So the hay price thread got blocked for obvious reasons but some of those prices I saw were crazy low - someone said a 4x5 round bale for $10? @800 lbs for a bale that's only $25 per ton (thats how I buy hay - by the ton) Is that stored outside? I know prices are low but that seems really low. That would only be $150 a year for me to feed a cow even if I fed her all year - $75 if I fed her 6 months. Seems like there would be some decent profit even on cheap calves at that cost. What is everyone paying?
Hay Prices from earlier thread??
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M-5
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That hay is most likely just filler. 10 to 12% 4x5 roll 900# avg is 30 to 40 a roll on avg here.
kenny thomas
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I traded a $300 chainsaw to 70 rolls of 4x5 on an adjoining farm. It's still sitting outside from the spring. They are eating some and the rest will be fertilizer. I didn't need the hay but at less than $5 a roll it seemed ok.
Son of Butch
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Minnesota Tested Hay Sale December 13, 2016
Good Grass Hay stored inside 4x5 rounds 20 ton lots 13% m 10-11.5% p 88-93 rfv 60-$85 ton
med sq alfalfa/grass mix 14.5% m 19-22% p 120-140 rfv 120-$150 ton
3x3x8 sq course alfalfa 15.9% m 13% p 82 rfv $43 ton
med sq corn stover $15 bale
4x5 rounds corn stover $21 bale
med sq wheat straw tops and bottoms $35 ton
med sq wheat straw $65 ton
med sq wheat straw $27 bale
4x5 grass rounds untested 27-$30 bale
Good Grass Hay stored inside 4x5 rounds 20 ton lots 13% m 10-11.5% p 88-93 rfv 60-$85 ton
med sq alfalfa/grass mix 14.5% m 19-22% p 120-140 rfv 120-$150 ton
3x3x8 sq course alfalfa 15.9% m 13% p 82 rfv $43 ton
med sq corn stover $15 bale
4x5 rounds corn stover $21 bale
med sq wheat straw tops and bottoms $35 ton
med sq wheat straw $65 ton
med sq wheat straw $27 bale
4x5 grass rounds untested 27-$30 bale
Craig Miller
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It's a little higher here this year due to the drought. I'm seeing 4x5 rolls for $40-50. In a normal year though I give $25-35. I don't know the quality but the cows love it and look good coming out of winter. How do you buy by the ton? Are there just scales everywhere around you guys or are they at the farms or what?
Son of Butch
Well-known member
At tested hay sales all loads weighed and time stamp verifying weight. When selling off the farm we scale as we load.
Other times we have used scales to weigh at local elevators or weigh stations for $10.
Other times we have used scales to weigh at local elevators or weigh stations for $10.
Lots of hay here this year and it is hard to sell. See prices all over the place.
We advertised some 4 x 5's and 5 x 5.5's with very little response, it was tested at 9.8% and 73 RFV. I know it was not the best but we priced it cheap.
We advertised some 4 x 5's and 5 x 5.5's with very little response, it was tested at 9.8% and 73 RFV. I know it was not the best but we priced it cheap.
Craig Miller":1z4hojy2 said:
There is a local farm that has a scale and a gravel pit by me that has a scale. Short of that, I will buy one bale and put it on my livestock scales so I know and will then back calculate. I've seen reported 4x5 going as light as 600 to as heavy as 1100. The 1100 bales usually end up being 4x 5.5 and hard core the lighter bales are often 4 X 4.5 and soft core but by the bale people all want the same because they read about people selling 4x5 (usually heavier bales) for higher prices.
RiverHills
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I was reading the blocked hay thread as well and was thinking that's some cheap hay. Then I realized it was 10years old. 4x5 5x5 are being advertised at $25-35 don't know if their selling any.
. I guess that 25-35 is about what I'm seeing for first cut hay here. Still seems pretty reasonable.
TexasBred
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I see hay ads in the paper all the time from $25 to $60 a roll....seldom tells you how large the rolls are any other pertinent information.
Lucky_P
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Yeah... saw that one. 2007... here, we had the Easter Big Freeze Disaster, followed by serious drought - a 1" rain event between May 10 and Nov 30. There was no decent local hay made that year. If they sold that hay for $25 a roll, they missed out on a profit like they'd never have a chance at again.
I paid more than I swore I'd never pay for a roll of hay, shipped in from out west, and we started our limit-feeding deal - 10 pounds of hay per cow and 13 lbs modified distiller's grain per day.
I saw folks in the area paying $90-$100 for rolls of cornstalks or CRP residue cut in October... with 1"-2" honeylocust trees all through it - there'd be an ATV-sized pile of wood left over after the cows had picked through and eaten everything else.
I paid more than I swore I'd never pay for a roll of hay, shipped in from out west, and we started our limit-feeding deal - 10 pounds of hay per cow and 13 lbs modified distiller's grain per day.
I saw folks in the area paying $90-$100 for rolls of cornstalks or CRP residue cut in October... with 1"-2" honeylocust trees all through it - there'd be an ATV-sized pile of wood left over after the cows had picked through and eaten everything else.
aaroninga
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I read that thread last week but didn't pick up on it being from 2007.
2015 I paid $25 a roll @800-1000# from my neighbors.
2016 I had no choice but to pay $45 for it 50 miles away, 28 rolls.
Because of drought. Wasn't happy with the quality because of too much stalk, heavy stalk I could light my wood stove with!
But was still able to get 11 @$25 from one neighbor early in spring.
2015 I paid $25 a roll @800-1000# from my neighbors.
2016 I had no choice but to pay $45 for it 50 miles away, 28 rolls.
Because of drought. Wasn't happy with the quality because of too much stalk, heavy stalk I could light my wood stove with!
But was still able to get 11 @$25 from one neighbor early in spring.
poorfarmer
Well-known member
Most people in my area charge by the bale. I pay by the bale but I have weighed them so I know the amount I am purchasing. In my area it is not hard to find hay. I pay about 60 a ton for grass hay stored inside, I can pick it up through the winter as I get room in my barn, which is nice for my set up.
aaroninga
Well-known member
I've not heard of anyone selling by the ton around here, just by the bale. I use 4x5's.
14 of what I got was stored inside but the worst of all. I'll pay closer attention for now on.
I store inside the barn on my place after I know it's dry enough.
14 of what I got was stored inside but the worst of all. I'll pay closer attention for now on.
I store inside the barn on my place after I know it's dry enough.
Canadianfarmer
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North of me big squares of first cut r up to 120 each around 40-60 each in my neck of the woods
Dave
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Hay is pretty cheap here. The longshoreman slow down / strike in 2015 kept a bunch of the export hay to stay here. The export market doesn't take year old hay and there is still a lot of 2015 hay left over. This has combined to lower hay prices. I paid $85 a ton delivered for Bent grass. That is $30 a ton less than 2015. I paid $125 a ton delivered for fairly good first cutting alfalfa. These were all 3 by 4 big square bales. I could have bought some 4 by 4 big squares of alfalfa cheaper but I don't like handling those bigger bales.
BK9954
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About $30-50 per 4X6 bale depending on type. Thats the biggest I buy, A LOT of junk out there. Got a guy selling bales for $15 but why buy junk if I am going to have to supplement extra feed to make up for it. But completely different State, just what my market is.
