Buying vs making hay

[Sd1030]

Well first off i know this has been discussed on here before and im not trying to beat a dead horse. Just been doing some thinking and was wondering what thoughts yall may have on buying hay vs making. I run a small herd so my hay needs arent as large as some. Currently im making my own hay, and selling some of the extra to recoop some fuel money and such. This fall i was introduced to strip grazing and it has been a great experience for me so far. Ive feed very little hay so far this winter and the cattle seem to be doing great. Here are my thoughts, the money ive got tied up in paying for hay making equipment could be put toward buying more pasture land. If i had more land i could expand my herd and also implement more rotational/strip grazing. This would allow me to keep my winter time hay needs low in theory. So with all that being said i feel i could get through winter with roughly 50 rolls of hay.

I know there is alot of variables here and i didnt touch on them all. I also know that in most cases you can make better quality hay than you can buy. Im just looking at it from the aspect of investing money in something that should hold or gain value(land) vs something that loses value(equipment). Just curious what yall think. Thanks

 

[Bigfoot]

Hands down, buying is the better way. Even if your buying poor quality, and supplementing. Problem is finding it (if you need several rolls).

 

[JMJ Farms]

Buying it is cheaper no doubt. Just find a reputable source or do a forage analysis before you buy so you know what you're getting. Weigh it and buy it by the ton. I grow my own because no one that sells hay around me sells good hay. But I pay some one to bale it bc the equipment is so dang high.

 

[True Grit Farms]

Buying hay is cheaper for sure. But I rotational graze and in the good years the cows can't keep up. So the pastures that get 5 to 6 weeks of growth I bale. And if I didn't bale it I'd have to mow it anyway. Because our grasses do not stockpile in middle Georgia worth a hoot.

 

[skyhightree1]

You know my take on this lol

 

[Jogeephus]

I hope I never have to buy hay.

 

[Rafter S]

I believe that unless you're a very large producer, which I certainly am not, it's best to either buy your hay or have someone bale it for you. As you indicated, if you bale your own you will have a large amount of capital tied up that's only being used 2 or 3 times per year. I have access to 22 acres that aren't fenced and don't have water, so I can't graze it, so I have mine custom baled. If I could graze that then I'd probably buy my hay. However, most years hay is easily available in my part of the country, so buying it isn't a problem.

 

[Nesikep]

I think I'd only buy hay if I had a contract with someone to get it at a certain price, regardless of 'market conditions'... For me, it wouldn't work.. I do my haying with a 40 year old tractor, 40 year old swather, and 60 year old baler that I keep in good enough shape to keep running.. I could never afford to buy new equipment.

That said, the reason I will keep making my own hay is that around here with the drought we had last year, good hay went up to over $350/ton... Growing your own, you can predict exactly what the hay will cost you.. It's also the reason I said I'd only consider buying if I could do a contract.

Another reason I don't buy hay is I don't have many weeds here.. a little wild mustard and radish, but no thistles, no burrdock, no morning glory, etc.. As soon as I buy hay, I'm far more likely to get someone else's weeds.. being organic I can't just go and spray them.

 

[SJB]

there is no doubt in my mind that growing it yourself and paying somebody to bale it or having it done on shares is the sweet spot. unless you just like baling hay.

 

[Banjo]

Hands down, buying is the better way. Even if your buying poor quality, and supplementing. Problem is finding it (if you need several rolls).

I agree. However, I would get me 3 or 4 years of rotational grazing and strip grazing winter stockpile before you sell it all.
Maybe sell a friend a 1/2 interest in your baler. Having a good stockpile of hay is good too, you never know what kind of winter your gonna have.

 

[skyhightree1]

there is no doubt in my mind that growing it yourself and paying somebody to bale it or having it done on shares is the sweet spot. unless you just like baling hay.

I have the equip to do my own but I truly hate haying.. Maybe cause my cutter is ancient and one step above a horse drawn sickle mower... I now have someone do my hay on shares.

