Your highest protein/feed value on small grains hay is in the early dough stage. Most people let it over-ripen by way too much--then you might as well let it make grain like Jim does before you bale it.
First-cutting alfalfa was great here, now second-cutting is really thin. Drought conditions here also, but not horrible yet. Any good amount of rain would save us just fine, but it keeps going north to Canada or south to Nebraska. Lots of pairs being "culled" off early this year as the pastures don't look like much except already mature cool-season grasses.
