Hayyyy!! 😉 I have Highlands and Dexters. Two of them are under 1 years old and there is only one mommy lactating. I’ve rotated them through almost all of my fields, I have one left that they haven’t mowed down yet. I live in the PNW and am getting unnecessarily anxious about this whole grass/hay situation. Does it truly matter if I get first or second cut? The internet has conflicting information. From what I’ve gathered, second-cut hay is better in nutritional value (best suitable for young cattle and lactating cows). Advice appreciated!!
by Salty_Skirt2482
3 Comments
Get the hay tested if you are that concerned.
Second cut, if you can get it, is usually better though in both cases it will also depend on how it was cut and dried, what the moisture content is and whether there is mold or leaf loss as a result of early or late baling. If you imagine after the first cut, grass re-grows leaves from the top of the cut stem, but doesn’t grow much of a new stem. The leaves is where the protein and nutrients are. The stem is mainly just structural carbohydrates and fibre. Lots of chewing, and it prevents the cows from getting diarrhea but little nutrition or energy in the stem. So second cut usually has more of the good stuff, less of the stuff they don’t need. That’s overly simplistic. But you get the point, hopefully.
If you concerned about nutrition, its more about what the hay is than what cutting.