Hay prices

[J Baxter]

Just wondering...what is hay selling for in everyone's neck of the woods? I'm giving 15-20 for 5*5s...mostly bermuda with some clover mixed in.

 

[sidney411]

I would love to have some for that price. Here it is $35 and up for coastal and/or bermuda.

 

[Dave]

I paid $15 for 700 pound 4 by 5's. It was second cutting rye, orchard with some clover off old dairy ground that has been well fertilized. It should test fairly good. Oh, it was also real close to home. So close that the guy let me use his tractor and bale forwarder to haul the hay to my place.

Dave

 

[C & C Land & Catt]

July 26, 2004

Moderate hay trade seen across state

In Kansas the hay trade is moderate. Demand moderate to strong for dairy alfalfa, moderate for grinding alfalfa, brome and prairie hay, light for alfalfa pellets, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, July 20. Prices given on a per-ton basis, unless otherwise noted.

Southwest:

Dairy/grinding alfalfa steady. Movement moderate. Horse alfalfa, new crop: $100-$130; supreme dairy, RFV 185-230: $100-$110; premium, RFV 170-185: $85-$100; good, RFV 150-170: $75-$85; fair, RFV 140-150: $70-$75. Utility/fair grinding alfalfa, at the edge of the field: $60-$70, ground and delivered: $75-$85. For the week ending, July 10, 12,869 tons of alfalfa was ground and delivered to feedlots.

South central:

Dairy/grinding alfalfa and alfalfa pellets steady. Movement moderate. Horse alfalfa: $100-$125; supreme dairy: $90-$105; premium: $90-$100; good: $70-$90. Utility/fair grinding alfalfa, at the edge of the field: $60-$65, ground and delivered: $70-$85. For the week ending July 10, 3,291 tons of grinding alfalfa and 2,143 tons of dairy alfalfa were delivered. Sun-cured alfalfa pellets, 15% protein: $93-$100; dehydrated, 17% protein: $106-$108.

Southeast:

Alfalfa, brome and prairie hay steady. Movement slow. Horse alfalfa: $115; supreme dairy: $90-$110; premium: $80-$100. Fair bluestem, in small squares: $45-$65; good: $60-$70, in medium and large squares: $45-$65, in large rounds: $30-$45. Good brome, in small squares: $65-$75, in medium and large squares: $50-$70, in large rounds: $30-$50.

Northwest:

Dairy/grinding alfalfa steady. Movement slow to moderate. Horse alfalfa: $100-$130; supreme dairy: $85-$100; premium: $80-$90. Utility/fair grinding alfalfa, at the edge of the field: $45-$60, ground and delivered to feedlots: $70-$85.

North central/northeast:

Dairy/grinding alfalfa, prairie hay and brome steady. Movement slow to moderate. Horse alfalfa: $100; supreme dairy: $100-$110; premium: $85-$100; good: $75-$85. Utility/fair grinding alfalfa, at the edge of the field: $35-$55, ground on truck: $50-$65. Good Bluestem grass, in small squares: $60-$70, in large rounds: $40-$50; fair: $30-$40. Premium brome, in small squares: $80-$90; fair/good, in small squares: $65-$75, in medium and large squares: $50-$65, in large rounds: $35-$50. Straw, in small squares: $1.75-$2/bale, in medium squares: $35-$45.

Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Dodge City, KS.





This is for Kansas but it is about the same where we are at.

 

[eric]

Last winter, I gave $30 for 1000 lb bales, but I heartell from another neighbor he went up to $35 a few weeks ago. Hopefully he will come down by the fall, as everyone has lots of hay already this summer with all the rain. This is fertilized coastal bermuda averging around 14%-16% protein, according to the tests on last yrs crop. I called a few places last yr and $35 seems to be about average.

 

[Bernard]

Anyone know of a site that will serve as a "primer" to explain a lot of the terminology used in the above posts on hay (RFV; horse vs. dairy vs. grinding alfalfa; small, medium & large squares; supreme, premium, good, utility/fair; large rounds; etc.)?

thanks-

 

[Dave]

This is the explanation given at the bottom of the USDA hay report out of Moses Lake, WA. I think the USDA uses these same basic standards all over the country.

Price quotes are FOB for current delivery unless otherwise stated.
Alfalfa hay test guidelines, used with visual appearance and intent of
sale. Quantitative factors are approximate and many factors can
affect feeding value.

ADF NDF RFV TDN-100% TDN-90% CP
Supreme <27 <34 >185 >62 >55.9 >22
Premium 27-29 34-36 170-185 60.5-62 54.5-55.9 20-22
Good 29-32 36-40 150-170 58-60 52.5-54.5 18-20
Fair 32-35 40-44 130-150 56-58 50.5-52.5 16-18
Utility >35 >44 <130 <56 <50.5 <16
RFV calculated using the Wis/Minn formula. TDN calculated using
the western formula. Values based on 100% dry matter, TDN both 90% &
100%.

RFV is relative feed value
TDN is total digestable nutrients
CP is crude protein
ADF is acid detergent fiber
NDF is neutral detergent fiber
Dairy hay is generally high nutrient easily degestable hay.
Horse hay??? no dust or mold??? I guess it depends on what feed stores figure people will feed to horses.
Rounds are round bales.
Small squares are standard two tie bales. Some times three ties are included as small squares.
Large square bales are generally the 4' by 4' by 8' ton bales.
Mediums are bales that are somewhere in between.

 

[la4angus]

Thanks Dave
Good information in your post.