# 1st Cutting squares or not?



## cyclonic (Jan 16, 2015)

Hello all,

1st time posting. Long time reader. I have been searching for some posts that address this, but no answers yet.

Is first cutting alfalfa worth my time to bale into small squares?

I've done all the research in my market area, and without a doubt, as you already may know, small squares are the most profitable to sell. I'm just wondering, is it worth my money to have the first cutting of alfalfa baled into rounds, and try to sell right out of the field? Or, should I go through the extra work and storage, to bale into squares and sell for less?

Just so you know, I would have to make an additional investment in a decent round baler (I already have an old JD 510 that would need some work to get running, and it's twine, no wrap). Or, just use the small bale equipment I've already invested in, and just make squares, and try to move them as fast as possible, not taking up my precious indoor space I want for latter cuttings.

I lean towards just squares. For me, investing in more equipment, or having it custom baled, seems like a waste of money. It's like owning a combine and only using it for half your crop, and buying or hiring the other half to be done.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

Here we before we owned a big square baler we custom hired 1st cutting alfalfa in biq squares. The rest we did in little bales. The reason is the market. Most of my customers are horse owners. They typically don't like 1st cutting alfalfa as the stems are too course. So most 1st cutting alfalfa goes to feed cows. Most people that buy feed for cows like big squares. Plus 1st cutting makes more tonage then 2nd, 3rd or 4th. So that used to mean a lot of little squares to have to sell out of our barns quickly to make room for the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th small squares. So when we did bale 1st cutting alfalfa in small squares we would stack half of the hay outside and have to keep the price low to sell it before weather caused prices to go down. Also we would have to lower our price on the inside hay to move it to make room for other cuttings. So in the end it made as much money to have 1st baled in big squares. That's for my market though. Might be different for you.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

If there is a demand for squares in your locale, the first cutting will look pretty good in January and February after all the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th cutting premium hay is gone.

If not a lot of small square demand, then roll and net wrap it.

Regards, Mike


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

Here, you'd be better off with first cutting in either mid-size squares or rounds, preferably square. You'd be far enough ahead of smalls that paying someone to make big bales while you sit on your couch and watch tv with a beer would still put you ahead of doing little bales yourself. This is a strong market for small squares, but there is also a good dairy market here too.


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## Chessiedog (Jul 24, 2009)

I would say depends a lot on the demand for small squares . This is the first year that I put up any A/O first cutting in small squares . Like guys have said most horse folks want second cut hay an later . But I decided that I would try it. So even selling them couple dollars below other cuttings , I'm still making 60 dollars more per ton then rounds . Rounds are not selling worth 2 cents here , at least for me .


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## cyclonic (Jan 16, 2015)

This is my thinking too, Chessiedog. I'm thinking that even at a discounted rate, it will still sell higher than rounds.

But, most of you are right too, around here, I could probably sell the 1st cutting rounds to cattle folks. But, the difference is in the extra equipment cost/custom baling cost. Is the extra outlay in cash going to make up the difference from selling off squares? Maybe not.


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## cypull (May 15, 2012)

I've been putting my 1st cutting in small squares the last few years. Try to cut no later than late bud/1st bloom. Stems still tend to be a little course, but makes plenty good hay if cured properly. Sell at a bit of a discount to later cuttings, but still significantly better margins than rounds even when factoring labor. That's my experience anyway...

Edit: I'm located in central Iowa


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## 8350HiTech (Jul 26, 2013)

cypull said:


> I've been putting my 1st cutting in small squares the last few years. Try to cut no later than late bud/1st bloom. Stems still tend to be a little course, but makes plenty good hay if cured properly. Sell at a bit of a discount to later cuttings, but still significantly better margins than rounds even when factoring labor. That's my experience anyway...
> 
> Edit: I'm located in central Iowa


If your climate allows you to cut your first cutting at that stage, I agree completely. Around here that tends to be between difficult and impossible, so another option becomes selling the first cutting as silage or baleage. It gets it off the field quickly and allows it to be cut early enough to give someone a reasonable shot at four more cuttings. The feasibility of that plan clearly hinges on the price you can get for it wet vs the advantage of getting started extra early on the second cutting


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I would square bale it......it doesn't make sense to invest in a round baler to bale it and then have to sell it cheaper than what square bales would bring. I would think that even if you had to discount the first cutting a bit from being mature and stemmy it would still bring more money in a square bale......provided it has some color, no mold, and mostly weed free......at least here it would. To be honest most horses probably don't actually need a rich, leafy later cutting of alfalfa.


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## cyclonic (Jan 16, 2015)

cypull, where are you located?


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## cypull (May 15, 2012)

cyclonic said:


> cypull, where are you located?


Adel


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## aawhite (Jan 16, 2012)

You may find the weather won't cooperate very well for first cutting. We rarely took first cutting alfalfa in any dry hay, but especially in small squares, due to weather concerns. This was SE Iowa.

I would look to hire some of it rolled, and put some up yourself in squares.


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## eastsidehayguy (Aug 12, 2013)

small square everything I can that does not get ruined by rain, that goes to round bales. My market for 2,3 cuttings is $6 a bale and sells well from the time it hits the barn until I run out. Then my first cutting sells well for $5.50 a bale, that is later in the winter early spring time when people are getting desperate for hay. Always sell out and works out good the first cutting gets barred until its needed.


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## Trillium Farm (Dec 18, 2014)

Gee after reading all this I must say I'm surprised! I've always preferred 1st cutting for my horses as it wasn't as rich. Now horses should get 'bout 30 lbs dry forage a day for both their physical and mental health, if kept at pasture, (I mean a real well manged pasture) you can get away with less dry forage.

Tried to keep away from 2nd and later cuttings for this reason. Guess those looking for these cuttings must feed a lot less hay. I have seen a lot of cribbers and weavers that would not have been so if only more, but less rich roughage would have been used.


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## ARD Farm (Jul 12, 2012)

eastsidehayguy said:


> small square everything I can that does not get ruined by rain, that goes to round bales. My market for 2,3 cuttings is $6 a bale and sells well from the time it hits the barn until I run out. Then my first cutting sells well for $5.50 a bale, that is later in the winter early spring time when people are getting desperate for hay. Always sell out and works out good the first cutting gets barred until its needed.


Exactly what I do. Idiot squares if possible but the round bailer is sitting in repose if it gets wet....


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## rjbaustian (Oct 16, 2012)

My 2 cents is this. If you have a guy around that can put your 1st cutting up in big squares, do that. Then the rest you can bale yourself. Or have someone roll up your 1st cutting for you. Yeah, it may feel like youre throwing money away, but its cheaper to pay someone to do it, than for you to buy and maintain more equiptment. That's my opinion anyway. This all also depends on how much ground youre covering too. Ive found its harder to get rid of small squares in the Midwest. Even to horse people. Theyre so damn picky and want everything for free. Took me just 1 year to figure out that I want nothing to do with them, and Ive moved completely away from anything related to horse people.


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