Cutting hay

Make hay in May for best quality, yield

May 9, 2025 | By Harley Naumann, University of Missouri Extension

COLUMBIA, Mo. — For yield and quality, May is the best time to harvest cool-season grasses, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Harley Naumann. May is when cool-season grasses transition from the vegetative stage to the reproductive stage. Many grasses such as tall fescue, orchard grass and Kentucky bluegrass are already flowering in…

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Cut hay now and cut it high for best yield, persistence

May 14, 2023 | By Linda Geist, University of Missouri Extension

COLUMBIA, Mo. — It’s time to make the first cutting of hay in Missouri, says University of Missouri Extension state forage specialist Craig Roberts. Waiting too long leads to poor-quality feed for livestock next winter. For best quality, harvest hay in May before seed heads pollinate, says Roberts. Early cutting helps pastures reset for later,…

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