Hay goin ta Texas

[eric]

At least last year there was hay to be found, since most guys had surplus hay from previous yrs that they could sell you. But this year, it seems everyone fed out all their surplus hay last yr, didnt get any worthwhile cuttings last summer, and are holding onto whatever hay they do get to bale. They guys I usually buy from count on keeping their first cutting for themselves, then selling the next 2-3 cuttings for some extra pocket change. But the last 2 summers, they are lucky to get enough for themselves from the first cutting, so they sure as heck aint selling any anytime soon. I have also seen ads in the paper for $65-$75 a bale.

And the year started out so promising too, we had rain up here almost every week in Jan/Feb. Had a milder than normal winter, so grass started coming up earlier than normal, then BAM!, we've had like an 1 1/2 of rain since April. Whats worse, we leave my parents house Sat night before fathers day, had to leave early because it was raining so hard and we didnt want o be caught in it after dark. Folks were pulling over on the highway because you could barely see out the windshield, and we got about 1/2 way home, and the streets were as dry as could be, not a drop of water anywhere. My parents live less than 40 miles from us! Called my dad next morning, they got 2 1/4" of rain that night. We got zilch.

 

[Rookie]

Why da ya think I been on the board as long as I been and got so few a posts, partly cause I be too busy to be on the net a lot, partly cause I don't be fittin in well with normal folks.

I think you fit in just fine. I've learned quite a few things from your posts and I thank you for that.

And thanks be ta you also

 

[Rookie]

I'm not familiar with Brome/Fescue. I buy coastal or grazer. Last winter I bought some Prairie Grass hay from the feed store in large square bales. Not something we usually get around here but things have been tough and hay's been coming from where ever it can be gotten.

Things been not so good here neither.Alot of our state be really dry, I know we be not alone in that problem. Alfalfa just now came to second cut and alot of areas here may not see a third.Big squares of alfalfa(900-1000#) been sellin at $50 but may be up ta 70 or better before long.Alot of us here fertilized but didn't see enough rain afterwards ta even wash it in a bit.At $320 a ton for fertilizer that be painful. Good luck be with ya.

Is $50 a ton for Alfalfa normal for you??? is that to a broker?

Nope, a ton is 2000#, we be talkin 50$ for a 900-1000# bale.

Sorry, I should pay more attention.

No apologies nessessary !

 

[Rookie]

It looks like the govenor of Texas would declar a state of emergency and send the National Gaurd in to help out during this drought.

What can the National Guard do?

Does any of you guys from Texas know if the govenor of Texas has been asked for help ?

It looks like to me they could do alot of things like transport hay from other states.

There are still the fuel, maintenance, pay for the Guardsmen, etc., to consider. Do you think the State of Texas is going to pick them up? Not likely.

They could supply water and other things.

Where are they going to get that water? I don't know if Texas has hit this point yet, but wells are being shut off in Colorado due to the drought. When the water is gone, it's gone. The only source is buying it from another state.

I really hate to see you guys having to pay thoes kind of prices for hay. The cost has got to be in shipping of it. I cut and bail my own hay. But i was talking to a friend of mine who just bought 95 bails 4 x 5,s good hay for $ 15 a bail and that was dilivered.

I hate it, too, but I disagree with you on the shipping being the source of the cost. To raise good hay in this area requires irrigation and irrigation costs - regardless of whether it is pivot or flood irrigation. Each foot of water out of the river (flood irrigation) costs so much and is only available for a certain period of time and then there is the electricity to run the pump to get it to the fields depending on one's set-up, and it takes electricity to run a pivot. Add to that the costs of fertilizer, weed control, fuel, and there is the source of the cost. Now add on trucking expense.

You could find hay alot cheaper than $70 and $ 90 a bail.

No rain = no hay unless one has an irrigated farm (provided the water table has not dropped to the point that the well is shut down or no water is available from the river). I may be wrong here, but I'm thinking that almost all of the south and a large part of the north is in severe drought conditions. Who does that leave to provide the hay?

But my point is i feel you guys in Texas are being taken advantage of by people profitting on your sitution. That is not right in my book.

I'm sure that is happening to a degree, but I don't think it's the majority that are doing that. Most of the people that raise hay are farm/ranch folk and, call me idealistic, but I don't believe that most of them would do that. Just my thoughts.

