The first cut of grass has now been removed from the land almost everywhere. During the harvest it immediately became clear that the drought had also had an effect here. What is the quality of the first cut, and what are the expectations for the second cut?
Right now you have to about 20% of the grassland is still being mown for the first time. "When I look around the area, I dare say that approximately 80% of the grassland has already been mowed for the first time," reports Gerard Abbink, roughage advisor in the East Netherlands at Groeikracht.
According to Abbink, it is striking that this year there were two moments to remove the first cut of grass from the land. "Some have chosen to take the first cutting from the land around Easter. While others expected rain, and therefore only mowed for the first time about 2 week later."
Low protein content due to drought
The choice of one or the other moment has significant consequences for the quality of the grass. "The livestock farmers who mowed at Easter achieved a lower yield. However, on the other hand, they gained benefits from ensiling. Due to drought, the grass dried quickly," Abbink describes. “Those who waited for the precipitation achieved higher yields. However, this also made it difficult for the grass to dry out.”
According to Abbink, the quality is also lower this season due to the drought. "The protein content in particular is a bit disappointing. The average quality of the grass mowed around Easter is barely 3 tons of dry matter. Those that mowed a week later are even 1 ton of dry matter lower. ." According to the consultant, the grass quality after ensiling is approximately 50% dry matter.
'Last season was also disappointing'
The first cut was last year not fantastic either. That season too, yields of between 3 and 4 tons of dry matter were assumed. "However, 4 tons was only possible at the time for plots that had received main fertilization early," he said earlier. Mowing was also done early in 2018, which was also caused by drought at the time.
The comparable growing conditions ensure that the quality of the first cut this season is reasonably comparable to the year before. "In the 2018 season, a higher protein content and less energy were extracted from the first cut of grass. This is the other way around this year," Abbink said.
Mowing the second cut
The quality of the second cut is difficult to predict, because the weather will play a major role in this. As various forage traders previously indicated, it is happening again this year determinative on the feed market. "The fact that weather conditions fluctuate does not make making choices easier," it said. Abbink expects the second cutting to be removed from the land at the end of May or beginning of June. "My advice is always to get the second cut of the land within 4 weeks."