Second-cut silage strategies

Practical strategies for managing silage fields when first-cut regrowth is disappointing, focusing on recovery, quality and long-term resilience.

Low-yielding first cuts can be caused by spring drought, cold snaps and delayed growth, and they can throw off your entire silage calendar.

When regrowth is slow or patchy, you’ll need to decide whether to wait, re-seed, top, graze or cut again.

Before deciding on a second-cut strategy, assess the current state of the sward. Walk the field or use drone imagery to spot variability across the paddock.

Look for:

• Sward density: Are tillers present and evenly distributed or are there bare patches?
• Weed ingress: Has the low first cut allowed docks, thistles or chickweed to take hold?
• Nutrient deficiency: Look for signs of yellowing, stunted growth and leaf tipping
• Soil condition: Use a spade to assess rooting depth and signs of compaction or dryness

A poor first cut often means that more nutrients are still available in the soil, but regrowth still needs support, especially if the crop was stressed.

• Apply 20–30 kg N/ha for second-cut regrowth if the first-cut yield was low and N was already applied in spring
• Avoid high rates on drought-stressed crops – plants may not use it efficiently and you risk scorch

• Don’t overlook sulphur – it is essential for protein synthesis
• Apply 6–12 kg S/ha with your N if it hasn’t been supplied yet

• Only apply if conditions allow for rapid uptake, i.e. adequate moisture and cool weather
• Use trailing shoe or dribble bars to reduce leaf contamination and odour loss

Where second-cut yields look too poor to justify silaging, consider grazing the regrowth.

• Best suited to mixed swards or fields with low density, but still green and clean
• Avoid grazing too tight – leave 6–7 cm residuals to support later regrowth
• Move livestock quickly through paddocks to avoid poaching and overgrazing weak areas

• Wait until there is at least 2,500–3,000 kg DM/ha standing to justify the pass
• Focus on quality over bulk – second-cut silage can be short but still high in energy and protein if harvested at the right stage

If regrowth is patchy or unproductive, use this period to reset the sward.

• Suitable where 60–70% of the sward is still productive
• Drill or slot seed into open patches using a grass harrow or direct drill
• Apply 10–15 kg/ha of rye-grass mix and roll afterwards to ensure good seed–soil contact

• Consider if less than 50% of the sward is rye-grass and weed burden is high
• Introduce more resilient species, such as drought-tolerant grasses, e.g. cocksfoot and tall fescue, or herbs like chicory and plantain

Poor first and second cuts don’t necessarily mean a total loss.

Adjust your forage plan:

• Reforecast forage availability – use yield estimates to revise winter feed stocks and identify shortfalls
• Consider alternative forages – sow fast-growing options like hybrid brassicas, stubble turnips or forage rape for late summer/autumn grazing
• Prioritise fields for third cut – focus on those with the best recovery or newer leys with high resilience

With uneven growth, a second cut might be more fibrous or variable in dry matter (DM) content.

• Check DM: Undergrown swards can still be too dry, especially during hot spells
• Use additives wisely: Where sugar levels are low or DM is high, an appropriate inoculant or molasses-based additive can aid fermentation
• Mix loads: Where possible, blend low-yielding, higher-quality second-cut silage with bulkier first-cut silage in the clamp to help with consistency