Ask SAM: Time hay harvest with flowering

This column is provided by Larimer County Extension's Small Acreage Management (SAM) Program to assist rural residents.

Dear SAM,

I have an eight-acre hay field. When should I cut it?

Maggie S.

Dear Maggie,

Cut your hay when you're absolutely sure the sun will be shining for the next five days. Unfortunately, that's a tough recommendation to follow.

Here in Larimer County, we grow alfalfa, grass and mixed alfalfa/grass hay. Harvest timing depends on the type of hay and what will be eating it.

For the best balance of high nutrition and yield, alfalfa should be cut when 10 percent of the flowers have bloomed. As the plants mature beyond that stage, yield will increase but nutritional value will decline.

If the hay is destined for a dairy, declining feed value could be a big concern, and it is better to cut too early rather than too late. Feed value is of less concern if a backyard pet animal is going to eat the hay.

If alfalfa weevils are a problem in June, cut your hay early. You will salvage leafier hay by harvesting before the weevil larvae have done too much damage. You will also upset the weevils' reproductive cycle by preventing the larvae from maturing into adults.

To balance high yields with good nutrition, grass hay should be harvested in the boot stage - when the seed head is in the stalk but has not yet emerged. Not all plants mature at the same rate. When about 10 percent of the field has seed heads showing, a majority of the field should be at the ideal stage.

Mixed alfalfa/grass hay is usually harvested based on the growth stage of the alfalfa.

Much of the hay grown in Larimer County is fed to horses. And many of those horses are living the good life - hanging out down at the fence chewing some grass with the boys. Horses on a maintenance diet do not need the highest quality forages. They will do well with a high-roughage/low-nutrient hay.

You can harvest more feed for horses on a maintenance diet by cutting hay later than the guidelines listed above. While the protein concentration will be lower, it will still be sufficient in alfalfa and most grasses, plus you will get more tons of hay per acre. Grass and alfalfa hay cut at full bloom will satisfy the roughage needs of nonworking horses. If needed, a small amount of grain can be fed to compensate for the lower nutrition in the late-cut hay.

Many small acreage owners rely on custom hay operators to cut and bale their hay. Because there are more property owners than custom hay services, you cannot always choose the day your hay will be cut. In that case, the ideal time to harvest your hay is when someone can show up to do it.

SAM

Have a question about rural living? Write to Ask SAM, Larimer County Cooperative Extension, P.O. Box 543, Fort Collins, CO 80522.