There is much debate about when to make the first cutting of hay this year. Some are promoting cutting it right on time while others are promoting cutting a week or two later than normal to allow the plants to more fully recover from the hard freeze in April. Both sides are right and both sides are wrong.

For producers who do not have dairy, the priority is most likely stand longevity. These producers should probably cut the hay a week or two later than normal. This will allow the plants to more fully recover before the first cutting is made. Subsequent cuttings will be pushed back on the calendar, which may pose complications in the fall as we do not want to cut hay between the first week in September and the last week of October in order to, again, promote stand longevity.

For producers whose priority is high quality (dairy) forage, the crop needs to be made on time because quality declines with time. These producers will need to “take their lumps” in terms of stand longevity.

Complicating the issue is that some fields are experiencing extensive leaf disease injury. Normally the recommendation for those fields would be to cut early to retain as much of the leafy material as possible. However, because of the stress of April, producers who are more concerned with stand longevity than with first-cutting hay quality may opt to not follow the normal recommendation and harvest later instead.

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