Establishing price for big and small bales of hay

[UG]

What is a fair value for 1000 lb bales of hay relative to 40 lb small bales of hay valued at $1.75/bale?

There are significant labor savings in big bales so I know on a price per pound basis, big bales should be cheaper; I just don't know how much cheaper.

 

[bigbull338]

the price of a 1000lb bale should be $15 to $20 a bale. now if your comparing cost . the square bales will cost alot more.based on that your giving $26.25 for 16sq bales. scott

 

[Running Arrow Bill]

If I could buy good hay at those prices I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven!

We're paying ~ $50. for ~1000 lb round bales of weed free bermuda and ~$5.50 for 50 lb sm squares of weed free bermuda in our area. Rounds are delivered & dumped here for us to store. Squares are unloaded & stacked in barn.

Prices about the same when we bought semi-loads last year from a Central Texas supplier. Had to unload bales ourselves... :x

 

[SSS Angus]

We just perchased 40 bale's @ 1000lbs. for $30 a piece. This was weed free first cutting bermuda.

 

[A6gal]

I just bought some (supposed to be) 1000 lb bales for $20 a bale. It's baled really loose and I doubt it's 1000 lbs, it is last year's grazer, but it's just down the road, convenient to haul and my cows like it. Most hay around here is going for $35 - $40 a round bale. I pay $5.50 a square bale for good coastal hay for my horses from the feed store.

 

[mgman]

$30/bale is about what 1000 lb round bales are going for here. That's for beef quality hay...dairy quality is higher.
Small squares are going for $2.00/bale for good quality hay.

 

[jcarkie]

they are about $30 around here. i can't hardly find square bales for less than $3 ea. that is regular grass hay.

 

[milesvb]

the price of a 1000lb bale should be $15 to $20 a bale. now if your comparing cost . the square bales will cost alot more.based on that your giving $26.25 for 16sq bales. scott

Is that the price of the bale or the price to bale it? I paid $17.50 per bale just for baling last year. This year it will probably be $20 with the price of diesel. Rounds are going for $35, squares $3.75.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Price is what the market will bear. I paid $27 for 750# second crop alfalfa rounds that tested 19.7% CP this spring. I paid $1.65 for 50# first crop squares this summer. No test results yet but I am expecting about 16% CP. I thought I was getting a good deal, but some hay is going as low as $16 for a 1000# round right now.

Good spring rains and not enough cattle in this country....

 

[bigbull338]

round here i think they charge 20 for baling . mostly if i need to buy hay i can get it for $15 to $20 a bale an they the big bales. scott

 

[ChrisB]

$20 per bale to bale? I'm guessing that's cut, raked, and baled right? Around here last I checked (last year) it was $8-$9 just to bale, I'm sure it is more this year. If it is $20 just to bale that sure seems like a good business to be in. If you make 150 rolls a day that's $3000, would take too long to get that new baler paid for.

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

$18 around here to cut, rake & bale last year. Haven't checked, but I would assume it to be a little higher this year in view of fuel prices.

 

[MikeC]

$20 per bale to bale? I'm guessing that's cut, raked, and baled right? Around here last I checked (last year) it was $8-$9 just to bale, I'm sure it is more this year. If it is $20 just to bale that sure seems like a good business to be in. If you make 150 rolls a day that's $3000, would take too long to get that new baler paid for.

I hate sound disagreeable here, but, you are wrong! Have you priced equipment, fuel, fertilizer, and labor? Someone who sells hay for $8-$9 dollars a roll is not the sharpest knife in the drawer.

You're talking about small squares, right?

:lol:

 

[bigbull338]

its 20 to cut rake an bale i think . friend told me he cuts hay for $5 a roll . just bale hay here is $10 a roll. scott

 

[milesvb]

$20 per bale to bale? I'm guessing that's cut, raked, and baled right?

Yes

 

[johndeerefarmer]

If I could buy good hay at those prices I'd think I'd died and gone to heaven!

We're paying ~ $50. for ~1000 lb round bales of weed free bermuda and ~$5.50 for 50 lb sm squares of weed free bermuda in our area. Rounds are delivered & dumped here for us to store. Squares are unloaded & stacked in barn.

Prices about the same when we bought semi-loads last year from a Central Texas supplier. Had to unload bales ourselves... :x

What's the protein content of the bermuda that you are buying?
How much of that price is shipping charges?
How many miles away is the hay coming from?
Are the bales net wrapped?

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

I just bought 45 4x5 800 lb. bales for $12.00 per bale (last years,kept in the barn,still showing color bahia/bermuda/ very little johnson grass cut early). And 56 bales of this years hay,same stuff,for $15.00 per bale, planning to go get about 28 more bales of the last years stuff. :cboy:

 

[SPRINGER FARMS MURRAY GRE]

I just bought 45 4x5 800 lb. bales for $12.00 per bale (last years,kept in the barn,still showing color bahia/bermuda/ very little johnson grass cut early). And 56 bales of this years hay,same stuff,for $15.00 per bale, planning to go get about 28 more bales of the last years stuff. :cboy:

By the way, it is only 10 miles from the farm (but over a big mountain). Have gotten very little rain the last couple of months, and it has been HOT! Hay will soon be at a premium here and I considered myself lucky to find this. ;-) :cboy:

 

[1848]

Hay is the issue this year isn't it?

I pay $13 a round bale (large bales 1,000 to 1,200 depending on cut and moisture) to have mine cut, raked, and baled, but I have been using the same baler for years. I also make sure I pay him promptly, usually give a meeger bonus for cutting it when I need it cut and/or avoiding rain. Many times I pay cash...good incentive!! ;-) This dosen't count my fert. or spraying (if I spray).

There can be 13 to 20 bales per round when estimating, depending on size of rounds, but I use an average of 15 squares to the round (easier to count). I can't imagine paying $20 a roll to bale :shock: Guess I'm lucky. Sounds like Springer Murray looked ahead....I did the same this spring and bought some of last years right up front...real cheap...not knowing what the season would do so I would have plenty. I try to put up at least 300 rounds a year for feeding, and sell some too. Last year I sold over 100 bales for $24 a bale.

Another hay cutter offered me last years hay (fert coastal) at $15 a bale earlier this year. (he had 600 rounds) I bought some up front, then I waited three weeks until I decided to go with a purchase od 100, but by then it was to late. He stopped selling due to the weather, and is waiting on a better price (he still has 400 bales of last years)...dang! I got some reasonable anyway though and picked up another hay meadow.

This is turning in to a dictionary.. :lol:

Most people bale there hay in differnt types (rounds vs small squares..or even large squares) based on storage needs, type of feeding methods, whether or not they have the means to set rounds out (tractor, hay buggy), and whether or not the are in it for money (squares). I will bale some squares every other year or so. Keeps me in bedding, portable feed and the like if I need it, but rounds it what I do most of, and it sets out in the weather. (I don't cover it) Good coastal squares are going for about 3.50 to $4.50 here now (that's 52.50 a round), but rounds are $30 to $40.

Remember there is more waste with a round, unless you unroll it., and/or use a hay ring. Hope all my blabbing helped..

 

[Arnold Ziffle]

I feed rounds almost exclusively, but I like to keep a few hundred small square bales around, to be used in a variety of spot situations. Twice during winter in the last 10 years my cows have really appreciated the fact that I can toss those small squares, what with me getting to my place about 30 minutes before dark, only to be greeted with a dead tractor battery.