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What time of year do farmers cut hay?
On average the entire process of mowing, raking and baling hay takes 3 days—in good weather. Therefore, pastures should be cut when a window of at least 3 days of sunny, dry, hot weather can be expected. Some farmers cut on the last day of a rainy spell in order to maximize the number of hours of drying time.
How many times a year is hay harvested?
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. Some animals, like sheep, prefer the tender stems of second or third cutting hay.
How late in the year can you cut hay?
The answers to these questions are usually something like… “it is fine to harvest through the first week of September”, and… “we recommend harvesting at least six weeks before the killing frost.” On average, the alfalfa killing frost (24 to 25 degrees F) in northeast Iowa occurs in the third to fourth week of October.
What is the best time to cut hay?
morning
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!”
When should you Ted hay?
Initial tedding should be performed after a brief wilting period following a morning cutting while the hay is still moist (two to four hours). In very damp conditions, tedding may need to be done immediately after cutting. A second pass is usually done the next day, and the hay is raked and baled that afternoon.
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.
How long is hay good?
Storing Hay You can store hay indefinitely if the stack is managed correctly; although, in humid climates, using hay within three years of harvest is ideal. Hay growers need to bale it at correct moisture levels because if it’s baled too damp the hay will generate heat, which leads to molding.
Does frost hurt cut hay?
Hay and silage are safer 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.
Can you make hay in May?
Early cutting of cool season grass provides the best quality “Although you may be harvesting fewer bales in May you will also be storing and hauling fewer nutrition-empty (straw like) bales this winter. According to Ohmes, the ideal harvest timing is in the boot stage, which is before the seed heads emerge.
When should you Tedder hay?
When to start feeding hay?
It’s Time to Develop a Hay Feeding Strategy. It’s November, and winter is fast approaching. Some folks have started feeding hay, others are going to start soon, and the rest are at least thinking about it. Nutrition, namely hay and concentrate feed, accounts for about 40 percent of operating costs in a cow-calf production system.
When is first cutting hay in your area?
The best time to cut hay is when your hay-field is just about to flower . That’s the answer I got for first cut. OMAFRA suggestscutting hay in the morning just after the morning dew is off for better drying. However, if you want more sugar in your hay OMAFRA suggests cutting hat later in the day. Try to cut a swath that is as large as possible.
When should you cut prairie hay?
Prairie hay cut in late June or early July might have over 10 percent protein and 60 percent TDN. But as grass gets older and develops stems and seedheads, its forage quality will decline. If you wait until late August to cut, protein might drop down below 5 percent and TDN as low as 45 percent.
When to cut grass for hay?
Areas with a lot of weeds can be mowed when the weeds are 8 to 12 inches tall and before they’ve started producing seeds. Use the scythe or grass clippers to cut your grass for hay once it is at least 6 inches tall or higher.