 

[uplandnut]

I buy all mine, cant justify the equipment cost for the 150 bales I need to make the winter. Not to mention that I'd have to take off work to get enough days in a row.

 

[Tim/South]

A neighbor has his two Deere 458's, two 10' Deere disc mowers and a one year old hay rake for sale in the state Ag paper. He said he could buy hay cheaper than grow it. His biggest argument is the time restraints. He has a heavy equipment business and has to work when jobs call. He plans to get hay from the next county above us. A lot more Ag there, more chicken houses. That area uses chicken litter only. They do not raise the quality of hay we raise here. Plus I do not want to haul 500 rolls 70 miles round trip all summer. I would rather be in the hay field.

When we switched from square bales to rolls, I had a friend roll mine after I cut and raked it. He took care of his first, can't blame him. I bought a "good used" round baler that was state of the art 40 years ago. I promised the Good Lord that is he called me home I would not be under a baler pulling out plugs on a 100 degree day.
Bought a new commercial round baler, new Krone disc mower and a Kuhn rake. Spend a lot of savings but decided to either get in or get out.
There is a lot of good hay made around here. I can not afford that. I can buy pasture clean up hay but I think more of my cows than that.
We added 50 momma cows and got leases on 100 acres of additional hay ground.
I had retired early and there are times I wonder if truly retiring might have been the smart move. I pretty much work by myself now days. I have the time and the equipment and good health. My cows eat very good fertilized hay and are fat.
My tax person says I would be ahead to sell the hay equipment and buy hay.

 

[dun]

A neighbor has his two Deere 458's, two 10' Deere disc mowers and a one year old hay rake for sale in the state Ag paper. He said he could buy hay cheaper than grow it. His biggest argument is the time restraints. He has a heavy equipment business and has to work when jobs call. He plans to get hay from the next county above us. A lot more Ag there, more chicken houses. That area uses chicken litter only. They do not raise the quality of hay we raise here. Plus I do not want to haul 500 rolls 70 miles round trip all summer. I would rather be in the hay field.

When we switched from square bales to rolls, I had a friend roll mine after I cut and raked it. He took care of his first, can't blame him. I bought a "good used" round baler that was state of the art 40 years ago. I promised the Good Lord that is he called me home I would not be under a baler pulling out plugs on a 100 degree day.
Bought a new commercial round baler, new Krone disc mower and a Kuhn rake. Spend a lot of savings but decided to either get in or get out.
There is a lot of good hay made around here. I can not afford that. I can buy pasture clean up hay but I think more of my cows than that.
We added 50 momma cows and got leases on 100 acres of additional hay ground.
I had retired early and there are times I wonder if truly retiring might have been the smart move. I pretty much work by myself now days. I have the time and the equipment and good health. My cows eat very good fertilized hay and are fat.
My tax person says I would be ahead to sell the hay equipment and buy hay.

A lot of that fits me too, except the health part. Hardly anyone around here that sells hay fertilizes so it's mostly pretty crappy. Even though I'm worried a lot and busting my butt putting up good hay when it's ready, I would much rather spend 3 days on the tractor making hay then 3 days in the truck hauling hay. I also know the quility of the hay up front and know it isn;t going to be full of weeds and junk. It probably is cheaper to buy it, but I don;t want to, I'ld rather make my own.

 

[JMJ Farms]

I think I'd only buy hay if I had a contract with someone to get it at a certain price, regardless of 'market conditions'... For me, it wouldn't work.. I do my haying with a 40 year old tractor, 40 year old swather, and 60 year old baler that I keep in good enough shape to keep running.. I could never afford to buy new equipment.

That said, the reason I will keep making my own hay is that around here with the drought we had last year, good hay went up to over $350/ton... Growing your own, you can predict exactly what the hay will cost you.. It's also the reason I said I'd only consider buying if I could do a contract.

Another reason I don't buy hay is I don't have many weeds here.. a little wild mustard and radish, but no thistles, no burrdock, no morning glory, etc.. As soon as I buy hay, I'm far more likely to get someone else's weeds.. being organic I can't just go and spray them.

