What's better first or second 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.

Is 1st or 2nd 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.

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.

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.

Why is second cut hay more expensive?

Second cut hay has a finer texture and usually, a greener color and heavier leaves. It is more dense, the leaves are more tender and healthier, especially in protein. It is also somewhat more expensive, anywhere between 50 cents and a dollar a bale, depending on where it is grown.

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.

When should I cut my first hay?

Therefore, the best time to do any cutting is when grasses have reached what is called the “late boot stage”. This stage is typically reached after 6 to 8 weeks of growth in the spring or 6 to 8 weeks after a previous cutting. The “late boot stage” is when the seed head of the grasses first pops out of the sheath.

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.

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.

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.

Do rabbits like first cut hay?

It is our opinion that third cutting hay does not contain sufficient fiber content to be the only hay in the diet of most rabbits. It can, however, be used in conjunction with a higher fiber, good quality, relatively immature 1st or 2nd cutting hay, and creates greater variety and interest in the chewing experience.

What is the difference between 1st and 2nd cutting Timothy hay?

First cutting hay is the first hay crop of the year off of a field. It has high volume but can be lower in nutritional value, if made when the plants are overly mature. Second cutting hay is the second hay crop off of a field, which is lower in tonnage but generally higher in quality.

Is orchard grass or Timothy hay better for rabbits?

Oxbow Western Timothy Hay is high in fibre, low in protein and calcium and is a good, basic grass hay with high quality nutrition. Orchard grass is another cool-season grass; it grows in tufts and is more drought tolerant than Timothy hay. Orchard grass has a soft texture and is high in fibre and low in protein.

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.

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.

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.

Can grass hay be too bale dry?

When hay is too dry before baling, the leaves of the forage become stiff and brittle, making them much more likely to fall off. In many cases, a significant portion of hay's nutritive value lies in the leafy portions of the herbs used to make the hay.

What type of hay is best for dairy cows?

Dairy cows need the best quality alfalfa hay with the most nutrients per pound, eating as much as possible to keep up with their caloric demands when producing milk. Feed efficiency (FE; sometimes called dairy efficiency) measurement is often used to help determine the cows' ability to turn nutrients into milk.

Do cows prefer grass or hay?

The simple answer is hay. Most people are familiar the a cows diet in the summer, acres and acres of lush green grass. But what is hay? Hay is the staple forage in most cattle operations.

What hay can cows not eat?

Sorghum, Sudans, Millets and Corn. Four main categories of sorghum and millets are grain sorghum, forage sorghum, sudangrass and sorghum-sudan-grass hybrids. These all put grazing cattle at risk for prussic acid HCN poisoning.

What's the best cut of hay for rabbits?

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.