# How much hay to expect per acre.



## Judith (Jan 10, 2003)

Hi,
I was wondering roughly how much hay to expect per acre. Seeded in timothy brome and very thick. I know the past owner got 3 cuttings but he has passed and the realtor doesnt have that type of info. Thanks a bunch
JT


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## poorme (May 12, 2003)

I dunno, it varies widely with geography and management. Where are you? Depends what stage of development you cut it. Maybe 2.5 ton/acre.


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## Terre d'Esprit (Aug 31, 2004)

Judith said:


> Hi,
> I was wondering roughly how much hay to expect per acre. Seeded in timothy brome and very thick. I know the past owner got 3 cuttings but he has passed and the realtor doesnt have that type of info. Thanks a bunch
> JT


Judith-

I'm new at this, so don't take my experience as typical. I moved onto an acreage in April, and will only get 2 cuttings this year. We have a grass/alfalfa mix, over 2 different fields, which sounds much thinner than yours. Our first cutting we got about 2100 pounds per acre on average between the two fields.

I think this is definitely a "your mileage may vary" issue!

T


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## Judith (Jan 10, 2003)

hi, Location is in Manitoba so we are talking serious hay growing country. Both of those figures are great at any rate much better than I had assumed!


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## Ross (May 9, 2002)

To get a decent yeild you have to fertilize, I use 28 13 13 as typical but with soil testing you can change that somewhat. Per acre hay yeild first cut is 100-110 45 lb bales to the acre. so 4500-5000lbs. Second cut is half that and third somewhat less more if you add fertilizer after second cut.


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## cloverfarm (Jun 1, 2004)

Judith said:


> Hi,
> I was wondering roughly how much hay to expect per acre. Seeded in timothy brome and very thick. I know the past owner got 3 cuttings but he has passed and the realtor doesnt have that type of info. Thanks a bunch
> JT


We live in the Great Lakes area and have non-irrigated alfalfa. DH hopes to get 4 tons per acre per year off alfalfa (2 T the first cutting and less with the three later cuttings) Less for grass! Timothy might make only two cuttings, since it is grass not legume like alfalfa. Where we live it is possible to get four cuttings off alfalfa fields. This is pretty intensively managed -- fertilized twice (after 1st and 2nd cutting) and pesticides applied as needed (after scouting)

It also depends on the weather! There's been dry years when we only got one cutting. 

If I were looking at a property in a new area I would talk to teh county agricultural extension agent, or contact the agricultural college in the area, also, for soem information about crop growth in that zone. I guess if it were us, we probably would not relocate unless we knew someone also farming in the area and had talked and talked and talked about it :haha: 

Good luck!
Ann


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