For hay producers across Canada, the window between the spring thaw and first cut is short. What happens in those early weeks can shape the quality and quantity of every bale that comes off the field for the rest of the season.

Chris Ennis, an agricultural field product specialist with Kubota Canada, says the most common and most costly mistake he sees is skipping field preparation altogether.

"If we don't see those ruts repaired, fixed, replaced, we're going to be running into things," Ennis said, adding that overlooked winter damage can drive up ash content in feed and directly harm forage quality.