???COST OF HAY PRODUCTION???

[Banjo]

I see your point if you are buying from someone who puts up lots and lots of hay just to sell.
But what about your next door neighbor or good friend down the road, and you're needing 20 or 30 rolls to get thru the winter? Do you say hang on a minute let me have it tested to see the quality you got. Then it comes back way poorer than it looks. You could create sore feelings if your too critical with neighbors. IMO

I guess we all see things differently, I pull no punches for anyone. When it's all said and done a man has his word. And If I'm buying good hay it better be what you said it is. If I'm buying as is hay I'm good with whatever I end up with.[/quote]
How many people do you know ...know truly how good their hay is? Everybody that puts up hay thinks theirs is as good as anybodys'. Now if you wanna tell your neighbor I'll pay you a premium over what he is asking if it tests this way and that way.....that may be different.

 

[ram]

Everyone that cuts there own hay should know the following things. The age at when the hay was cut, did the hay get rained on, and was the hay field fertilized. There's no way to sell good hay without knowing those things, or having a hay sample done.

 

[Nesikep]

The thing about buying hay is you're stuck with "market value".. a lot of the time it may work out nicely and be cheaper to just buy it, but if you suddenly have a drought and the price of hay doubles, you're stuck paying far more, and possibly more than you can afford... In that sense, if you don't have the newest, most expensive equipment, you're better off haying yourself. Around here hay is over $300/ton this year, some of it up to $400, and NOTHING under $200, just because of the drought we had this year. Some producers will moderate their prices for long term customers, but if they don't have enough to go around, someone's getting no hay. If you make your own, the value of they hay may change, but the cost of production really doesn't change all that much (apart from diminished yields) in putting it up.

I don't like hearing people whine about the cost of hay after they were told it was cheaper to buy it by some "educated" person at a university when they could have perfectly well put up hay themselves.

 

[Banjo]

Everyone that cuts there own hay should know the following things. The age at when the hay was cut, did the hay get rained on, and was the hay field fertilized. There's no way to sell good hay without knowing those things, or having a hay sample done.

I don't disagree that those things are good things to know and should know.......But, who do you know that cuts their hay at the right time, in the boot stage just starting to head out? Nobody, around here.
And rained on? I don't like hay rained on either. But, that don't necessarily hurt it...dependin on how much rain.
Some people don't fertilize their hay ground every year. That doesn't make it bad hay. There is more to hay than protein IMO. Vitamins, minerals, carbohydrates....If I can pull a handful out of a roll and its got some green to it I figure its decent hay. Ky has a great climate for growing grass, and tobacco, but its not well suited for makin hay during its peak time.

 

[JSCATTLE]

6 weeks is too long to wait to cut Bermuda grass hay .. I had my own equipment. Cut every 4 weeks put out fertilizer according to soil sample etc.. had 55 dollars a roll in it without my labor .. it tested slightly better than the hay I bought for 35 dollars a roll .. I can buy plenty of protein saving 20 dollars a roll . Plus 20 calves I can sell off the same ground..

 

[TANK30705]

Thanks for the responses! I am selling some hay 4x5 rolls around 900 pd. So far with my pencil It comes out well over 20 to produce without labor cost figured and I am gonna figure it in! Ive had some say I was holding ppl up and I have explained they need to check their pencil.

 

[JSCATTLE]

Thanks for the responses! I am selling some hay 4x5 rolls around 900 pd. So far with my pencil It comes out well over 20 to produce without labor cost figured and I am gonna figure it in! Ive had some say I was holding ppl up and I have explained they need to check their pencil.

I refuse to sell hay because people think you are taking advantage of them but have no idea what it actually cost to make hay .. I've had them come over and say stuff about the advertised price and wanting a discount on volume .. I just tell them it don't get cheaper the more I roll .. I usually tell them it's no longer for sale ..

 

[ram]

My son sells hay to his friends for $40.00 a roll. And sells as much as he's willing to tote to Jupiter FL for $70.00 a roll.
And by the way the color of the hay is not a good indicator of quality. A guy I know sprays green dye on the hay just before the baler and the hay looks excellent in color. He sells tractor trailer loads of it to the horse folks.

 

[TexasBred]

TB, this is the first year that I haven't had to have our hay tested. The reason being, it all was cut off our place. We fertilize according to soil samples and all the hay was cut at less than 6 weeks. And without our own hay equipment we would of been screwed again. Getting rain when the hay is growing is nice, getting rain when your trying to make hay stinks.

Test probably not needed since it seems you hit everything just right and already know what you have. Many won't do that though. They'll use the same fertilizer every year, cut back on it if it's expensive then let the hay grow an extra week or 10 days before cutting to get more hay sacrificing quality.

 

[TexasBred]

everybodys comment that I can buy hay cheaper than I can produce it. think of the quality of hay your buying cant be good they don't have a secret for producing it either.

BUT when buying hay you have the opportunity to test the hay yourself before committing to buy it. Buy and price based on quality after testing by an independent lab. A test runs about $12.00. When you raise your own your stuck with what you've got !!!

I see your point if you are buying from someone who puts up lots and lots of hay just to sell.
But what about your next door neighbor or good friend down the road, and you're needing 20 or 30 rolls to get thru the winter? Do you say hang on a minute let me have it tested to see the quality you got. Then it comes back way poorer than it looks. You could create sore feelings if your too critical with neighbors. IMO

Banjo hay is no different than buying cows. Sorry hay should sell for much less. Historically I've always tried to buy a bit more than I think I'll need and buy it based on quality and moisture level AND buy it by the ton and not by the bail. The seller learns going in what to expect so shouldn't have any hard feelings when a test shows his hay is not quite as good as he thought it was.

