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Harvest, Storage & Post-Harvest TimingHarvest Timing for Hay and Forage
Hay quality is set the day you cut, and the most useful clock is the plant's growth stage, not the calendar or what the neighbors are doing.
Key points
- Judge first cut by growth stage, not by date.
- You can usually have two of three: yield, quality, stand life.
- Match forage maturity to the animals that will eat it.
- Use PEAQ or scissors clipping and allow for harvest losses.
Why use growth stage instead of the calendar?
Iowa State University Extension advises judging first cut by development stage, not by date or by when neighbors start mowing. Alfalfa moves through early bud, late bud, early bloom, full bloom and seed pod, and quality drops quickly as the plant matures.
A warm spring can shift the whole schedule by days or weeks. Last year's date may not fit this year, so scout your fields.
What trade-offs are you making?
Extension specialists describe a three-way trade-off between yield, forage quality and stand life. You can usually reach two of them, not all three. Cutting at bud stage on a shorter interval gives higher quality but less tonnage and puts more stress on the stand. Cutting nearer full bloom on a longer interval gives more tonnage and longer stand life but lower quality.
South Dakota State University Extension describes these options with typical cutting intervals, and your own state extension service will have numbers tuned to your climate and varieties.
What should your livestock decide?
Match the hay to the animal. High performance animals such as lactating dairy cows need early to mid-bud forage, according to Iowa State. Beef cows can use forage cut from late bud to mid-bloom, and animals with lower needs, such as dry ewes, can use full bloom hay.
If you are making hay for sale, ask buyers what quality they want. A forage test can tell you what you have and what it is worth.
If you feed your own animals, weigh the cost of buying higher quality hay against the cost of earlier, more frequent cutting. Both are valid choices, and the right one depends on the herd and the farm.
How do you estimate quality in the field?
Iowa State describes two on-farm methods. PEAQ uses the maturity of the most mature stem and the height of the tallest stem in a sample area to estimate quality from a chart or stick. Scissors clipping means clipping samples at harvest height from several spots and sending them to a lab. Both are best used a few times a week before the first cut.
Remember to allow for harvest and storage losses, which can be around ten to fifteen percent according to the same source. Ask your extension office where to find PEAQ charts and lab services.
What about grass and mixed stands?
For grass dominated stands, Iowa State suggests cutting at seed head emergence or shortly after for most livestock. Waiting longer adds little yield and lowers feeding value. Alfalfa grass mixes need a compromise, and the more grass in the stand, the more grass timing matters.
Different grasses and legumes mature at different rates, so check species information from your extension office.
Fertility affects stand quality too. Use a soil test and local recommendations to decide on nutrients, since nutrient management rules vary by state.
How does weather change the cut?
Hay needs several dry days to cure, and rain on cut hay lowers quality and can cause mold. Check the forecast, and cut when you can reasonably expect a window to dry and bale. If you are behind schedule, cutting at an earlier stage may help you fit in the cuttings you want, depending on the weather.
Baling hay too wet can cause heating and, in the worst cases, fire. Follow extension guidance on moisture at baling and on checking stacked hay.
What about the fall cut?
A late fall cut can be added, but South Dakota State University Extension notes that fall cuts are hard on stand longevity. Many extension programs advise leaving enough regrowth time before the first killing frost so the plants can build reserves for winter. Ask your extension office for the rule that fits your climate and variety.
Stand age, variety and winter hardiness all influence how risky a late cut is, so be careful in northern areas and in older stands. Check recent university recommendations for your state.
Timing at a glance
| Item | Window | Caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Alfalfa first bud stage, Iowa | Buds typically appear around mid-May in Iowa, per Iowa State University Extension. | A warm spring can shift this by days or weeks, so scout by growth stage and use your own frost and spring temperature record. |
Sources and further reading
Last reviewed: November 2026. Educational information, ranges only. Confirm timing with your county extension office.