Herbivore Preference for Afternoon- and Morning-Cut Forages and Adoption of Cutting Management Strategies

Herbivore Preference for Afternoon- and Morning-Cut Forages and Adoption of Cutting Management Strategies

Photosynthesizing forage plants accumulate total nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC) during daylight, but then TNC concentrations are reduced during the night. Afternoon-cut forage (PM) has greater TNC value and thus economic value, than morning-cut (AM). Livestock prefer PM-cut hay and this can be readily demonstrated by offering animals a choice of hays cut in PM and AM. Alfalfa growers in the western United States are readily adopting PM-cutting technology to increase profits.