When do I cut?
Cut the forage crop at the maturity stage that combines yields and quality sufficient for your feeding requirements. In general, cut legumes at 10% bloom and grasses at the boot stage or just as the head emerges. Cut other crops such as oats, rye, triticale, and barley before the boot stage. (These crops are difficult to dry at this stage but lose feed value quickly as they mature.) In general, early-maturity forage has much higher sugar content (essential for proper ensiling), while coarse, stemmy, and over-mature forages have a reduced sugar content and will not ferment well. Cutting at earlier maturity stages will produce good baleage and optimal feed value per acre.