Im looking into raising a couple Dexters, So Im doing my reading, lots & lots of reading. Im hoping to grass feed as much as possible, But I know I ll have to feed them hay in the winter, What are the different cuttings 1st cutting, 2nd cutting. Different quality I suspect, But not sure.
Hay I got some questions about Hay
- Thread starter burntmuch
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The different cuttings of 1st 2nd and 3rd are normally an irrigaited hay. I've mainly seen it done with alfafa but have also seen it done with grass too.
The second cut I just bought is a finer stem of alfafa then our dryland single cut alfafa. A third cutting will be even less stemmy and my milk cow loves the 2nd cutting, much nicer for her to eat.
Since I do not know where you are I cannot tell the type of hay you would have in your area.
The second cut I just bought is a finer stem of alfafa then our dryland single cut alfafa. A third cutting will be even less stemmy and my milk cow loves the 2nd cutting, much nicer for her to eat.
Since I do not know where you are I cannot tell the type of hay you would have in your area.
aggieterpkatie
The Shepherd
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First cutting of any hay is usually more stemmy, and maybe more seed head-y. The nutritional value is usually lower than second or third cuttings. The second and third cuttings are normally much softer and have a higher nutritional value. If you're feeding a dry animal or a wether, first cutting is generally fine. If you're feeding growing animals, or lactating, I'd go with at least second cutting. I think herefrds is out west, and I'm on the east coast and our hay isn't normally irrigated. Well, I'm sure there is some irrigated, but it's normal to have multiple cuttings on non-irrigated hay.
WildRoseBeef
Range nerd & bovine enthusiast
Quality of hay always depends on when it is cut, how it is dried and when it's baled. It's lower quality if it's been rained on previously before being baled, and if it is baled too soon, causing mold to form on the inside of the bales. It also depends on what species of grasses or legumes that are in the hay. You will get different quality hay between first and second cutting. For us, first cutting is the most grassy (or stemmy), and the second cut has more legume than grass in it.
Typically the first cutting is lower quality because the hay isn't cut until the grass just starts to seed out, and also because the grasses tend to grow much faster than alfalfa during spring time. Hay needs to be cut not only when the seed heads of the grasses come out, but also when the alfalfa starts to bloom. Cut too early and you either eventually take out the alfalfa or you have a higher risk of having to deal with bloat in your cattle, because nothing's more bloat-prone than pre-bloom alfalfa, especially if your hay fields have a >/=50% alfalfa stand. It's a different story if we are referring to straight grass hay or hay that only has 20% alfalfa/clover in it or hay that contains legumes, like sanfoin, cicer milkvetch and birds-foot trefoil that are bloat-resistant. Our neighbor runs a dairy operation and he hays his timothy-orchardgrass stand that has 20 to 30% alfalfa before it starts to seed out in the spring. And he cuts it when it is over 12 inches in height, which is also optimum time to graze for lactating cows and young cattle.
On the other hand, second-cut hay is higher quality because the legumes have taken over the stand and most of the grasses are not at the seed-head stage. But again, when you cut (among other things) is important in determining quality of the hay you get.
Typically the first cutting is lower quality because the hay isn't cut until the grass just starts to seed out, and also because the grasses tend to grow much faster than alfalfa during spring time. Hay needs to be cut not only when the seed heads of the grasses come out, but also when the alfalfa starts to bloom. Cut too early and you either eventually take out the alfalfa or you have a higher risk of having to deal with bloat in your cattle, because nothing's more bloat-prone than pre-bloom alfalfa, especially if your hay fields have a >/=50% alfalfa stand. It's a different story if we are referring to straight grass hay or hay that only has 20% alfalfa/clover in it or hay that contains legumes, like sanfoin, cicer milkvetch and birds-foot trefoil that are bloat-resistant. Our neighbor runs a dairy operation and he hays his timothy-orchardgrass stand that has 20 to 30% alfalfa before it starts to seed out in the spring. And he cuts it when it is over 12 inches in height, which is also optimum time to graze for lactating cows and young cattle.
On the other hand, second-cut hay is higher quality because the legumes have taken over the stand and most of the grasses are not at the seed-head stage. But again, when you cut (among other things) is important in determining quality of the hay you get.
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hydroswiftrob
Chillin' with the herd
Where are you located, because I am interested in Dexters also. No one seems to have any around here.burntmuch said:
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hydroswiftrob
Chillin' with the herd
WOW! I would love to see a 450 dollar one. Cheapest I have found is 1000 bucks two hours away.burntmuch said:
