GOT A HAY PROBLEM

[TANK30705]

I put a lot of hay up last year. So much hay that my barns will still be pretty much full still when hay season arrives this year. I was planning on letting some lease ground go but the owner is really wanting me to cut again. I am sort of in the mindset that you can never have enough hay!! But i dont know now. She will require me to fertilize again. Poor hay market here. I just dont know. My cost of production is around $20 a roll.
Any thoughts or words of wisdom???

 

[HDRider]

No advice, but a question.

What advantage would you have with that much hay? I understand the point of "can't have too much hay", but at some point that has to be off base, the question at some point has to be "can you have too much hay?".

 

[True Grit Farms]

Do you have any way to deliver the hay after you sell it? And has the hay been for protein and TDN? If it doesn't start raining were going to be in a mess down here in middle Georgia this summer. Having to much hay is always a good thing.

 

[1982vett]

I put a lot of hay up last year. So much hay that my barns will still be pretty much full still when hay season arrives this year. I was planning on letting some lease ground go but the owner is really wanting me to cut again. I am sort of in the mindset that you can never have enough hay!! But i dont know now. She will require me to fertilize again. Poor hay market here. I just dont know. My cost of production is around $20 a roll.
Any thoughts or words of wisdom???

If i can't use it or sell it for a reasonable profit I leave it in the field. But seeing as it's leased ground, you have to decide if you want to give it up.

 

[dieselbeef]

sell it for 20 a roll....put up the fresh stuff

 

[ALACOWMAN]

We still got 3 1/2 months of unpredictable weather ahead of us..to early to make that decision...if this weather had happened last winter.. I'd be out of business...but """Lords will""" we will have a early spring.

 

[ddd75]

buy cattle

feed barns full of hay to cattle

profit


the 3 steps to success

 

[TexasBred]

buy cattle

feed barns full of hay to cattle

profit


the 3 steps to success

aka, "Three strikes and you're out". :nod:

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

buy cattle

feed barns full of hay to cattle

profit


the 3 steps to success

aka, "Three strikes and you're out". :nod:

Lol

 

[TANK30705]

No advice, but a question.

What advantage would you have with that much hay? I understand the point of "can't have too much hay", but at some point that has to be off base, the question at some point has to be "can you have too much hay?".

HD I am thinking the same as you, but I have been the same as Alacowan too!

 

[TANK30705]

Do you have any way to deliver the hay after you sell it? And has the hay been for protein and TDN? If it doesn't start raining were going to be in a mess down here in middle Georgia this summer. Having to much hay is always a good thing.

I have a good truck but I am sort of a weekend warrior. Time is my biggest enemy!

 

[1982vett]

sell it for 20 a roll....put up the fresh stuff

If all I could get was $20 a roll, it would rot in the field.... :nod: might be why they have the barns nearly full. Definitly price ya get and costs to produce is the reason I haven't baled in two seasons.

 

[littletom]

How many acres and rolls are you talking? You have to count your time eqt. in that 20 dollars to. If you really are that far ahead might let go. Maybe you could fence some of your owned hay ground run a few more head. Hay is very expensive when you count every little thing. That's a big investment you have in your barn. I know some locals that have barns full. And feed current hay setting outside each year. Its been there for years.

 

[dieselbeef]

didn't you say it cost ya 20? breakeven and get rid of it all seems good enough...better than the fresh stuff rotting outside...go 25 you haul..id buy up 20-30 rolls

 

[TANK30705]

sell it for 20 a roll....put up the fresh stuff

If all I could get was $20 a roll, it would rot in the field.... :nod: might be why they have the barns nearly full. Definitly price ya get and costs to produce is the reason I haven't baled in two seasons.

I am with you 1982, no way I am gonna sell hay for break even... I've probably miscounted with my math skills on the break even too..

 

[wacocowboy]

Shame you ain't in Texas.

 

[TANK30705]

Went ahead and locked it up for another year. We are in d2 drought now and may be a good year to have extra hay ground.

 

[shaz]

Buy a tarp

 

[Workinonit Farm]

I will never understand the mindset of it costing $$XXX.XX to cut/rake/bale hay, and then leave to rot/waste instead of getting some kind of $$$ for it, even if it is break even. Wouldn't break even be better than spending XYZ and then allowing XYZ to rot/waste?

 

[farmerjan]

I will never understand the mindset of it costing $$XXX.XX to cut/rake/bale hay, and then leave to rot/waste instead of getting some kind of $$$ for it, even if it is break even. Wouldn't break even be better than spending XYZ and then allowing XYZ to rot/waste?

I'm with you on this. I agree that it makes no sense to routinely sell hay for less than what it costs to make it. But, if we can get break even price and the next hay season is looming, that is better than just letting it rot in the field. That's the same as cutting off your nose to spite your face.

I agree that time is money, and costs to make hay is XXXX amount of dollars. So if you don't need it, then why agree to make it and spend money on fertilizer as well as the actual haying costs? And then actually let it sit and rot? How about you just take all those $20 bills and light a fire with them? You won't even have all the time tied up or the hot sweaty days in it?

Get some more cattle, or advertise it on some hay markets and maybe someone who is putting together a load can use it. I'll be D#$@MED if we are going to let hay sit and rot because we can't get more than breakeven prices for it. In fact, we routinely buy hay from people here who have leftover and want to get their rows cleaned out before making more and get it for less than breakeven. And a few times feeding 2 and 3 yr old hay is preferable to having to sell animals when it is dry and prices are down. Right now we are putting out some 3 yr old hay that was made and letting the cows pick through it along with "good hay". It also will add organic matter back into the field if rolled out ; or a pile of hay put into a manure spreader and put back on the field.