This year's second cutting yield

[RichZ]

This was our first year on our new farm. We hayed about 60 acres and we were happy with our first cutting yield, but our second cutting yield was about 1/4 of the first cutting. I expected more, but it's our first year, so I wasn't sure. I asked several neighbors, and most said the second cutting this year was less than they expected, as well. Next year we'll do our first cutting earlier. We just moved this year, and moving a farm with lots of livestock is not an easy task, so our first cutting was late, we didn't start until July. Next year, weather permitting, we'll try to start at least a month earlier. I realize it'll take us a while to figure out a routine on our new farm.

So, how was everyone else's second cutting this year? I know many of you to the south of us (we're in upstate New York) can do more than 2 cuttings, but I'd be happy with 2 good cuttings here. We just finished our second cutting yesterday, and it was already taking a long time to dry, it's getting colder at night, causing a lot more dew. So it's not likely we can make hay past September.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Did you get any rain? We got less than two inches in August. I dug some post holes and the ground was powder dry all the way to the bottom. Our grass was growing much more slowly than normal.

 

[RichZ]

Our rainfall was less than it usually was, which, I'm sure was a factor in our reduced yield.

 

[rankrank1]

Well this year was funny in many areas. Lots of us did not get first cutting done until the time of year that 2nd cutting would normally be done due to extreme wetness or simply a light rain every other day or every 2 days preventing us a window to even attempt to do hay.

So in my situation: I did not do first cutting until July and that yield was fine except I would normally be doing my 2nd cutting in July (regardless that yield was fine). However, getting such a late 1st cutting moved my 2nd cutting into late August/Early September which would normally be when my 3rd cutting occurrs. If I look at that yield as a 2nd cutting then yes it was indeed low. However, if I look at it from the perspective of the time of the year it is and consider that this would normally be a 3rd cutting then it was about spot on yield wise when viewed as a 3rd cutting typical yield.

Anyway, I had less hay to sell this year due to getting such a late first cutting which sounds sorta like your situation. In essence, you (like me) did your first cutting at the time of the year when that should have been your 2nd cutting. We totally missed the month of June as a regrowth time which would have been nice regrowth period. Your yield (and my yield) are basically short whatever we would have gotten out of typical 2nd cutting during a normal year.

 

[Fluid]

This was our first year on our new farm. We hayed about 60 acres and we were happy with our first cutting yield, but our second cutting yield was about 1/4 of the first cutting. I expected more, but it's our first year, so I wasn't sure. I asked several neighbors, and most said the second cutting this year was less than they expected, as well. Next year we'll do our first cutting earlier. We just moved this year, and moving a farm with lots of livestock is not an easy task, so our first cutting was late, we didn't start until July. Next year, weather permitting, we'll try to start at least a month earlier. I realize it'll take us a while to figure out a routine on our new farm.

So, how was everyone else's second cutting this year? I know many of you to the south of us (we're in upstate New York) can do more than 2 cuttings, but I'd be happy with 2 good cuttings here. We just finished our second cutting yesterday, and it was already taking a long time to dry, it's getting colder at night, causing a lot more dew. So it's not likely we can make hay past September.

What are you using to cut your hay and how short are you cutting it (how long is the hay in the ground after you have cut)? We just got our second cut in and we did much better then the first cutting. I lift the hay long after my first cut because it was so dry and it payed off on the second cutting. We have 5 horses, 1 donkey, 4 goats that we need hay for and we have more then enough to last though the winter. I hay barn is stuffed full. This spring I was hoping for three cuts but it was a dry spring so I lift more stalk in the field so the sun couldn't bake the ground, the taller hay shaded the earth and it got very dense fir the second cut so I didn't need three cuts to fill the barn.

 

[RichZ]

We cut our hay with a New Holland haybine. I really didn't measure the second cutting length, as it was time to cut whatever we had. It was shorter than second cutting usually is, but I still didn't expect the poor yield. I'll have to buy some hay to get through the winter and hope for better results next year.

 

[Fluid]

We cut our hay with a New Holland haybine. I really didn't measure the second cutting length, as it was time to cut whatever we had. It was shorter than second cutting usually is, but I still didn't expect the poor yield. I'll have to buy some hay to get through the winter and hope for better results next year.

I was just wondering, do you have horses or cows that you feed? I hope you have better luck next year.

 

[RichZ]

We have 15 horses...9 full sized horses, 2 full sized ponies, 3 mini horses and a Shetland pony. We also have goats, sheep, llamas and alpacas.

I think starting our haying earlier next year will help our yield. With moving to the new farm, we started haying much later than we used to.

 

[Fluid]

Yes, starting earlier in the year will help your yield for sure. You say you have llamas and alpacas, do they need to eat horse quality hay?

We don't have the numbers you have. We have 2 draft horses, 1 full size horse, 1 mini, 1 shetland, 1 donkey, 4 goats. All but 1 are rescue animals. We love them all.

 

[RichZ]

Fluid, all of our horses but one are rescues, and our llamas and alpacas are rescues, as well. Our goats and sheep are the remnants of our diary goat farm and our fiber sheep. Feed prices put us out of the dairy goat business, but every one of our 125 goats had names and were pets, as are all of our other animals. We sold many of our milking does to other diary goat farms, but we kept many of them as pets. The sheep are all pets, too.

The llamas and alpacas don't need horse quality hay. In fact I like our hay to be a little weedy. Weeds typically are more nutritious than grass, so weedy hay is actually more nutritious.

 

[Fluid]

RichZ, That's very cool of you folks to have names for all those pets. Its nice to hear of people like you that save animals, gives me hope in mankind. Bless you and thank you for all you do for your animals. I hope to read more from you in the future. Best regards; Fluid

 

[RichZ]

Thanks Fluid. We moved to a larger farm this year to be able to accommodate more animals. When we moved, we had 8 horses, now we have 15, and we just can't afford anymore. I just hope no one else calls us with a horse (or other large animal) who needs a home, because it's very difficult to say no.