# How tall do you cut your alfalfa



## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

I cut mine about 2 inches high as recommended and it was difficult/impossible to get it tedded and raked in places because of the low support without getting a lot of ash in it. Do you ever cut at 3 inches high?

Regards, Mike


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I have the "tall stubble" (grass shoes) kit on my 7230. I mow alfalfa on the lowest setting, 3.5" and grass on the highest, 5.5". The 3.5" allows the tedded hay to sit up tall. And I don't think I'm losing that much in yield.

Ralph


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks Ralph, thats what I was hoping to hear....the 2" that I see recommended is a pain the tail....just too short to hold anything up...creates a dang mess trying to get short clippings off the ground. Live and learn. I just dont want to ever go back to the days when this site wasn't here and good folks like you were not around to help a fella out. I felt like 2" was not practical but I told myself do whats recommended as I have never grown Alfalfa till this spring. Humidity is a real pain to deal with here in the southeast about drying alfalfa. That is our biggest challenge that I can see....not leaf shatter. I think I will have a decent grip on cutting and baling alfalfa by the end of the growing season. Either that or I will torch it with 2-4D come September







.

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

I mow at whatever the discbine cuts at rolled back in the "normal" position. Unless absolutely required for flat hay I never tip it forward to cut lower as like you pointed out, there is no stubble left for the hay to rest on and its right on the ground then.


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## rjmoses (Apr 4, 2010)

I was talking with my wife this morning about haying. I told her there's the science part and then there's the art part. Science is following the numbers and getting repeatable results. Art is that gut feel that tells you when the science won't work.

I try to look at all the variables for drying time, like humidity, cloud cover, ground moisture, temperatures, crop density, wind speed and direction, dew, etc., then make a SWAG.

Saturday, there was no dew. I started raking at 7:30 AM, the earliest I have ever rake hay. By the time I started baling, at 10:30, the moisture was down to 18-19%. By the time I finished, at 1:30, the moisture was down to 12-14%. That was after 3 days drying time with daytime humidity running 30-40%. Art told me to start early.

Ralph


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## sedurbin (May 30, 2009)

Mike, I planted my first Alfalfa 5 years ago. Each year I think I have it all figured out and something new shows up. I now have 40 acres in alfalfa and it will work your butt off especially if you work off the farm and just hay when you can.

I just finished with second cut and it was like being in out west. There was no problem with getting it to dry down, which is not usual for eastern Missouri. My yield on the five year old field was about 2.5 tons per acre for first cut and 1.2 tons for the second. I was going to rotate out this fall but now think I will go another year.

I hope to live long enough to be as smart as HayWilson. That gut knows some stuff and so does my neighbor rjmoses. I know what you mean about the convenience of this site.

BTW I generally cut about 3-1/2" for the same reasons mentioned above.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Thanks sedurbin, know what you mean about off farm work. I totally agree about Haywilson and his knowledge and I really admire his fortitude....I mean the man is 80 and still squarin' hay....I hope the Good Lord allows me to walk His earth at 80 with the same grit as Haywilson. Thanks for responding and encouragement and I hope all your fodder stays dry!

Regards, Mike


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## aawhite (Jan 16, 2012)

We woudl cut all our hay at around 3". Mix of alfalfa and orchard grass, and one field of smooth brome. We felt the 3" was a good compromise, with alfalfa calling for shorter cutting and grass calling for longer cutting. We used to average 6-8 tons per acre, so never seemed to hurt us any.


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Mike, I guess I'm from a different school. I cut all of mine at 3-4" for the reasons you were describing. In ND it's pretty easy to dry down but here in Va., it takes 2 days longer than grass hay. You really have to manage it in my opinion. I have just about rotated everything out of alfalfa now. Boy, does it make some great corn ground


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Ok Mike, let me ask you another question. What techniques do you use to keep the color the best you can....do you wait a day or two to ted or do you ted the same day as cutting.(In Virginia)

Regards, Mike


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## NDVA HAYMAN (Nov 24, 2009)

Sorry Mike . Did not see this. First cutting I spread wide as the discbine will open. After that, I usually windrow tight if I have the drying days. I don't ted it but let it dry on top and then turn over with the rake putting two together sometimes. That's the only way that I can keep the leaves and color together. When I run the discbine, I crimp it as much as possible. I always am careful raking, making sure that there is a little moisture in the hay. A lot of things that I do here have to do with the humidity. It has always been kind of experimental. Sometimes it works great and then again, it's a flop. It's a lot easier out west for me. I guess that's why I have put most of it in corn. Mike


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