# Hay Question, 1st Cutting vs 2nd Cutting?



## happychick

Last fall when I was stocking up on hay for the winter I asked the man I get my hay from when he would have more in the spring. He commented the 'first cutting' most horse owners stayed away from. Why would this be?? Does it make any difference?


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## Irish Pixie

happychick said:


> Last fall when I was stocking up on hay for the winter I asked the man I get my hay from when he would have more in the spring. He commented the 'first cutting' most horse owners stayed away from. Why would this be?? Does it make any difference?


First cutting hay is almost always coarser and has more weeds than 2nd or 3rd cutting.


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## jennigrey

More stem, less leaf. The weed thing isn't so much an issue with commercially-produced hay. Farmer-hay, maybe. Depends on the climate. Myself, I like first cutting because my horses don't blast through it. Gives them something to do all day. The first-cutting timothy I'm feeding is pretty coarse. We had some GORGEOUS third-cutting orchard grass that didn't seem to have a single stem in the whole bale - nothing but leaf! The horses practically snorted it, in no time flat, then complained the rest of the day. Same amount of hay, by weight.


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## arabian knight

Yes the first crop is coarser. SO saying that I always buy the 2nd cutting, even the 3rd is good. But not the first if at all possible.
Especially having minis. The mare I had that is in my avatar in the car, she had colic 3 times, on course hay a mixture of alfalfa/grass.
My vet said No More mixture hay, Stay with just nice soft grass hay, and that is what I have done now for years and never have had a problem since with colic.
Like my vet said Alfalfa is for cattle not horses. He also had his own organic dairy operation, milking 65 cows.
But in his vet practice would only see horses, not cattle. He had his own practice for years in Texas, then moved back on his Grandpa's farm to practice vet medicine, and run a dairy operation at the same time.


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## Teej

We buy our round bales from 1st cutting. Square bales from 2nd. My minis have a hard time with 1st cutting hay too although not with colic, they just seem to not be able to eat it very well and end up wasting most of it. All of our hay is grass although the guy we buy it from must have given us some from a different field because a few of the square bales have a little alfalfa in them. My fatsos don't need even a little, but they sure do like it.


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## EasyDay

I use my first cutting for goat hay because they seem to prefer the coarser stuff. The second (and subsequent) cuttings are for horse hay. By the second cutting, the orchard grass is really leafy and the horses love it.


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## jwal10

Shorter, finer stem. More, bigger leaves, better quality overall since it is usually warmer, higher protein. 3rd cutting is usually even better where 4 cuttings are possible. Even clover/grass hay is the same. Better conditions, ie less rain, more sun, less dust, less chance of mold. Especially in western Oregon where it can be tough getting good hay put up without rain. I grew alfalfa, clover and grass/clover hay for 20 years....James


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## happychick

Thanks for all the replies everyone, I learned something new here. I guess in the future I will buy more hay in the fall so I can skip the first cutting.


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## malinda

First cutting is preferred for horses around here. Of course horses like second and third cuttings, but it can sometimes be too rich, especially if it contains clover or alfalfa.


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## happychick

I always make sure I NEVER get more then 50% alfalfa. I prefer 100% grass hay, but it can be REALLY hard to get around here. I usually settle with a 60% grass-40% alfalfa mix.


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