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.

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 first or second cut hay better for cows?

Second cutting hay is generally higher in nutritional value to the livestock that will be eating it. This is for two reasons, time of year and regrowth of the plant. ... This means the leaves and stems are finer, making them more palatable and of higher feeding value to your animals.

When should you cut second cutting hay?

Orchard grass and other cool season perennial grasses should be harvested at 4- to 6-week intervals, ideally between 35-40 days. Production and cutting frequency are greatly affected by soil moisture, soil temperature, soil fertility, and disease incidence.

Does second cut hay have more sugar?

Second cutting will be leafy but doesn't have the higher sugar content. But second cutting "looks" better. Most of the time, grass founder is caused by over-feeding, under-utilizing the horse--they just don't burn up the calories! IMO, most horses do better on lesser quality feed, but more of it.

How to tell the difference between First cut and second cut hay (one or two bad words)

Is second cut hay good for horses?

Second Cutting

This is the most common cutting of hay that horse owners give to their horses, and for a good reason. It is greener and more substantial, with more leaves and a sweet smell. This hay contains a lot of protein and fat, so it is excellent for horses that exercise.

What hay is bad for horses?

Some hay types are particularly prone to high nitrate levels and should be avoided if there are options. These include: Sorghum, Sudan, Johnsongrass and Pearl Millet. High levels of simple carbohydrate (sugars, starch) are an issue for horses with insulin resistance and can occur in virtually any type of hay.

How tall should hay be second cut?

For simplicity we are going to talk about bermudagrass. 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.

Which 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's the best time of day to cut 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!”

Which cutting of hay is best?

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. Bermudagrass hay is used mostly in the southern United States. Common bermudagrass does not grow tall enough for hay production, but coastal bermudagrass can be used.

What is 3rd cut timothy hay?

3rd Cut Timothy Hay Is Similar To Second Cut But Is Even Softer. It Is An Extremely Leafy And Tender Hay. Harvested late in the season, it may have a few yellow leaves of hay. Sun And Wind Dried TO PRESERVE The Smell, Taste And Color. Harvested With Special Care TO PREVENT Molds, Mildews And Dust.

Is Stemmy alfalfa bad for horses?

However the nutritional value of coarse or stemmy hay may be low, leading to weight loss or nutritional deficiencies. Very coarse hays and straws can increase the risk of abdominal pain (colic) and intestinal impaction. For this reason, coarse hays should not be fed to older horses or horses with dental problems.

What is good quality hay?

Look for the following characteristics: Maturity - High quality hay will have a high proportion of leaves in the bale, with few or no coarse stems or seed heads. Condition - High quality hay will contain little dust or mold. Color & odor - High quality hay generally has a bright green color and a sweet, fresh odor.

What cutting of hay is best for sheep?

For maintenance sheep use high quality first cutting grass or mixed hay. For sheep needing high levels of energy, like milking ewes or growing lambs, feed a high quality second or third cutting hay. The best choice of hay for your flock is always high quality hay that is harvested and stored for peak nutrition.

What is horse quality hay?

So what is good horse hay? It is soft, dry, clean, and should have a good stem to leaf ration. The color of good horse hay is bright and it is free of weeds and mold. The stems of such hay can be fine, medium or heavy. Its protein level should be from 14 to 20 percent.

What hay can cows not eat?

Avoid grazing flax straw. Harvested flax seed can make a good high-protein feed, though. Small Grains (Barley, Oats, Rye, Ryegrass, Wheat, Triticale). Rapid growing, lush grasses can lead to grass tetany when grazing cattle.

Can cows eat straight alfalfa hay?

Alfalfa-grass hay is a good feed for producing beef cows. ... Alfalfa hay may be used as a protein source for cattle being fed poor quality grass hay or grazing corn stalks. A small amount of alfalfa hay (5-1 0 lb/day) will furnish all the protein needed by these animals.

Is Coastal hay good for cattle?

Coastal is a good, maintenance grass hay that gives all of the additional nutrients horses need. Cattle can and will eat anything and everything! Coastal is perfect if you are trying to give the additional nutrients needed for mature beef cattle or dairy cattle.

Can you Ted hay with dew on it?

If drying conditions are lousy and rain is coming or hay is heavy may ted a second time. This is for any type, grass or legume or mix, if lots of legume use slow rpm and do it with dew on. Often times you only have a few hour window to do it right.

Can you mow hay in the rain?

When plants are cut for hay, they do not immediately die. As long as moisture is above 40 percent, they will continue to respire - exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide - a process that burns energy. ... Sometimes, rain will not reduce hay quality significantly if the hay has adequate time to dry and cure prior to baling.

Can you mow 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 Bluestem hay good for horses?

Native warm-season grasses also can provide good summer pastures for horses. Warm-season grasses that horses graze well include blue grama, big bluestem and sand bluestem, sideoats grama, sand lovegrass, and indiangrass. ... So they can be used for horse hay even if they make poor horse pasture.

What makes the best horse hay?

Alfalfa, white clover, red clover and birdsfoot trefoil are common types of legumes, with alfalfa being the most popular choice. Benefits: Legumes are higher in protein and calcium than grass hay, and may also provide more energy and a higher level of total digestible nutrients, such as vitamin A.

Is it OK to feed horses wet hay?

Hay that has gotten wet and is fed immediately is perfectly fine to feed to horses, and a bale of hay that has been rained on and then dried thoroughly, and fed within a week or so is also not going to cause any problem whatsoever.