Inventory the forages to allow year-round access to each quality type. Keep highest quality forages for high producing-early lactation cows or seasons of the year when a lot of cows are fresh. Make haylage, instead of hay to shorten dry down time. Consider silage bag storage, wrapped bales, packed and covered piles etc. Ensile quickly and cover immediately.
Leaves are higher in protein and more digestible than stems.
Minimize raking, inverting or tedding. Ensile wetter than you normally would to avoid leaf loss and reduce drying time. Don't store too wet, or you will lose valuable nutrients in the seepage. Avoid mow fires. Use your hay drier, and then move dried hay to an alternate location so the drier is available for later cuttings.