Ask three hay buyers what "first cutting" means and you'll get three answers — and at least one strong opinion about which cutting is "best." The truth is there's no single best cutting hay. First, second, and third cutting each come off the field with a different balance of yield, fiber, protein, and sugar, and the right one depends entirely on what's eating it. Here's how the cuttings actually differ, what farmers who bale and sell it every year have learned, and why a hay test beats the cutting number on the tag.
Quick answer: First cutting is the highest-yielding, stemmier, higher-fiber crop with the most grass and weeds — good roughage for beef cows and easy-keeper horses. Second cutting is leafier and more balanced, usually higher in protein and energy. Third (and later) cuttings are the leafiest, richest, and lowest in fiber — great for dairy and hard-keepers, but often too "hot" (high protein and sugar) for idle horses. No cutting is universally best; match the cutting to the animal, and let a hay test — not the number — make the final call.
What "cutting" actually means
A "cutting" is simply one harvest of a hayfield in a growing season. The first cutting is what grows over winter and spring and comes off first; after the plants regrow, the second cutting follows several weeks later, then a third, and in long seasons a fourth or fifth. Each regrowth happens under different conditions — day length, heat, moisture, plant maturity — and those conditions, more than the number itself, are what change the hay. How many cuttings you get and how much each yields varies widely by region; see hay yield per acre for the tonnage side of the story.
First cutting: the big, coarse crop
First cutting carries the highest tonnage of the year but also the most stems, the most grass and weeds mixed in, and — if weather delays it — the most maturity. Rain during the first-cut window routinely pushes it past its prime, so first cutting tends to be coarser and higher in fiber than what comes later. That's not a defect: mature, higher-fiber hay is exactly what a lot of beef cows and low-work horses should be eating. It's the classic roughage cutting — more filling, less rich, and usually the cheapest per ton.
The catch is consistency. Because it's weather-dependent and often stemmy, first cutting is the most variable in quality year to year. Buyers feeding sensitive animals lean on it precisely because it's less "hot" — but they still want it tested, because a late, weathered first cut and an early, leafy one are very different feeds.
Second cutting: the balanced middle
Second cutting regrows in warmer weather with less weed pressure, so it usually comes off leafier, finer-stemmed, and higher in protein and energy than first. For a lot of horse and livestock owners it's the sweet spot — nutritious without being extreme, and easier to get up dry than a rain-plagued first cut. But "higher quality" can tip into "too rich" for the wrong animal:
"Drop dead gorgeous hay but too hot. She said it was tested and tested higher than the alfalfa she gets elsewhere. Made her horses a little nuts. She runs eventing competition horses."
— Hayman1, on a customer's complaint about his second-cutting grass hay · HayTalk thread 102318
That thread's title says it all: "My best customer complained that my second cutting was too good." When a cutting tests higher in protein and sugar than the buyer expects, it can be the wrong hay for an idle or metabolic horse even though it's beautiful feed for a dairy cow.
Third and later cuttings: leafy, rich, and sometimes too hot
Later cuttings are typically the leafiest and most tender, with the highest protein and the lowest fiber of the season — and, in legumes and stressed grass, often the highest sugar. That makes them premium dairy and hard-keeper feed and a favorite for finicky eaters. It also makes them the riskiest choice for horses prone to laminitis or metabolic trouble. Producers who sell horse hay watch this closely:
"If they cut it like dairy hay it going to be too rich for horses. They need to let the alfalfa get a few blossoms then cut it. A week after the dairy guys."
— danwi · HayTalk thread 102318
Note what danwi is really saying: it's not the cutting number that makes hay "rich," it's maturity at harvest. Cut any regrowth young and leafy and it's high-octane; let it head out or blossom a little and the sugar and protein come down. That's why an experienced grower can make horse-safe hay out of almost any cutting by adjusting timing:
"Hay just needs to be palatable and have fiber so they can 'graze'... Ways to lower sugar in hay are: cut past prime, get it rained on, cut early in the morning."
— ttazzman · HayTalk thread 102318
Which cutting for which animal?
Match the cutting to the animal's job. These are general tendencies — always confirm with a test — but they're the working rules of thumb hay sellers use:
| Animal | Usually wants | Why |
|---|---|---|
| Dairy cows | 2nd / 3rd cutting | High protein and energy for milk production |
| Beef cows (maintenance) | 1st cutting | Cheaper roughage; high fiber is fine |
| Idle / easy-keeper horses | 1st cutting or later-cut, mature hay | Lower sugar and protein; more fiber to "graze" |
| Performance / hard-keeper horses | 2nd / 3rd cutting | More energy and protein for work or condition |
| Goats, sheep, other stock | Varies | Depends on stage of production; test to confirm |
Sellers report this plays out in real demand. Some deliberately delay first cutting to make a milder horse hay that sells out every year:
"In my area I get about the same feed test results cutting first two weeks in July or first two weeks in August. The august hay has more tonnage... Makes nice horse hay that I seem to sell out of every year."