I hope ya be right about that but the man I started this thread by mentionin who was gettin 70$ for a 4x5 round be now holding back shipments to texas and oklahoma and he be thinkin the price will be goin even higher. Cant say I like that attitude, even if he has the right cause his fee for shippin be pretty high also. I be wishin I could give someone some relief but my fields produced at about 30% of normal due to extreme dry conditions in my area.

 

[Rough'n'Ready Plantation]

The whole National Guard concept isn't unprecedented. I think back in the late 90's there was a severe drought in Alabama and Georgia. The Guard shipped hay from Texas and Louisiana over to Alabama and Georgia. So maybe our governors can call a few people up and get some help. My governor is Kathleen Blanco though, so i'm not holding my breath on that one.

 

[milesvb]

Well I dont type with an accent,but this drought is eating us alive in TX,and hay coming in at those prices aint gonna help a beef producer,maybe some pure bred folks,but plain ole beef cattle wont pencil long with hay prices like that.............good luck

We've gotten just enough rain to keep the forage green and since our stocking rate is light feeding hasn't been a problem yet. The real problem here for some folks is that the ground is so thirsty it would take 6-10" in a solid deluge to get any meaningful runoff. I'm looking at borrowing a honey wagon/nurse tank used for hauling water to get water from the creek and then hook it up to a portable trough with a float valve so I can utilize the pastures where the ponds have gone dry.

does anyone know how many gallons an ole cow can drink in this TX heat ?

Yup. It's gonna require some culling, that's for sure.

 

[Stepper]

msscamp,

I stand to differ with you on alot of things here. I served 10 years in the National Gaurds and national disaters such as drought, hurricanes, tornadoes etc...., is just part of the reasons the national gaurd is arround.

And you are mistaken about all of the South being in drought. I am in North West Arkansas and we are not over run with rain but here in my area we are receiving average rain fall. And i know places like Colorado reley on irrigation to water their hay feilds. But here nobody does. Even though this is not a wet year for here. I think i am going to be getting 3 cuttings of hay. I know for sure 2 cuttings.

Now as for as who is going to pay for the national gaurdsmens exspense's it will be who always picks up the bill. Us the tax payers. This is nothing new. One example is Katrina. And they shipped in thousand up on thounsands of gallons of water for human consumption there. To water live stock it would not be nothing to truck tanker load after load to water live stock. As far as Texas goes the Arkansas river would be a good source to get water from to just water live stock.

And as for as hay goes. I can only speak for my area but there is alot of it availiable for $ 15 and $ 20 dollars a bail. Like i said in my post i turned down 150 acres of good hay that i could have cut. And the owner was wanting to sale it. And that is not scratching the surface.

And just because a person raises cattle or is a farmer does not mean they are a good person. There is good and bad no matter what you get into. Now i dont know how much the shipping would cost to ship a semi load of hay to Texas but i could have located enough of it at $ 15 a 4 x 5 bail to have sent several loads to Texas. So unless the shipping totaled up to $ 90 a bail - the $ 15 to $ 20 a bail for the hay. Some one is making a pretty good little profit.

I sold 35 bails this Spring because i did not want to feed last summers hay. And it was good hay. My heifers went from 550 lbs to 800 lbs from last October to middle of April. So it had to of been some what good. I would have sold it to someone from Texas for $ 15 a bail just like i sold it to the guy from here.

I offered back in the winter to help people locate it. And there are several people arround here who just cuts and sells hay. Just like my friend who bought 95 bails of it delivered at $ 15 a bail.

Like you have said so many times. Different locations have different situtions. I agree drought is a problem for MOST of the South but not for ALL of the South. And even here in Arkansas from listening to the people from Eastern Arkansas they are having a pretty tuff time of it. But knock on wood. We seem to be pretty lucky here in my location. And not every one here who raise cattle are good people. But alot are and i am sure they would help out in a relief effort if there was some type of plan sort of like help from the National Gaurd. To ship hay to these people.

Now we have our fair share of crooks here to. Who would and probably are taking advantage of these people who are struggling. I know of one guy who is selling squares just mixed grass squares for $ 6 a bail. You can go a mile down the road and buy the same hay for $ 2.50 a bail out of the barn. This same crook is selling 4 x 5 mixed grass hay ( not fertilized hay) for $ 32 a bail. Selling to people who are not from this area by the way. And he is a big rancher. Has lots of money. By the way he does business i can see how he came by it. Not to many people arround here think to highly of him. But then again there is good and bad any where you go any more.

