OSU Extension: Hay season is underway, here is what you need to know

Oct 18, 2023

Hay season is officially underway! The trade-off between quality and quantity can be a delicate compromise.

Dry conditions are expected for the next couple of weeks in our area. Haymakers, take advantage of this extended window of opportunity for harvest! After first cutting, consider applying some fertilizer to give grass a good boost for second cutting. Nitrogen in the form of urea will require at least a half inch of rainfall within four days to become active in the soil and reduce the risk of nitrogen volatilization. So, wait for rain to be in the forecast before you apply urea. Also, watch for problematic weeds that tend to show up around this time and cause issues for second cutting.

Making hay in May and early June is worthy of celebration because the most influential factor on forage quality is plant maturity. As grasses and legumes emerge from the soil in springtime, energy is allocated to leaf production. This is the vegetative stage of growth. The leaves are the most nutritious part of forage crops for livestock to consume either by grazing or as stored feed. It is ideal to harvest forages before they bloom. In legumes, the ideal stage for harvest is "early bud" and for grasses the ideal stage is "early boot". Both stages describe the time in which the balance between nutritional value and yield is maximized before the flower fully emerges.

As temperatures heat up and time passes, plants progress from the vegetative phase to the reproductive phase of growth. In this window of time, the plants are allocating energy to the production of a flower. After flowering, energy is allocated to seed fill. While the focus is shifted to reproduction, leaves and stems become less nutritious and accumulate fiber. The increase of fiber in the stems and leaves helps support the flower and seed head as the plants become heavier.

As fiber increases, the forage becomes more difficult for animals to fully digest. Animals eat less because it takes longer for food to pass through their digestive tract. The greater the amount of fiber in the forage, the lower the nutritional value for livestock, thus the more they must eat to maintain weight. When the rate of consumption cannot adequately supply nutrients to the animal, weight gain stalls and production ability of the animal decreases.

In simple terms, if the weather allows, harvest should be accomplished before grasses and legumes begin producing seed. Having good weather now gives the hay maker the opportunity to achieve a timely first harvest and improves the odds of getting good results in subsequent cuttings in the same hay season.

Please be safe out in the field and avoid rushing through tasks. It looks like we will have plenty of time for hay to dry down. Take the gift of dry conditions to give yourself time to maintain your machinery, your stamina, and your focus.

Source– Christine Gelley, Agriculture and Natural Resources Educator, Noble County OSU Extension

The quality of early made hay is much better than most years and will be more digestible. Last year when a field of hay was made on the Penrose Family Farm n early May, they noticed how fast the animals ate that hay last winter. That may need to be a consideration when estimating how much hay we will need for the winter if your hay quality is better than most years. This is a good thing though. Your animals will have better nutrition and should make it through the winter in better condition, reducing birthing issues after the first of the year.

Another issue we need to be aware of is the potential of reduced first cutting yields. How we can off-set this is the potential for an extra cutting or even stockpiling fields after second or third cutting to graze later in the fall or winter.

One other real advantage of early made hay was noticed from the early cut hay last year was when we fed the round bales of hay, there were no weeds yet in the hay.

Even though you might experience your hay yields are just a little lower you will most likely have good quality hay. The goal will be to take a second cutting off some of the fields, then stockpile. Getting hay made has allowed new growth to start while there was still some a bit of moisture still left in the ground. If we do get some rain, hopefully we can have a second cutting.

And yes, the most important impact of getting hay done early: you now now have the month of June to work on other things around the farm.

Source– Chris Penrose, Extension Educator, Morgan County

LAWN CARE TIPS without RAINFALL - Don't forget in the current dought like conditions we are experiencing. Consider raising your mower height to 3-3.5 inches to result in a denser, healthier lawn and maybe even skip a lawn mowing for the week. As small as they are, longer grass blades mean more photosynthesis and stronger, deeper grass roots. The grass blades also shade the grass crowns and soil, keeping them cooler during times of dry weather.