Wow. That's steep. I could grow it for you for $100/ton, but the freight to send it 2400 miles would cost another $300/ton so that's out.

 

[rjbovine]

I started out buying all my hay as I needed . The winter of 2013 broke me of that .After the drought of 2012 my source dried up and had to by from broker. Ouch !! Try to put up half and look for a deal out of the field. I put up a hay barn to store in . I think It pays being able to carry over extra hay. Buying is cheaper for sure if you have a good source .RJ

 

[Tim/South]

A lot of that fits me too, except the health part. Hardly anyone around here that sells hay fertilizes so it's mostly pretty crappy. Even though I'm worried a lot and busting my butt putting up good hay when it's ready, I would much rather spend 3 days on the tractor making hay then 3 days in the truck hauling hay. I also know the quility of the hay up front and know it isn;t going to be full of weeds and junk. It probably is cheaper to buy it, but I don;t want to, I'ld rather make my own.

There is also the sense of being self reliant. When I look around at the people who have survived in the cattle business over the long haul, they were as independent of others as possible.
Two summers ago it got very dry here. I had fertilized one field heavily with added P and K to meet the poor soil test results. I had $70 per acre in fertilizer and only got one roll per acre. Needless to say I could not survive long if that happened every year. Because of the hay shortage and cost to have it trucked in, hay went to $90 per roll. I still came out alright. Thankfully calves were selling high.
Until this year I have fed wet brewers grain. Usually needed a load per month at $1,300 per. Not this year. Cows are fat and happy. Only two cows needed added supplement to get the rumen function up to snuff and that was because the calves were on too long.
There is just something about not having to kiss butt when you are as independent as possible.

 

[1wlimo]

A lot of that fits me too, except the health part. Hardly anyone around here that sells hay fertilizes so it's mostly pretty crappy. Even though I'm worried a lot and busting my butt putting up good hay when it's ready, I would much rather spend 3 days on the tractor making hay then 3 days in the truck hauling hay. I also know the quility of the hay up front and know it isn;t going to be full of weeds and junk. It probably is cheaper to buy it, but I don;t want to, I'ld rather make my own.

There is also the sense of being self reliant. When I look around at the people who have survived in the cattle business over the long haul, they were as independent of others as possible.
Two summers ago it got very dry here. I had fertilized one field heavily with added P and K to meet the poor soil test results. I had $70 per acre in fertilizer and only got one roll per acre. Needless to say I could not survive long if that happened every year. Because of the hay shortage and cost to have it trucked in, hay went to $90 per roll. I still came out alright. Thankfully calves were selling high.
Until this year I have fed wet brewers grain. Usually needed a load per month at $1,300 per. Not this year. Cows are fat and happy. Only two cows needed added supplement to get the rumen function up to snuff and that was because the calves were on too long.
There is just something about not having to kiss butt when you are as independent as possible.

independence can be the key. If you only need 50 rounds you could swap the rounds for small squares, it would not take long to bale them, and you still keep control of your hay, but at less cost. Potential to reduce tractor size as well.

 

[dun]

independence can be the key. If you only need 50 rounds you could swap the rounds for small squares, it would not take long to bale them, and you still keep control of your hay, but at less cost. Potential to reduce tractor size as well.

I hate messing with small squares. Still have a 100 or so that we use for the bull when he's alone in the bull pen or for housing something separate from the others. Still have to feed twice a day with them.

 

[SJB]

Obviously it's not a 1 size fits all answer, but it's not rocket science either. You can still keep 2-3 years of hay stored if you buy it. You can control the quality of it if you grow it and have it custom baled. Just because you don't personally cut and bake it doesn't mean you can't take steps to make sure you are covered in case of drought, etc.

But you cannot get away from the time and hardware costs. If you have a lot of cows, time and money, and like making hay, I understand. Under the right circumstances I'd be a hay making son of a gun.