Fescue Second Cutting Question

[tenmile]

North central Mo. Back pasture ( fescue ) was baled in the beginning of July. With the good weather we had this summer I noticed the field had grown a lot by Sept. (but no seed heads on the fescue) The field has never been cut twice in one year. Because of that, in Sept-Oct what Blue Stem grass that is there is taller than the fescue and seeds out in the fall. I have noticed more and more Blue stem in the pasture every year.
So here's my question.
If i was to bale this pasture in mid Sept. to keep the Blue stem from seeding would the hay that is baled have any nutritional value?

Would the cutting and baling in Sept. affect the yield the following July?
Thanks in advance for all advice.

 

[dun]

Is it bluestem or broomsedge? We never get a second cutting and our only cutting is usually anywhere from late may to late june. Cutting it in september will ehlp (as long as the fertility and water is there) and make some good growth in october and november, that's more or less what stockpiling fescue is all about. If I would cut it in spetember I would cuut it taller (leave more residual plant) then the earlier cutting so that it has what it needs to make that fall growth. We get hotter earlier then you and also colder usually then you so your stockpiling season may be earlier then ours. We're South of Lebanon by a little and you know as well as I that the season can be really variable. We get our first cutting then leave it till fall and then graze it until we get freezes that keeps me from being able to water with exposed pipe. Back pasture/hayfield is almost a half mile of poly pipe above ground. Front hay field is only 1/4 mile from hydraunt to temp waterer, also in above ground polypipe.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Is it bluestem or broomsedge? We never get a second cutting and our only cutting is usually anywhere from late may to late june. Cutting it in september will ehlp (as long as the fertility and water is there) and make some good growth in october and november, that's more or less what stockpiling fescue is all about. If I would cut it in spetember I would cuut it taller (leave more residual plant) then the earlier cutting so that it has what it needs to make that fall growth. We get hotter earlier then you and also colder usually then you so your stockpiling season may be earlier then ours. We're South of Lebanon by a little and you know as well as I that the season can be really variable. We get our first cutting then leave it till fall and then graze it until we get freezes that keeps me from being able to water with exposed pipe. Back pasture/hayfield is almost a half mile of poly pipe above ground. Front hay field is only 1/4 mile from hydraunt to temp waterer, also in above ground polypipe.

Dun, you water your pastures? Or do you mean water for the cows to drink?

 

[dun]

Dun, you water your pastures? Or do you mean water for the cows to drink?

I mean rainfall!

 

[Tim/South]

Is it bluestem or broomsedge?

This is an important question. Two completely different grasses.

 

[tom4018]

We had some fescue second cutting test 11% protein and a RFV of 76 this fall.

 

[kenny thomas]

My thought is that if you are not cutting the first cutting until early July the second cutting should be lots better than the first.

 

[Tim/South]

My thought is that if you are not cutting the first cutting until early July the second cutting should be lots better than the first.

I agree.
I know we are further south but we first cut Fescue the second week in May. The other cutting is in early fall, usually has some other grasses in the mix then.

 

[tenmile]

I bale around the 4th of July or after. Never before. I was told that the hay has better nutrition if the stem turns brown below the seed head. I'm not apposed to baling earlier if I know the hay is as good and I can bale again in Sept. and it would help keep the blue stem from maturing with seed heads.

 

[dun]

I bale around the 4th of July or after. Never before. I was told that the hay has better nutrition if the stem turns brown below the seed head. I'm not apposed to baling earlier if I know the hay is as good and I can bale again in Sept. and it would help keep the blue stem from maturing with seed heads.

The hay is better quality when it is only about 1/3 to 2/3 set seed. The longer you wait past that the lower the protein level of the hay is.

 

[Angus Cowman]

Your best quality of hay is before it even makes stems but you lose alot of tonnage so like Dun said to even out for quality and quantity when about 1/3 of the field is starting to put on seed heads is a good time to cut
I cut ALOT of fescue in late sept early Oct that has tested 12% protein
If you are waiting til the stem is brown i would guess your hay won't test more than 7% protien and the RFV will be really low
I would say you are cutting 2 weeks to late fot reslly good quality when I was in southern Mo I usually started first cutting around the 10th of May
Alot of yrs I was getting a 2nd cutting around the 2 nd week of July on good fertilized hay ground if we had the rain fall and then a 3rd cut in Early Oct or Late sept

 

[fitz]

I bale around the 4th of July or after. Never before. I was told that the hay has better nutrition if the stem turns brown below the seed head. I'm not apposed to baling earlier if I know the hay is as good and I can bale again in Sept. and it would help keep the blue stem from maturing with seed heads.

Here by that time I'm thinking about a second cutting if the moisture has been sufficient. The first cutting is around the first week to mid May. It's often hard to get it done with the showers. I like to cut when it begins to boot. Much later and it will start getting rank.

 

[Tim/South]

I bale around the 4th of July or after. Never before. I was told that the hay has better nutrition if the stem turns brown below the seed head. I'm not apposed to baling earlier if I know the hay is as good and I can bale again in Sept. and it would help keep the blue stem from maturing with seed heads.

The advice about the stem turning brown would be more to help in curing the hay than nutrition value.
Is the other grass bluestem or sage grass? Some times they are confused with each other.

 

[Lucky22]

I have Fescue that is about 1 1/2 in high and I was wondering if I needed to fertilizer to help it grow more before I first cut, just now getting into this and could use any help. Thanks

 

[dun]

I have Fescue that is about 1 1/2 in high and I was wondering if I needed to fertilizer to help it grow more before I first cut, just now getting into this and could use any help. Thanks

Depends on the upcoming weather conditions between now and when you plan to cut.

 

[Tim/South]

I have Fescue that is about 1 1/2 in high and I was wondering if I needed to fertilizer to help it grow more before I first cut, just now getting into this and could use any help. Thanks

We fertilize our fescue hay field the last of February, cut in mid May.
Fescue is a cool season grass. It will remain green during the heat and cold, produces forage when it is cool. We usually look for a 4 or 5 day weather window when we cut in May. Usually have to run the tedder to get it dry enough to roll with the cool nights.

 

[tenmile]

Weather permitting I will try to bale around the first of June and then see if I can bale mid to late Sept. I am after 2 different goals.
1. I could use more bales to help make it thru the winter if the nutrition is there.
2. To keep the blue stem from seeding in the fall

 

[fitz]

Weather permitting I will try to bale around the first of June and then see if I can bale mid to late Sept. I am after 2 different goals.
1. I could use more bales to help make it thru the winter if the nutrition is there.
2. To keep the blue stem from seeding in the fall

It is a good way to clean things up. If I have plenty of hay I often will just let it go if it's getting late in the year. Year before last I let a neighbor cut a couple fields late. The next spring was a little off on production. Stands to reason as there wasn't as much carry over undergrowth available.
I don't test my hay for nutrition value but the cows will fight over that second cutting. I always save it to feed last.