To cut or not to cut

[jemski]

I set aside about 6 acres to cut for haylage. It had fert in the autumn but not this spring, as it was doing well and we had no rain in March or April. Anyway, it started looking pretty yellow and stopped growing before the recent rain. It's now greened up, but is already shooting up seed heads but it's only mid calf height. I was hoping to cut in early June and then graze it after weaning.

Do I...

A. Cut it now then graze after weaning.
B. Graze it now, spread some fym (sheep and horse) then hope for a cut later on.
C. Graze it now and then spread some bagged fert and hope for a cut later
D. Graze it and give up on getting a cut off of it, spread some fym at some point.
E. Other.

Its a festulolium and clover mix. I was hoping the clover would be providing enough feed for the grass by now but it's too hungry. What would be the average difference in analysis to a decent meadow haylage cut around now?

 

[lamb89]

Cut it if it's gone to head.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Cut it, spread some sh!t on it then graze later....definitely don't cut it then spread sh!t on and try and cut it later

 

[RushesToo]

Cut it, there will be a shortage this year. Everyone lost 2 months due to the dry. It won't come back.

 

[Ducati899]

cut it,looks like a good week for us as well weather wise

 

[yellowbelly]

I'm with everybody else @jemski - get the mower on and 'bank' what you've got. Forecast looks good for the week ahead.

 

[jemski]

Ok, thank you everyone! Will get the mower greased up and ready to go tomorrow.... Now the question is do I cut the headland round one of the hay fields too? Get some nice young haylage, and make it more worthwhile for the contractors?

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Cut the headrigs off all your fields for silage.....makes making hay much easier without the headrigs

 

[Henarar]

Cut it, there will be a shortage this year. Everyone lost 2 months due to the dry. It won't come back.

must be dryer where you are then, I was glad to see it stop raining and cut some this morning, things will have to change for there to be any shortage around here this summer or next winter

 

[jemski]

Cut the headrigs off all your fields for silage.....makes making hay much easier without the headrigs

Yes I always do, but normally a bit later as it's mostly for horses and also have only just shut up some fields. But I've got 2 that have been shut up since March that have a good bit of growth.
Only problem is if I go too early I get a lot of re growth before cutting hay...

 

[Northeastfarmer]

Yes I always do, but normally a bit later as it's mostly for horses and also have only just shut up some fields. But I've got 2 that have been shut up since March that have a good bit of growth.
Only problem is if I go too early I get a lot of re growth before cutting hay...

You/we might get hay making weather into June so it won't of grown too much...it's just the risk you'll have to take...I like the headrigs gone

 

[jemski]

Thanks everyone! I cut it this morning, not much there but more than I thought...

 

[Bury the Trash]

You/we might get hay making weather into June so it won't of grown too much...it's just the risk you'll have to take...I like the headrigs gone

wtf is headrigs.....

 

[spin cycle]

wtf is headrigs.....

oop north for headlands ?

that piece looks bigger than 6 acres

 

[Bury the Trash]

angle of camera possibly but it looks more like 16

 

[jemski]

It's the camera angle! Whole field is 20 acres and it's about a third of it. Might be 7-8 but no more.

 

[bobk]

Thanks everyone! I cut it this morning, not much there but more than I thought...

That should make rocket fuel haylage but could also disappear in this sunshine .

 

[Northeastfarmer]

wtf is headrigs.....

The bit at each end of your field

 

[spin cycle]

The bit at each end of your field

what do you call the bits on the sides?

 

[Bury the Trash]

The bit at each end of your field

oh ..