 

[Banjo]

Banjo hay is no different than buying cows. Sorry hay should sell for much less. Historically I've always tried to buy a bit more than I think I'll need and buy it based on quality and moisture level AND buy it by the ton and not by the bail. The seller learns going in what to expect so shouldn't have any hard feelings when a test shows his hay is not quite as good as he thought it was.[/quote]If your laying in hay for the year and feeding 4 or 5 months maybe so. But i'm looking at it from the standpoint of......I'm needin 20 or 30 rolls to get me to new grass, its the last of February, hay is not too plentiful, a little hard to find, I might negotiate with my neighbor on price, but I'm not gonna test it and say hay dude this ain't up to snuff. I'm gonna buy it and go on. Now if they refuse to eat it we may have problems.

 

[Tim/South]

I have never made money selling hay except for a few good customers who bought square bales for their horse operations back when we still square baled some. There is no money to be made here in round bales for cattle. People do not want to pay over $25 per roll. I will have $10 per roll in fertilizer on Bahia fields. If we do not fertilize Bahia then we get one roll per acre. No money doing that.
I spend a lot of money on fertilizer. I want to feed good hay and I want a secure supply so we grow it ourselves.
I once read a study that said a farmer would have $23 per roll over the life expectancy of equipment and the cost of fuel and repairs.

 

[James T]

Very few people around here test the hay they purchase. They usually just buy the cheapest hay they can find that looks good. We fertilize because it's for our own cattle and then just sell the excess.

 

[TexasBred]

Banjo hay is no different than buying cows. Sorry hay should sell for much less. Historically I've always tried to buy a bit more than I think I'll need and buy it based on quality and moisture level AND buy it by the ton and not by the bail. The seller learns going in what to expect so shouldn't have any hard feelings when a test shows his hay is not quite as good as he thought it was.

If your laying in hay for the year and feeding 4 or 5 months maybe so. But i'm looking at it from the standpoint of......I'm needin 20 or 30 rolls to get me to new grass, its the last of February, hay is not too plentiful, a little hard to find, I might negotiate with my neighbor on price, but I'm not gonna test it and say hay dude this ain't up to snuff. I'm gonna buy it and go on. Now if they refuse to eat it we may have problems.[/quote]
Then you deserve whatever you get whether good or bad. If you bought it from me and they refused to eat it I'd very politely say "Tough Shyt". Your fault not mine.

 

[Banjo]

Banjo hay is no different than buying cows. Sorry hay should sell for much less. Historically I've always tried to buy a bit more than I think I'll need and buy it based on quality and moisture level AND buy it by the ton and not by the bail. The seller learns going in what to expect so shouldn't have any hard feelings when a test shows his hay is not quite as good as he thought it was.

If your laying in hay for the year and feeding 4 or 5 months maybe so. But i'm looking at it from the standpoint of......I'm needin 20 or 30 rolls to get me to new grass, its the last of February, hay is not too plentiful, a little hard to find, I might negotiate with my neighbor on price, but I'm not gonna test it and say hay dude this ain't up to snuff. I'm gonna buy it and go on. Now if they refuse to eat it we may have problems.

Then you deserve whatever you get whether good or bad. If you bought it from me and they refused to eat it I'd very politely say "Tough Shyt". Your fault not mine.[/quote]

Well, I 've never had any that they wouldn't eat....may not have wanted to, but they ate it, except for a roll of soybean hulls that someone said to take and try and they did not like it..
Most hay is over rated...yours or mine, that's why I try to keep the hay feeding gap real short.

 

[ddd75]

i make all my own because you can't find any at all that is half decent. 60% weeds, 30% stems, 10% grass. for 25 a roll. anyone that has any good hay they have it wrapped in plastic and want 50 / roll.

I made top quality square bales. the best i've ever seen.. and still couldn't even get anyoen to buy any. well. 1 guy came and was all picky because they weren't 60 lbs. well. do you want 50 lbs of the best stuff. or 60 lbs of junk? well. they want 60 lbs of junk.

people are pretty dumb.

 

[TexasBred]

Well, I 've never had any that they wouldn't eat....may not have wanted to, but they ate it, except for a roll of soybean hulls that someone said to take and try and they did not like it..
Most hay is over rated...yours or mine, that's why I try to keep the hay feeding gap real short.

Banjo how can you honestly say that when you've never had any idea the value of the hay you were feeding other than purchase price??

 

[Banjo]

Well, I 've never had any that they wouldn't eat....may not have wanted to, but they ate it, except for a roll of soybean hulls that someone said to take and try and they did not like it..
Most hay is over rated...yours or mine, that's why I try to keep the hay feeding gap real short.

Banjo how can you honestly say that when you've never had any idea the value of the hay you were feeding other than purchase price??

Maybe I can't truly say that about your hay, but I'm sure yours would be the crème de la crème.
If you have been following my posts. I have said many times before...that the hay making climate in Ky is not suitable for making hay at the right time(Most of the time). So therefore you have hay that is too ripe or too much moisture. It is what it is. If you are feeding Thoroughbreds, or Dairy cows,???? But, beef cows I ain't gonna worry too much about the protein level of a bale of hay, whether its 8% or 10%.

 

[ram]

There's a big difference between 8% hay and 10% hay to a wet cow. What I find odd is some folks spend the time to move their cows daily. But have no clue what the TDN or the protein % is in there feed or hay. I want my cows,to have what they need to raise a good calf and breed back on time. And proper nutrition is the name of that song.

 

[Banjo]

There's a big difference between 8% hay and 10% hay to a wet cow. What I find odd is some folks spend the time to move their cows daily. But have no clue what the TDN or the protein % is in there feed or hay. I want my cows,to have what they need to raise a good calf and breed back on time. And proper nutrition is the name of that song.

You may be right...if you gotta feed hay from November till May, you probably need the best hay you can possibly get!