How late can you cut hay?

However, their tale would differ in that they would likely have had to stay up late at night to cut hay. That's because in that region of the country, it is best to cut hay between dusk and about midnight in order maximize sugar content.

Is it ever too late to 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.

Is it OK to cut hay at night?

Just 40 acres. From a "Drying" aspect - hay has the most respiration (amount of time to loose moisture) the first couple hours after cutting. I would suspect, cutting during the daylight, sun of the day, would give it the most respiration possible. Cutting at night would give less .. . .

Can you cut hay in November?

Producers would ideally make the final cutting now when the grass is green and before the first frost, which typically occurs Nov.

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.

When is the best time to cut hay?

Is 3rd cutting hay OK for horses?

Hay of the third cutting is thick, green, and very nutritious, containing more legumes and high protein and fat content. It is also leafy and soft, so the horses will find it appealing.

Is last year's hay still good?

Consider these points: If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.

Can you cut hay after frost?

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.

What month do you cut hay?

Optimum conditions for first cuttings can generally be expected around May 15th in the south and May 25th in the north. Though different cuttings provide different levels of nutrition (a topic for a future blog), the most important determination of hay quality is its state of maturity when cut.

How many days does hay need to dry?

It basically takes about three days of good weather to cure hay. This can be a challenge in late May or early June. A good strategy is to mow just before or right after a rain, because of the likelihood of good weather for the next few days.

Does hay dry at night?

Without sunlight, hay won't dry very fast. But once we have some sun, it doesn't really matter if it is partially cloudy or a bright blue sky. The reason has to do with all those stomates from the first paragraph. In a growing plant, stomates are open in the day and closed at night.

Can you cut hay with dew on the ground?

Tip #1 – Cut hay after the morning dew dries.

There is enough water that must leave the plants already without adding additional water from the nightly dew. Wet fields will also add to the moisture content of drying hay.

What is the best time of day to bale hay?

Baling in Cooler Parts of the Day

Where possible, many operators like to bale sometime between 7:00 pm in the evening after the air starts to cool, and noon the next day, before the afternoon sun, temperatures, and winds combine to create more adverse conditions.

Can you cut hay after rain?

If hay has partially dried and become brittle, quality can especially be lost to leafy forage when rained on after being cut. The force of the rain shatters the leaves which are the highly digestible and high protein portion of the crop. Rainfall shortly after cutting is likely to be less of a problem.

Can you make hay in September?

Hay is usually cut in July to September depending on the type of wildflowers present and the weather over this period. Changing between earlier cuts (usually after 15th July) to later cutes (in late August) is beneficial for a hay meadow, rather than cutting at the same time each year.

How often should hay be cut?

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.

How late can I cut alfalfa?

“Historically, it has been recommended that the final cutting of alfalfa be removed no later than four to six weeks before first killing frost.

How many times a year do you cut hay?

How many times a year can you harvest hay? 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.

Is it safe to cut alfalfa after a freeze?

Waiting a few days after a freeze is a good practice to decrease this risk when grazing alfalfa. If forage is needed and you plan to cut alfalfa for hay late in the year, cut after the first hard freeze or in early to mid-November. Even without a freeze there is very little regrowth after this date.

How long after a frost can you graze alfalfa?

When grazing in the fall, freeze events followed by warm days also raise the risk of bloat, so pull animals off or limit grazing for three to five days after a freeze.

Is frosted grass bad for cows?

Freezing breaks plant cell membranes. This breakage allows the chemicals that form prussic acid, which is also called cyanide, to mix together and release this poisonous compound rapidly. Livestock eating recently frozen sorghums can get a sudden, high dose of prussic acid and potentially die.

How long can you leave cut hay before baling?

Subject: RE: How long does your hay lay to bale dry? Cut first thing in the morning, ted about 2-4 hours later, do nothing the next day, rake as soon as dew is off (-48 hours after cutting), let dry about 3 hours, and bale. Sometime takes an extra day to dry or occasionally a day less if perfect weather.

How long should you leave hay before feeding?

In perfect conditions — where the hay has been baled at less than 12% moisture and is very dry — it is safe to feed straight away, but this isn't often the case, Tim explains: “The main reason for allowing a period of anywhere between two and eight weeks before feeding freshly made hay is to allow for a process called ...

Will cows eat old hay?

As a guideline, hay made in 2012 should not be more than 25 to 30 per cent of the forage in the ration for cows in early- to mid-pregnancy, and 15 to 20 per cent in late pregnancy. Depending on quality, year old hay may not be suitable to include in lactating cow or newly weaned calf rations.