# Cutting height



## Jthors (Apr 13, 2018)

To the guys making small squares, what is your preferred cutting height. Do you cut right at ground level or keep it up a bit?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

4" or higher on grass hay is the general consensus. On straight alfalfa 2" is more the norm.

Regards, Mike


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

4"+ on grass hay few reasons why .

Grass grows back quickly

Hay dries better because it's not on the wet ground

Less weed pressure

We have lots of rocks so less knife damage

My buyers want hay not stems

I'm sure there are more reasons but that's what comes to mind..


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

I cut my cool season grasses no shorter than 5" for stand survival and better regrowth. Alfalfa gets cut at 3".....I find it dries a little better with a stubble to keep it off the ground and much shorter than that and you have to run your equipment down in the dirt to get the hay.

Hayden


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## Jthors (Apr 13, 2018)

Thanks. I had been leaving mine probably to high, never actually measured, but I see some of a big farms taking it right down to the dirt.


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## FarmerCline (Oct 12, 2011)

Jthors said:


> Thanks. I had been leaving mine probably to high, never actually measured, but I see some of a big farms taking it right down to the dirt.


 I rarely see anyone leaving too high of a stubble.....better be a littler higher than too low. A lot of people do cut too short right down to the dirt and it's hard on the stand and equipment.

Hayden


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## VA Haymaker (Jul 1, 2014)

We cut our Timothy and mixed grass hay at 5 inches.


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## Hayman1 (Jul 6, 2013)

4-5, high shoes on the 1409 and the tilt locked up


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## Hayjosh (Mar 24, 2016)

I cut mine at 3-4". On my shoes it's the third of 4 holes for height. My reasons: because that's what I was taught here!


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## Brncntry112 (Jun 8, 2015)

I'd love to learn more about cutting height and how it affects regrowth on grass hay. I think I've been cutting too short. Farmerbrown, I think I remember an old old where you touched on this subject.........so basically you found by cutting higher and losing some yield initially, the faster regrowth made up for it? I inherited the low cutting height philosophy from my father, but he grew a lot of alfalfa years ago. Now that I'm only mowing grass hay(all small squares for horses), I'm thinking I should raise the discbine? I'll measure next time I mow, but I bet we've been cutting at roughly 2".


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

It’s pretty simple alfalfa stores its energy in it’s roots. Grass hays store there energy to regrow in the bottom 4 to 5 inch’s of stems . So if you are cutting grass hay at 2 inch’s you are taking half of it’s regrowth potential . So I feel by cutting grass short you are slowly killing it.


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## PaMike (Dec 7, 2013)

I fixed the mounting bushing on my H7230 which helped bring the cutterbar angle up to where it is supposed to be. I have the angle adjustment in the highest mounting and I bought an offset drawbar for my 5120 Maxxum. The maxxum has small rubber on it so it sits low. Even with all these changes my cut height is still pretty darn low, probably about 2". I guess I need the high stubble shoes...


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## Brncntry112 (Jun 8, 2015)

Thanks for the tip Farmerbrown. I didn't know that. I'll have to look at our Kuhn FC302 this week and see what adjustments it has for cutting height and try to cut higher and see what results I get. We bought it new, but have never touched any height adjustments on it. I was young enough at the time to just go mow wherever dad told me to, and he has never been one to mess with settings much. I see there is room for me to learn here, so appreciate everyone's advice.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

FarmerCline said:


> A lot of people do cut too short right down to the dirt and it's hard on the stand .
> 
> Hayden


Location, location, location, I cut around 3", plant straight alfalfa, OG self-seeds, starting from outer edges of field. OG finally takes over complete field by 3rd or 4th year. I've tried cutting lower, to slow down or kill OG, to no avail. Have learned to live with OG mixed stands and would never even think about high lift shoes (cutting at 5"). But understand the need for different cutting heights in different areas of the country.

In my area of the country, I can cut at 3" and within 2 days I have 1"-2" of new growth out of OG.

Larry


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

No doubt the heat(or lack of) plays some factor in Larry's results, but for many of us in more southern latitudes than Larry, we will shorten our stands life rather quickly by cutting Orchard grass short.

Regards, Mike


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Thought I would post some pictures that I took last night of the 'progress' of OG in my situation.

Here is a straight alfalfa field seed 3 years ago (edge of field is on the right side BTW).





  








OG 3year




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r82230


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Here is a straight alfalfa field seed 4 years ago (a little far away, the lighter green is OG).





  








OG 4year




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Here is a straight alfalfa field seed 6 years ago (alfalfa is hiding, being it is a little shorter for some reason or other).





  








OG 6year




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I have OG growing in my lawn in spots, that I cut at even 2" and that doesn't kill it. I have to remember to take a picture a day or two after cutting and post.

Amazing is all I can say on what a difference location makes.

Larry


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here you go, it's been dry here so I only got a 1/2" growth in 24 hours. First picture 7-8 days growth (8-10"), second picture at 3" right after cutting, third picture 3 1/2" 24 hours later.

View media item 7242View media item 7250




  








OG 13




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r82230


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Larry


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here are some pictures of OG, re-growth, I was cutting even lower than 3" in my hay fields (2 1/2", do to lodging of alfalfa).

I didn't have a tape measure with me, so I made do, this is the re-growth of OG less than 48 hours after cutting at 2 1/2".





  








OG High 48 hours




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These two pictures of OG re-growth in 6 days




  








OG High 6 days Cut 2 An half




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OG High 6 days




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This picture is the height (if not down with the lodged alfalfa) when cut.




  








OG High




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YMMV,

Larry


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## skyrydr2 (Oct 25, 2015)

Larry, we have the same results here where I am. Guys that cut high don't benefit from it much at all as it doesn't grow back any better I've noticed. And it looks like they tore the grass off the fields as it is all jagged and messy looking.
We cut pretty low but not in the dirt and we get a pretty nice second cut. 
This year has been crazy with irregular growth on some fields. One field we do normally averages 600-650 bales first cut,this year 1193! Last year same field second cut was 2/3s of first! Not sure whats up with these crazy good yields but we're loving it.
This last field we are doing now is the opposite! Looked heavy when cutting it but dried up to nothing in 24 hrs...probably 75-100 bales less yield. And this field gets fertilized.


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