Given price, which hay cutting to buy?

[BetterHensandGardens]

We can buy 1st, 2nd, or 3rd cutting alfalfa for the goats this year (5 Nigerian Dwarfs - 4 milking and 1 kid) for winter. The hay guy is charging $4.00/bale for 1st cutting and $5.50/bale for 2nd or 3rd cutting. We've tried a bale of all three and oddly enough, the goats seem to prefer the 1st or 3rd cutting, although they'll eat any of it. Given the price differential, what would you buy and why?

We're planning to get 80 bales, bought 60 last year and are just now running out (but we also had only 3 does last year). We'll be breeding the 4 adult does again this fall, so need to keep in mind their nutritional needs as they're continuing to give milk during the early stages of pregnancy.

I see a lot of questions here about what cutting of hay to buy, so if some of the more experienced goat herders answer the above, all of us newbies will learn something!

 

[Goatherd]

I find first cut hay to have more stems than subsequent cuttings. With alfalfa, the leaf contains the most nutrition and 2nd and 3rd cut are more leafy and therefore more nutritious.
Honestly, there may not be that much difference in the cuttings, but it is generally understood that subsequent cuttings after the first are more desirable if harvested at the correct time and handled appropriately.

 

[SheepGirl]

I would buy 1st cutting for the majority of their gestation to feed them and then buy 2nd or 3rd cutting to feed them in late gestation and lactation...course you'd have to figure out how much of each you'd need. But if they eat the 1st cutting, go ahead and just get all 80 bales of that since it's cheaper.

 

[Roll farms]

I think I agree w/ SG - get the cheaper 1st cutting for lactation, save 20-30 bales for their milking period.

I actually prefer to feed our pg dairy does grass or grass alfalfa mix to avoid milk fever / hypocalcemia from too much high-calcium alfalfa in late pregnancy....so def. wouldn't feed them 'the best' stuff until post-kidding.

 

[pdpo222]

My goats waste more 1st cutting then they eat. I buy all 2nd cutting which they eat. Our prices here are alot cheaper. 1st cutting is 2.75 a bale and second is 3.25 a bale. They waste less 2nd cutting so it is better price wise for me to go with second cutting. It's a timothy mix hay. If your goats will eat 1st cutting go for it. Mine pull out all the stems and stuff they find hard to chew and go for the stuff they can chew easier, we feed from hay racks that I got from http://hoeggerfarmyard.com/ Once the hay hits the floor they consider it unedible. lol But then these goats don't eat half the stuff other people say their goats eat. Feed what they will eat and what you can afford.

 

[20kidsonhill]

Our hay person charges us the same for 1st and 2nd cutting, If I end up with first cutting, then I feed it through the gestation and hold my more tender 2nd or 3rd cutting for the does when they are nursing, and for the kids to munch on. I woldn't buy junky first cutting, just because it is cheaper. I woudl be sure the quality of the 1st cutting is acceptable, hadn't been rained on, or sun bleached, or got way too mature before being cut. First cutting is okay if done right, but there can be really poor first cutting as well. The fact that he is charging such a big difference in price, would make me wonder why. I would ask him, and go look at it.

 

[greybeard]

Our hay person charges us the same for 1st and 2nd cutting, If I end up with first cutting, then I feed it through the gestation and hold my more tender 2nd or 3rd cutting for the does when they are nursing, and for the kids to munch on. I woldn't buy junky first cutting, just because it is cheaper. I woudl be sure the quality of the 1st cutting is acceptable, hadn't been rained on, or sun bleached, or got way too mature before being cut. First cutting is okay if done right, but there can be really poor first cutting as well. The fact that he is charging such a big difference in price, would make me wonder why. I would ask him, and go look at it.

Many hay producers fertilize between 1st and 2nd cutting--customers buying the 2nd-3rd cutting are paying for it.

 

[aggieterpkatie]

I woldn't buy junky first cutting, just because it is cheaper. I woudl be sure the quality of the 1st cutting is acceptable, hadn't been rained on, or sun bleached, or got way too mature before being cut. First cutting is okay if done right, but there can be really poor first cutting as well. The fact that he is charging such a big difference in price, would make me wonder why. I would ask him, and go look at it.

I agree, because if it's junk most likely there'd be a lot of waste. I prefer 2nd cutting usually all the time, that way I know they will eat it. And some producer charge more for 2nd and 3rd cuttings because they know it *usually* better quality, therefore worth more.

 

[BetterHensandGardens]

This is great advice everyone, and since it is alfalfa, I'm thinking of going with about 50 bales of the 1st cutting and 30 bales of the 2nd cutting.

I'd use the 1st cutting until they kid, and then switch to the 2nd cutting after. Don't want any issues with hypocalcemia.

After asking more questions of the hay guy, it turns out that he's charging $4.50 for first cutting, $5.50 for 2nd cutting and $4.00 for 3rd cutting. We went through a very dry summer this year (think drought) and then got tons of rain - so the 3rd cutting got rained on. Given the prices, I'm not sure I want to even mess with the 3rd cutting.

I do believe that this guy knows hay, and within the limits of what nature throws at him, does it right.

Is it possible to make alfalfa right after it's been rained on - lots?

 

[ksalvagno]

Depends on when it was cut and if the farmer had the proper amount of days to let it dry once it was cut.