Hay question??

[vicklynn]

If your buying hay and its first cutting, yet it seeded, is it better than or less than(in protein)better or not?

[WashingtonBay]

Some think it's lesser hay, but I like hay with the seed heads on it.... it helps reseed my pasture. :)

[Dogote]

agreed lol

[vicklynn]

I mean after the hay seeds, not before.

[natisha]

I've found that after the grass goes to seed it tends to get coarse & stemmy, depending on what kind of hay it is. I don't mind the heads if the hay is still soft.

[vicklynn]

I guess I didnt make my question clear.
Is hay that has gone to seed, no seeds left on the head, better or worse than 2nd cutting??

[Peggy Sue]

depends on a billion other factors

without testing cant' say

[natisha]

Ok, I get you now :). Only testing can tell you how much protein, nutrients & sugars are in the hay, comparing one cutting to another.
On a more simple level, generally first cutting tends to be weedier & more grassy (if it is a A/G mix) A late growth cutting tends to have less protein than one cut at an earlier growth stage. Sugar/glucose content seems to have more to do with the time of day the hay was cut & what the weather conditions were before the cutting. I am no expert in this & am just giving you information I've observed from my own harvesting & analysis of the hay.
I really dread haying season. I stress over when to cut, how much to take from each cutting, what is best for each horse & so on. I wish there were an easy answer.

[moka]

Our farm manager thinks or says that it is less in protein once the grass has gone to seed. He really wants to hay before it goes to seed. He thinks it is nutritionally better. I have never really pinned him down to where he gets his info from. But the hay is good.

[vicklynn]

Ok, thats what I thought. Get 1st cutting before it drops seeds, or get 2nd cutting.
Ive only had one person tell me that getting 1st cutting after it seeds is still better than 2nd cutting.
I thought that was odd.
Thing is, this yr, we have had so much rain, the fields couldnt be cut until after the fields seeded, so its gonna be a hard start for hay this yr, here anyway.
Ill have to supplement for awhile with something for extra protein.
Thank you for your replies(now that I got the question right...LOL)

[Peggy Sue]

actually depending on how much you are feeding you should be fine...