When is the best time to cut hay?
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- čas přidán 6. 07. 2024
- The big question on every farmers mind this time of year is When should I cut my hay? Well this question can be answered in many different ways by many different people, but for us, there is a fine balance that we look for between quality & quantity.
USDA Resource on Forage Harvest Management: bit.ly/3ftWWdG
OSU Resources on Hay & Forage: forages.oregonstate.edu/orego...
Learn more about our farm at www.RoppFamilyFarm.com - Jak na to + styl
If I could tell you a story that relates to good quality hay. In the very early spring when the Sun is out, it warms up the sap in the maple tree and it rises up into the entire tree to feed it. However, at night this sap drains back down the tree so it won't freeze. This process continues till warm weather stay with us and there are no chances of frost.
The same pretty much applies to a hay field. Cutting the hay early morning only gets you bulk, the sap has only started up the plant. So if you want good quality hay start cutting it about 2 in the afternoon. (It will be full of nutritional sap)
Stop cutting the hay field about 6 or 7 O'Clock as the sap starts to drain back into the roots. If you have a Refractometer you can measure the sap sugar and basically prove the above.
The chart you have starting at 0:58, could i get where you sourced that from? I'm trying to do research on sugar content and am up north of you by McMinnville/Newberg.