 

[GMN]

I spent most of this week and last looking for hay to buy. There is no cheap hay $20 and under by us. Alfalfa round bales are going for $40, fescue is $25-$30, and orchardgrass if you can find it is $35 for a round bale. I thought I was in bad shape having to buy over 300 round bales, but after reading some of the Texas' peoples post, I see that it is worse there. I did manage to find the hay, from a retired dairy farmer, who has 500 acres, cuts and sells all of his hay, got orchardgrass, a orchardgrass mix and fescue cut early, for a decent price more than I wanted to pay, but just lucky to find some. We have hay ourselves, but what a pathetic hay year, got less than half of what we usually get, and even though we have gotten some rain, the ground is so dry doesn't seem to make much difference. We cut a hay field, and within a week we have to put the cows on it, no chance I feel for 2nd cuttings on anything, and if it doesn't rain, we will have to feed hay out earlier, which is never good.

I think we should all just hope for rain.
My best wishes to all the Texas rancher/farmers struggling, $70 a bale or higher is insane, good luck to you all!

GMN

 

[GMN]

hey Rookie, do you be sustaining an injury to da head? what's up with the talk? you didn't talk that way when you started here:

Ok, for the record. I been thru this once before. My momma was a Cajun and my daddy was a Hillbilly, made for quite an interesting combination of speakin around our place, likewise my level of education be not all that good. When I first be signed up to the board, my better half did all the typin for me. She be a lot smarter than me. But after a bit she couldn't be around always and said I need be doin it myself. I say nobody gonna like my ways and she said ya be needin ta suck it up and ta be nice with those what don't understand. So here I be. I been made fun of, called a leprechaun, got PM's accusing me a bein a "alter ego" for some one be wantin ta disrupt the board, etc, etc.Why da ya think I been on the board as long as I been and got so few a posts, partly cause I be too busy to be on the net a lot, partly cause I don't be fittin in well with normal folks. So there it be sir, no head injury, just different upbringin and more empty space up there than most folks. :lol: :lol:

Don't sell yourself short, I think your posts are very educated and interesting.

GMN

 

[msscamp]

msscamp,

I stand to differ with you on alot of things here.

No problem.

I served 10 years in the National Gaurds and national disaters such as drought, hurricanes, tornadoes etc...., is just part of the reasons the national gaurd is arround.

And you are mistaken about all of the South being in drought.

Thanks for the correction, all I know is what I read and I'm not keeping a list.

To water live stock it would not be nothing to truck tanker load after load to water live stock.

I admire your idealism, but I don't think you're being very realistic. How long do you think the average taxpayer would put up with paying for something like this?

And as for as hay goes. I can only speak for my area but there is alot of it availiable for $ 15 and $ 20 dollars a bail. Like i said in my post i turned down 150 acres of good hay that i could have cut. And the owner was wanting to sale it. And that is not scratching the surface.

You will not touch large bales of hay around here for those prices. It simply will not happen due to the costs already stated. Nor can your area supply hay for all of the areas that do not have hay and need it.

And just because a person raises cattle or is a farmer does not mean they are a good person.

I fully realize this, but I'm idealistic enough to want to believe the good outnumber the bad.

Now i dont know how much the shipping would cost to ship a semi load of hay to Texas but i could have located enough of it at $ 15 a 4 x 5 bail to have sent several loads to Texas.

To give you an idea, we delivered 9 head of cattle to Kansas (apprx 13 hours - one way) several months ago, and the fuel costs alone were better than $600 dollars. That does not include mileage, trip permits, etc.

 

[Stepper]

msscamp,

Unfortunately the taxpayers are like you and me. There is not a whole lot we can do about what is done with our tax dollars.
Besides alot of times the National Gaurd will take on certain task and turn it into training. When i was in the gaurds we would travel several states away alot of times for our annual two week summer camp training. When we would do this we would move a whole battalion of men and their equipment. And i was in a howtizer unit. One of our guns weighed 31 tons by itself. We would have to have about 30 of them shipped by both rail and barge. That did not include all of the other equipment. duse & half trucks, hemmits, jeeps etc......, the list goes on and on.

Then you throw in the expense it cost to ship, feed, cloth, house 1500 men. And provide medical care for them during that two weeks. That really adds up fast. And you know who pays for all of that. All of us chickens that are paying taxes. And wether we will stand for it or not there is not nothing we can do but learn to like it.

And that is just one little gaurd unit. And i have no idea how many units in all that we have across the united states but it is a lot. So yes i think it is well with in reason that our government would consider hauling a little hay & water to help the farmers out in a time of need.

