# Cutting orchard/fescue in the boot stage



## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I was wondering what would happen by cutting orchard grass and fescue when it is still in the boot stage? The reason I ask is because this is the best stretch of hay making weather in early may I have seen and due to the cold spring the grass is not as far along as it usually is by now. It is normally just fully headed out by now and that is when I have tried to cut in the past. The orchard grass is showing some head but the fescue is still completely in the boot. I have a strong urge to cut some hay due to the good weather instead of waiting until it is just right when the weather may not be as good. I know the hay would be better quality now but I'm not going to get paid any more for it now than if I waited a little longer. Since I had a serious reduction in my hay acreage every bale counts. If I cut now how much of a yield reduction am I going to have....I normally get around 120 bales per acre on the first cut. Would cutting early like this allow the hay to regrow enough in the next month or so before the dead of summer sets in to allow another cutting to offset the yield reduction on first cut? Thanks, Hayden


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

If you were going to get an appropriate increase in price per bale, I'd say cutting now is a no-brainer. Fewer bales, less handling, same income. If you're maxed out on what you can charge, it'd still be tempting to cut if you have good weather. You'll probably (yeah, probably, no guarantees in farming!) get a big bump in an early second cutting if you cut now.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I don't think I can get more than $5 for mixed grass hay. Most of the people buying this are wanting a good quality hay (meaning no weeds and not rained on and green color) at a low price. If you try to explain that earlier cut hay is more nutritious and is worth more $ because of that they just get a lost look on their face. If I could get a price increase on the early cut hay I would definatly start cutting. The ones that are going to pay more for hay are going to buy timothy instead.


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## rajela (Feb 15, 2014)

They wouldn't know the difference between 1st cut, 2nd cut or 3rd cut if you didn't tell them.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

rajela said:


> They wouldn't know the difference between 1st cut, 2nd cut or 3rd cut if you didn't tell them.


 They do know the difference between 1st and the later cuttings because the 1st has stem and seed heads. The later cuttings I get .50 cent more per bale and it seems like most request the later cuttings.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I went ahead and cut a field this afternoon.....not sure if it was the right thing or not but I was itching to put some hay on the ground with as good of drying weather as we are having. It will be some excellent quality hay....just lower yield. Now I have got to decide whether I should cut the other field in the morning. In a way I want to but I know I had better wait and get more yield as I'm going to be short on hay as it is. If I had a lot of ground to cover I would go ahead and cut it for sure but since I don't maybe I should wait.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Wow you guys are already cutting hay and here we had another snow storm yesterday 4 inches of snow on the ground at my place.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I like to cut my one predominately fescue field early because of endophyte.

They weather we have been dealing with puts me in the mindset to cut when you can.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I wonder if by cutting early like this before it has headed out will make it try to head out again?


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## weatherman (Dec 5, 2008)

rajela said:


> They wouldn't know the difference between 1st cut, 2nd cut or 3rd cut if you didn't tell them...


I planted a field last year with alfalfa/OG. First cutting had some weeds. Second cutting excellent hay. I cut the second cutting when I cut the third cutting of my other field, same stuff (5 year old field). The quality of second cutting just as good if not better than the older field. Marketed all the hay as if it were third cutting. Great feedback from everyone.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I baled part of the field Wednesday evening and the rest yesterday. This particular field is aggravating to work as it is a steep hillside that goes off into a narrow creek bottom that is quite shady and the creek bottom needs at least an extra full day of drying and by then the hillside is very dry and hard to make a heavy bale so I bale it two different days. The hay turned out very nice and has a nice green color, it looks more similar to second cut due to very little seed heads and mostly leaf. The bad news is by cutting early I got about half the yield I normally do off of first cut....I hope it will regrow enough extra growth to make up for the difference in yield. I'm now glad I held off on cutting the other field.


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## hog987 (Apr 5, 2011)

Look like nice hay. How big of a field is it and how many bales did you get?


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

hog987 said:


> Look like nice hay. How big of a field is it and how many bales did you get?


 Just a small 6 acre field. Averaged 54 bales per acre....last year got 120 by cutting in the early bloom.


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