hay

[sparkle]

Just wondering...

:

does anyone have a preference over first or second cut hay?

I talked to my grain rep (the one who suggested the diet change on my minis) and he didn't seem to have any issues with second cut hay. I know that second cut is more protein rich, but if fed properly, is it okay?

My girls had some of it last year (if my hubby would pick up hay from the wrong pile at the storage barn) and they seemed to LOVE it, where they would pick more at the first cut.

Second cut seems to stay greener and is finer??

Just wondering what others do.

Thanks for your help!

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[wcr]

I won't feed first cutting unless I am desparate. It is too stemy and in my opinion cattle feed. The horses pick at it, waste it and you are paying for stems not leaf. Second cutting has finer stems, leafier and more palatable for the horses.

 

[chandab]

While I agree that second cut is the finer, leafier cut, so excellent feed for horses (less wastage)... We only get one cut around here (dryland with short growing season), so I take what I can get and feed the best that we have available. I feed mostly grass hay, so it's less of an issue than when feeding an alfalfa mix.

 

[Sterling]

If second cut is not available I'll feed first cut. But my preference (and my horse's) is second cut. When I feed first cut I do get alot of wasted hay. And unfortunately first cut this year is right there in price with second cut.

 

[justjinx]

we prefer 2nd or third cutting hay but usually end up with some first cutting also (we purchase ours). first cutting is usually stemmier and we try to use that just for the big horses. the stemmier hay can create colic problems in the minis (per our vet) so we try to feed the softest hay we can to the minis. jennifer :saludando:

 

[Jill]

We got some first cutting earlier this year that was awesome and VERY soft. It was hard to believe it was 1st cutting but now we have 2nd cutting from the same farm and it is just completely gorgeous. I swear, it looks and smells so good I think I'd even like to eat it!

 

[yankee_minis]

Our 1st cut last year was soooo great-- very fine and not coarse at all. We liked it and requested it even after the 2nd cut came along. The second cut was stemmy and coarse and straw-like. We got a lot of waste with that.

Last year was a great year for hay but this year is going to be tough. Too much rain.

 

[ChrystalPaths]

Here in NY, I get 1st cut, I have seen this year's already and it is soft and grena nd wonderful just like very year I've gotten it. So, not all 1st cut is cow feed really.

 

[Bluebell]

Depends on the area, the rain fall, how mature the hay is when cut and what grasses the hay field is seeded to. We grow our own hay and i like first cutting as it has more timothy, brome and less alfalfa in it. We cut before it gets too ripe/old. Our second cutting always has more alfalfa as it takes over the grasses so that is cattle hay and Belgian horse hay. It is normally drier here for the growth of the 2nd crop. But sometimes a 2nd cutting field can surprise me and end up being 1/2 and half yet so then i take some of that for the horses.