirements for late pregnant cows. Second cutting hay should be used to feed lactating cows. The date of 1st cutting will be highly dependant on the type of spring weather.

What animals eat first cut hay?

Donkeys and sheep are generally fed first cut, they are hardy and adaptable, they will eat almost anything green, second cut hay is a luxury for them, sort of like Thanksgiving Dinner. If you have a horse or pony like Chloe, you have to limit the amount of green grass, and especially, second cut hay.

When should you first cut hay?

The first cutting in the spring should be when grass has greened up and reached 12 – 16 inches tall. This should clean up all the old growth of winter weeds and such. Then each subsequent cutting is at 3.5 to 5 week intervals.

What type of hay is best for horses?

Is first cut or second cut timothy hay better for rabbits?

First or Second Cut? First Cut Timothy Hay is tougher and contains lots of long stems and seed heads. This is ideal for most rabbits but can be a bit hard for guinea pigs and smaller animals. Second Cut Timothy Hay is softer than first cut, darker green, and is a mix of stems and leaf with fewer seeds.

Which hay has the most protein?

One of the biggest differences between alfalfa hay and grass hay is the protein content. On average, alfalfa hay has much higher levels of protein, ranging from 15% to 21% depending on when the alfalfa was cut. This is much higher than the protein levels of grass hay, which typically contains 10% or less protein.

Is late cut hay good for horses?

Late-cut hays can provide enough energy and nutrients (i.e., carbohydrate, protein, minerals, vitamins, etc.) for most horses to thrive, even if pregnant, lactating, or exercising. They typically contain fewer weeds than early-cut hay.

Which cut of alfalfa is best?

First cutting of alfalfa is typically the highest yielding cutting of the season. Normally, first cutting also has the lowest relative feed value (RFV) of the season.

Is hay still good if it gets rained on?

Quick facts. Rained-on hay can be a suitable forage, especially for horses prone to laminitis. Forage quality tends to be retained if: The rain occurs soon after cutting when the forage has had little time to dry.

Is timothy or orchard grass better for horses?

Orchardgrass and timothy hay are both excellent, but orchard grass gets the nod as the best of the two. It has a higher protein and calorie content and balanced levels of calcium and phosphorus.

Is timothy or alfalfa better for horses?

Alfalfa hay is typically higher in protein and essential nutrients than timothy hay, making Alfalfa a better option for more active animals that need a high protein diet. Alfalfa also has more calories per pound than timothy, so it's generally the preferred choice of sport horse owners.

What hay is best for older horses?

A reduction in fiber fermentation means that older horses receive less nutrients from forage resulting in higher quality forages being required. Alfalfa hay and good quality grass hays are preferable to stemmy and mature hays that have tougher fiber to ferment.

How do you know if hay is good for horses?

Good quality hay should be bright green in color with little fading. A bleached, yellow, brown or black color may indicate aged hay, mold or poor storage conditions. Storage condition and age have a significant effect on vitamin content of hays.

What hay is best for overweight horses?

Legume hay, such as alfalfa and clover, contain more calories per pound than grass hays. Instead of alfalfa, feed a high-fiber, good quality grass hay (Timothy or Orchard Grass) free of dust, mold and weeds.

Why do farmers cut hay at night?

Though starches and simple sugars accumulate during the day, a substantial amount of these carbohydrates are used up during the night for growth and maintenance (via the processes of respiration). Therefore, cutting the crop at night will likely maximize the sugar in the crop, at least at the time of cutting.

Can grass hay be too bale dry?

While hay with exceptionally low moisture might not be at risk of growing mold and bacteria, that's because much of that hay's nutritional value is already gone. When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off.

What is the best time of day to bale hay?

Baling in Cooler Parts of the Day

Where possible, many operators like to bale sometime between 7:00 pm in the evening after the air starts to cool, and noon the next day, before the afternoon sun, temperatures, and winds combine to create more adverse conditions.

Does hay grow back every year?

Planting and growing

Some fields are always used to grow hay, and don't require re-planting every year. In other cases, hay is a part of a crop rotation, where farmers plant different crops on the same field in different years.

Is second cut hay good for goats?

Second cutting is generally the preferred hay for goats. It has less weeds, is finer-stemmed, fertilized, and grown during the optimal growing season. In areas with longer growing seasons, a third cutting or even higher may be available. Late season cuttings have the highest leaf to stem ratio.

Does orchard grass make good hay?

Orchardgrass is a versatile grass and can be used for pasture, hay, green chop, or silage. A high-quality grass, it will provide excellent feed for most classes of livestock.