first cutting
Season's opening mow
First cutting is hay harvested from the first growth of the season, typically in late spring or early summer.
It tends to be coarser and higher in fiber than later cuttings, with more stems and seed heads.
Farmers and horse owners often prefer second or third cutting for its finer texture and higher protein content, though first cutting remains useful for animals needing more roughage: We got three hundred bales of first cutting off the north field.