What month do you cut hay?

Optimum conditions for first cuttings can generally be expected around May 15th in the south and May 25th in the north. Though different cuttings provide different levels of nutrition (a topic for a future blog), the most important determination of hay quality is its state of maturity when cut.

What month do you harvest hay?

From the month of May to late summer and early fall, hay baling is on the minds of many farmers.

When should I start cutting 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.

How many times a year do you cut hay?

How many times a year can you harvest hay? In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.

How late can you cut hay?

However, their tale would differ in that they would likely have had to stay up late at night to cut hay. That's because in that region of the country, it is best to cut hay between dusk and about midnight in order maximize sugar content.

When is the best time to cut hay?

Can hay be cut after frost?

The forage can be mowed anytime after a frost if you are making hay. It is very rare for dry hay to contain toxic levels of prussic acid. However, if the hay was not properly cured and dried before baling, it should be tested for prussic acid content before feeding to livestock.

Is 3rd cutting hay OK for horses?

Hay of the third cutting is thick, green, and very nutritious, containing more legumes and high protein and fat content. It is also leafy and soft, so the horses will find it appealing.

Which is better 1st or 2nd cut hay?

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.

Do you have to replant hay 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.

Should I mow my pasture before winter?

Grazing or mowing removes low quality summer growth and allows the plant to produce new high quality leaves. Make sure to remove animals once the pasture is grazed down because overgrazing slows recovery growth and reduces the amount of stockpiled forage.

Can you make hay in May?

But it allows making more nutritious hay early in May, the best haymaking month of the year.” Photosynthesis and stored carbohydrates fuel early growth. Cool weather, sunshine and frequent rains help. Cool-season grasses, fescue and orchardgrass, will soon shift from growing leaves to making seeds.

How many days does hay need to dry?

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

Can you cut wet grass for hay?

Tip #1 – Cut hay after the morning dew dries.

Wet fields will also add to the moisture content of drying hay. Moisture gets soaked up from the soil into the bottom of the windrow if it is contact with wet soils, so keep drying hay off these soils.

What is the best time to bale hay?

With all of these factors in mind, it is best to cut hay when there is the greatest opportunity for successful drying, or early in the morning after the dew has dried off. As the old saying goes, “make hay while the sun shines!”

Can you make hay in September?

Hay is usually cut in July to September depending on the type of wildflowers present and the weather over this period. Changing between earlier cuts (usually after 15th July) to later cutes (in late August) is beneficial for a hay meadow, rather than cutting at the same time each year.

What height do you cut hay?

For hay production of cool-season pastures, mow or graze before seedheads develop, and down to 3 to 5 inches. For warm season pastures, mow or graze down to 8 to 10 inches for proper regrowth.

Why do farmers leave hay bales in the field?

You might find hay bales left in a field simply because a farmer hasn't had time to stop by and grab the bales yet. Most farmers work overtime during the summer to get the hay in the barn by the time the fields stop producing.

How late can I plant hay?

Late August to early September plantings

Sulc says spring oat, spring triticale, and annual ryegrass can also be planted from late August to mid-September, following an early corn silage harvest.

How much hay will an acre grow?

The average U.S. dry hay yield (all types) dropped from 2.52 tons per acre in 2016 to 2.44 tons per acre in 2017. For alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures, the average yield declined from 3.45 tons per acre in 2016 to 3.32 tons per acre in 2017.

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.

What cut of hay is best for cows?

Timothy hay is recommended by many experts due to its ease on various animal's digestive system as well as promotion of bowel regularity. Additionally, there have been scientific studies done that show Timothy hay is an ideal feed for pregnant or lactating cows.

Is 4th cutting hay good?

The third cutting is good hay, and the fourth and fifth cuttings begin to have more stems and fewer leaves. As more stems are present, the quality of the hay decreases and palatability declines.

Should horses have hay all time?

Conclusion. Horses don't have to eat all the time, but having constant access to hay helps keep their digestive system working correctly. Allowing your horse to graze on pasture grass is safe and keeps them healthy. A healthy pasture provides all the nutrition horses need.

Will horses stop eating when they are full?

Horses do not have the ability to control their eating so that they will stop eating when they have met their nutrient requirements. They will continue to eat, which can lead to digestive and lameness problems.

Can horses eat hay that has been rained on?

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.