Difference Between First And Second Cut Timothy Hay

Farmers and animal lovers have been arguing for years about whether there is much of a difference between first and second cut or even third or fourth cut not often available up here and i have my own opinions about it having been buying tasting and.

Difference between first and second cut timothy hay.

This hay is greener than 1st cut and not as stemy. Timothy hay is an excellent source of roughage for equine diets. Many believe that the nutritional quality of first cutting timothy hay is inferior to the second cutting. A high leaf to stem ratio.

Usually the 1st cut timothy hay is very hard with lots of stems and seed heads. It is greener than the 1st cut. Most pigs don t like the 1st cut. Fresh smell and appearance.

The terms first and second cut refer to the number of times that hay is harvested and the maturity level of each cutting within a growing season. 2nd cut hay is very rich in nuturients. The amount of hay cuttings in a given season depends on a number of things rain heat geography. You have to rake this crop of hay more than the 1st cut because it is heavier and thicker.

2nd cut timothy hay is better and has a few stems but a lot of soft leafy pieces that pigs love. It may be weedy too so watch out. Hay that is at the proper maturity has. The term first cut refers to the hay produced from the first cutting while second cut hay refers to that which was cut the second time and so on.

Click on the link to order 2nd cut timothy hay 2nd cut hay. By late spring or early summer the hay is ready to be harvested for the first time of the growing season. There are several key differences between first second and third cut hays but we ll summarise the most important distinctions below. It dries quicker it may have quack grass timothy brome.

The protein and fat content is a little higher than 1st cut and the fiber level is a bit lower. Coarse timothy hay is known for its high fiber and low protein making it a great food source for adult rabbits guinea pigs and chinchillas. Once you ve identified your horse s needs a visual inspection of hay will give you the first clue about the maturity of the hay. First cut hay usually contains relatively thin.

Those are just a few examples of how the ideal type and quality of hay can vary between horses. Horsemen often have to decide if they should purchase the first or second cutting of timothy hay for their horses. It usually has more leaves on the stems which is more attractive to your rabbit. Second cut hay is a good hay for healthy adult rabbits.

In ontario we usually have one or two cuttings per year depending upon the region varieties planted and environmental factors such as rain.