 

[msscamp]

Stepper, I commend you again on your idealism and your desire to help. I also very sincerely thank you for your service with the National Guard. I guess we are going to have to agree to disagree on this scenario, because I don't see where it is feasible or realistic. Drought is a part of the cattle business and, while I feel very bad for those that are having to sell out due to lack of water or hay, we all have to deal with it at one time or another.

 

[Stepper]

msscamp,

That sounds good to me. And i apprechaite your thanks but i was never in any wars. My unit was activated not long after i had served my time. But i did not ever do anything but make weekend drills and 2 weeks a year summer camp. So any thanks should go to our veterans, and the Men/Women who are serving to protect our country.

 

[msscamp]

msscamp,

That sounds good to me. And i apprechaite your thanks but i was never in any wars. My unit was activated not long after i had served my time. But i did not ever do anything but make weekend drills and 2 weeks a year summer camp. So any thanks should go to our veterans, and the Men/Women who are serving to protect our country.

Please don't sell yourself short. Just because you were not in a war while with the Guard does not negate your service, nor does it make it less admirable in any way, shape or form in my eyes. As you have previously stated, the National Guard plays a very important role in disasters and other things and a lot of people dealing with those circumstances would be much worse off without the Guard to help them. There is more than one way to protect our country! ;-)

 

[LimiMan]

Alfalfa hay around harrah Oklahoma is going for $6 a square bale(straight out of the field) and $150 ton for 5x6 round bales.

 

[TxCoUnTrYbOy]

Ill have to check at work where they got the hay as soon as my boss comes back from Columbia. Today they brought in about 50 round bales of coastal bermuda. Of course, money is no object to him, so it might be pretty expensive.

 

[GMN]

Ill have to check at work where they got the hay as soon as my boss comes back from Columbia. Today they brought in about 50 round bales of coastal bermuda. Of course, money is no object to him, so it might be pretty expensive.

I wonder what its like to have money be no object in anything you do?

GMN

 

[Rookie]

hey Rookie, do you be sustaining an injury to da head? what's up with the talk? you didn't talk that way when you started here:

Ok, for the record. I been thru this once before. My momma was a Cajun and my daddy was a Hillbilly, made for quite an interesting combination of speakin around our place, likewise my level of education be not all that good. When I first be signed up to the board, my better half did all the typin for me. She be a lot smarter than me. But after a bit she couldn't be around always and said I need be doin it myself. I say nobody gonna like my ways and she said ya be needin ta suck it up and ta be nice with those what don't understand. So here I be. I been made fun of, called a leprechaun, got PM's accusing me a bein a "alter ego" for some one be wantin ta disrupt the board, etc, etc.Why da ya think I been on the board as long as I been and got so few a posts, partly cause I be too busy to be on the net a lot, partly cause I don't be fittin in well with normal folks. So there it be sir, no head injury, just different upbringin and more empty space up there than most folks. :lol: :lol:

Don't sell yourself short, I think your posts are very educated and interesting.

GMN

Many thanks, GMN.

 

[Tod Dague]

I ain't braggin' but I found some of last year's hay that looked like it was just cut and I paid a fraction of the prices I've seen here. I feel very fortunate and blessed to have found this hay.

I wasn't albe to full my order, but I've contracted with another guy at a good price early in the year for the rest of my order.

The governor has repeatedly asked for drought assistance, but his best friend the Prez can't get us any relief - the Katrina disaster wiped us out. We were only able to get relief from the wild fires last year.

Drought causes more losses than all hurricanes, floods, fires, and tornadoes combined. I read that last year -- somewhere.


PS - If I find hay in Central Texas for less than what I've seen here, I'll post it. In fact, you can call the guy I mentioned above right now. I'm not sure if he has any available, though. He told me my order would be available in August. Brad Ely, Hearne, TX (979) 279-3118.

One of the things that I have done to help hold at least some of my hay expenses down was to contract with a man for hay. I told him if he will grow and cut the hay the way I want I will buy all that he produced. Any extra and it will be my problem to get rid of. This is all a verbal agreement, but he is good for it. He sold me all that he could at cost, he has to feed his cows to, partially because he is a good man and partially because he doesn't want to loose a good thing.

 

[Herefordcross]

Talked to a buddy of mine in Colorado today. Said Alfalfa right out of the field is going for $175 a ton. 90% ov the Alfalfa in the valley that their in got frozen out last winter due to hardly any snowfall.