With spring fieldwork underway, farmers are juggling a long list of jobs. Planters are rolling, fields are getting prepped and every good weather window is maximized.
At the same time, alfalfa fields continue to grow and are inching closer to first cutting. This timing tends to line up with some of the busiest stretches, and when alfalfa reaches the right stage, it becomes the priority, causing other fieldwork to get set aside. And the challenge with planning first cutting is working within a short window where crop conditions can change in a hurry.
First Cutting Sets the Tone for the Year
According to Kimberly Cassida, a Michigan State University forage specialist, the first cutting often represents a third or more of total seasonal forage production. And in shorter growing season regions, it can approach half of a farm’s total yield. Because of that, timing has a strong impact on feed supplies and ration flexibility throughout the year.
Early in the season the crop changes quickly and the decision to cut comes down to balancing higher yield against declining forage quality.
“For any kind of a forage crop, we always have to deal with a trade-off between yield and quality,” Cassida says. “As our forage crop is increasing in yield over time, it’s becoming more mature, and when it’s more mature, that means it has more fiber, more lignin, more cell wall and more stem compared to leaves.”
Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) increases as the crop matures, while digestibility declines faster in first growth than in later cuttings. Crude protein also declines with maturity, which reduces both energy and protein value when harvest is delayed.
“We like to keep NDF around 40% for dairy-quality hay,” Cassida says. “And that level can change by nearly one percentage point per day.”
What to Look for in the Field
Once you understand how fast quality can change, the focus shifts to determining when the stand is ready to cut. Instead of waiting for a certain date, fields can be walked to assess plant stage, height and how development is progressing.
Plant cues and simple measurements do most of the work in narrowing timing. A few field indicators include:
- Stage of growth: “For highest quality, we would like to be harvesting alfalfa at late bud and no later than one‑tenth bloom,” Cassida says. “Once you see purple flowers across the field, you’re past that mark.”
- Plant height: First‑cut alfalfa for high‑quality feed is often in the harvest window when bud‑stage plants are about 28 to 32 inches tall. Cassida notes that many growers aim for a point where “bud‑stage alfalfa is about 26 inches tall” as a dairy‑quality target.
- Bud development: Look for visible buds with little to no purple bloom showing. A few scattered flowers are acceptable; widespread purple signals you are moving out of the dairy window.
- Field variability: Check multiple areas of the field. High spots, low spots, and traffic lanes can all mature at different speeds.
- Rapid change in warm weather: In first cutting, quality can slip fast. RFQ can drop four to five points per day, which Cassida linked to “about $10 per day in value per ton” when hay is headed for premium markets.
Together, these help identify when the crop is entering the harvest window where yield and quality are still in balance.
Regrowth Starts the Clock
The first cutting doesn’t just affect one harvest. It ends up setting the timing for the rest of the season and how the remaining cuttings fall into place.
“This date also determines your second, third, fourth and potentially fifth cutting windows,” Cassida says.
Once the first cutting is made, regrowth starts the clock for the rest of the season. When harvest is delayed, later cuttings can become compressed, reducing flexibility and making it harder to hit optimal timing later in the year.
Delays can also affect plant recovery and overall productivity.
“If you are forced to delay the first cutting due to environmental conditions, this could have negative consequences with a slower regrowth and perhaps a reduction in future yield production,” Cassida says.
Working Within the Window
First cutting carries more weight than any other harvest in the system. It represents a large share of total forage yield, sets the pace for the rest of the season and changes quickly once the crop reaches the bud stage. Weather variability, stand differences and rapid spring growth all influence timing. But combining plant stage, height and regular scouting helps narrow the window.
For most farms, the goal is not just getting it done, but getting it done in a window where yield and quality are still aligned.
