Morning and evening harvest effects on animal performance

Plants vary diurnally in concentrations of nonstructural carbohydrates (TNC). Delaying forage harvest until mid to late afternoon could result in increased TNC in forage. Ruminants can differentiate between PM-harvested and AM-harvested grass and alfalfa hays and eat more PM-harvested versus AM-harvested hay. In a related study, dairy cows ate about 10% more total mixed ration containing 40% PM-harvested alfalfa hay versus the same ration containing AM-harvested hay, produced more milk, and gained rather than lost body weight. Afternoon harvest management could add $15/ton of alfalfa compared with morning harvesting