# Hay test at full bloom



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Everyone preaches cutting at bud stage around here.This alfalfa was cut at full bloom about 10 days after bud stage.Charts say it should only be 15% and 100 rfv.

20.78 protein

144 RFV


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## Gearclash (Nov 25, 2010)

RFV of 144 sounds about right. I wonder where they get 100 from. The only 100 RFV alfalfa I've seen had multiple inches of rain in it and laid for at least a week.

Cutting at bud stage might get a RFV of around 180?

For some reason we tend to see higher RFV on haylage than on dry hay that is baled right.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

One time I had a field 1/2 baled and got a 1" rain on it.

I tested it and what had a rain on was 25 pts less but the protein was the same.


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## Teslan (Aug 20, 2011)

My 1st cutting last year was about 145 rfv as I waited a little late to cut due to forecasted rain. For 3rd cutting I had two fields cut at the same time before bud stage. I got one field baled without rain. The other field had about 1/2 inch of rain. RFV of non prewashed hay was 188. RFV of prewashed hay was 186. Plus 3rd cutting is always higher no matter what then 1st cutting in RFV.


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## haybaler101 (Nov 30, 2008)

I had the same thing on some new seeding this year, first cut, full bloom, 154 rfv, 24% protein. Second cut, though cut at 28 days with some blooms and a light shower right after cut ranged from 90 to 120 rfv. High humidity is a killer on rfv. Last spring, 1st cut went 230 rfv, but then we cut April 10th with no buds.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

A lot of the Amish or Mennonite dairymen around here will pay more for 1st cutting that is made early and made right than they will for any other cutting.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

mlappin said:


> A lot of the Amish or Mennonite dairymen around here will pay more for 1st cutting that is made early and made right than they will for any other cutting.


What is their thinking on first cutting Marty?

Regards, Mike


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

If made early will test very well and is supposedly easier on a cows guts.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

http://beefmagazine.com/site-files/beefmagazine.com/files/uploads/2013/02/2013FeedCompTable.pdf

JMHO but these tables are off for alfalfa hay HERE.I would say protein is 4-6% higher then these well used charts.


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

That's a heck of a table Cy....lots and lots of good information....thanks.

Regards, Mike


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## brandenburgcattle42 (Sep 6, 2012)

Well our first cut full bloom for three weeks baled at 18% and only made 101rfv and 14% protein. Dispicable


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## hay wilson in TX (Jan 28, 2009)

HERE as a Rule of Thumb alfalfa cut at 1/4 bloom would be "dairy" quality, *20-30-40 *( 20% CP, 30% ADF. 40% NDF) and could expect roughly a 150 RFV.

*Steve Orloff in California *suggest we use the bud stage cut hay sample for fertility monitoring as well as for feed value.

Most people realize the CP i.e. percent nitrogen goes down with maturity. What is forgotten is that the desired values of the other essential can and probably do also change with maturity.

Knowing how much the changes and in which direction the *Critical Nutrient Concentration *moves has not been determined.


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