— hog987 · HayTalk thread 84281
"One of my customers asked for late cut first cut this year because last year's first cut was way too good for her older horses. She had it tested."
— HayMike · HayTalk thread 102318
A hay test beats the cutting number every time
The cutting number is a rough proxy for quality — and a leaky one. Maturity at harvest, weather, species mix, and fertility can make a first cutting test higher than a third, or a "premium" second cutting too hot for the horse it was sold to. The only way to actually know protein, fiber, and energy is a forage test. One long-time producer put real numbers on how harvest timing swings protein:
"Cutting at 28 days will result in roughly 19% CP. If a 12% CP is your goal then a 42 day harvest interval will be ideal. If you are heavy on total yield and 10% CP is good enough then a 48 day interval works just fine."
— hay wilson in TX, on coastal bermuda · HayTalk thread 11254
That's a nearly two-to-one swing in crude protein from harvest timing alone — within the same crop, same field. If you're buying or selling hay for animals with real nutritional needs, ask for the test. Our guide on how to read a hay test walks through what the numbers mean, and when to cut alfalfa covers how maturity drives that quality in the first place.
How the cutting affects baling and wrapping
The cutting number doesn't just change the feed value — it changes how the crop bales. Later-season and fall cuttings dry more slowly in shorter days and heavier dews, so they often go up at higher moisture than a June first cut. Wetter, leafier hay is exactly the kind you don't want slumping or spoiling in storage, which puts more demand on your wrap and your baling moisture discipline. If you're baling second, third, or fall cuttings, it's worth reviewing baling moisture for net-wrapped bales and wrapping wet hay, and dialing in how many wraps per bale so those richer, leafier bales hold together and shed weather.
Where XES fits
A high-quality second or third cutting is worth real money per ton — which means it's exactly the hay you can't afford to lose to weather in storage. Leafy, rich bales shed their nutritious outer layer first when the wrap fails, taking the protein you were paid for with it. XES Extreme net wrap is DLG-tested (Report #7439) and UV-rated 12 months (tested to ISO 4892-2), so premium cuttings keep their shape and shed water from the field through feed-out. See widths and specs on the net wrap product page, and size your season with the net wrap calculator.
The bottom line
First, second, and third cutting hay aren't better or worse — they're different. First cutting is the coarse, high-fiber, high-yield roughage crop; second cutting is the leafier, more balanced middle; third and later cuttings are the leafiest and richest, prized by dairy and hard-keepers but often too hot for idle horses. Maturity at harvest matters more than the number, so match the cutting to the animal and let a forage test — not the tag — settle any question about protein, fiber, and sugar.
Frequently asked questions
Which cutting of hay is best?
There's no single best cutting — it depends on the animal. First cutting suits beef cows and easy-keeper horses that need fiber and lower sugar. Second and third cuttings are leafier and higher in protein and energy, better for dairy cows and performance horses. Match the cutting to what's eating it, and confirm with a hay test.
Is first or second cutting hay better for horses?
It depends on the horse. Idle or metabolic horses usually do better on first cutting or a more mature, lower-sugar hay because it has more fiber and less energy. Performance or hard-keeper horses often need the higher protein and energy of second or third cutting. A forage test is the only sure way to know a given lot is right.
Why is third cutting hay so rich?
Later cuttings regrow leafy and tender, so they carry more protein and sugar and less fiber than earlier, stemmier hay. That makes third cutting premium dairy and hard-keeper feed, but potentially too "hot" for idle horses prone to laminitis or metabolic trouble. Maturity at harvest, not just the cutting number, drives how rich it is.
Does the cutting number tell me the hay's quality?
Only roughly. Maturity at harvest, weather, species mix, and fertility can make a first cutting test higher than a third, or a second cutting too rich for its intended animal. The cutting number is a starting point; a forage test measuring protein, fiber, and energy is what actually tells you the quality.
Does later-cut hay bale differently?
Often, yes. Second, third, and fall cuttings dry more slowly in shorter days and heavier dews, so they may bale at higher moisture than a first cut. That leafier, wetter hay puts more demand on baling moisture management and net wrap to prevent slumping and spoilage in storage.
This guide is maintained by the XES Netting team — a bale net-wrap manufacturer. Every farmer quote in this post is verbatim with a thread link, so you can read the originals. Cutting-quality tendencies are general; a forage test on your specific hay is always the final word.
Related guides
Featured photo: Hay windrows on the mowed field by Santeri Viinamäki, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
