I have been feeding hay all summer long. my cattle got ahead of the grass and with no rain, even rotating pastures they didn't grow enough to feed them. I have been having to buy hay all winter that I normally would have had put up. as most of you know hay is almost impossible to find and the quality is terrible and the price is outragous. Most hay for sale I wouldn't take for free in most years much less pay $25-$35 per bale. My question is there is a hay outfit that produces 5000 bales of great 14-17% protein bermuda hay. They have the best hay around by far but they are all out of hay. He did say he had 200 bales of last years hay that was stored, net wraped outside. I was just wondering how much this has declined in nutritionla value. I can buy it for $10 a roll, but I wonder if I am better off buying what I have been buying for $35 a roll but its a mix of weeds,briars, johnson, bermuda and mixed grass. what would you do. not to many options
hay question
- Thread starter plbcattle
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Case IH
Well-known member
Buy the net wrapped, consindering the situation it would be fine.
plbcattle":3ig6fgrt said:
I know that hay deteriorates with age, but I'm not sure exactly how much. Unless it's been rained on, I don't think it loses all that much protein, but I could be wrong. That being said I personally would go for the $10 last year's hay over the $35 this years hay for a couple of reasons; 1) The fact that this years hay contains weeds, and briars which are going to reseed themselves in my pasture and last year's hay does not (at least based on your post). 2) Simple price. I'm also thinking that net-wrapped will help to offset the elements more than twine-wrapped will, but I could very well be wrong there. 3) A poorer quality grass hay will keep my animals alive and in reasonable to good body condition. With no idea how long the drought will last, it's all about achieving those two things at the most reasonable cost. Just my thoughts. I'm looking forward to the posts of more experienced people to see how far off base I am.
aplusmnt
Well-known member
With the big difference in price I would think you would come out on the last year hay even if you supplemented a little for the lack of quality? Also would get a the hay tested and see just how much protein it has, might not need to supplement that much. In drought situations I would give a little on quality to keep the cows alive and around the place. So many having to sell due to drought.
George
Well-known member
I would buy the net-wrapped.You are in a drought,so how much rain could those bales have got on them.They will be brown on the outside,but i bet there nice and green on the inside.
TR
Well-known member
plbcattle":1zyf3lno said:
10$ A BALE?!? We're looking at between $60 and $85 a bale here right now, IF you can find any. If that was available down here, I'd grab it and run. You can always suppliment protein. I just haven't figured out how to get around that roughage part though......
Medic24
Well-known member
Hummmm. letsee...do some math here..........$10 a bale of last years that was put up in good condition vs. some really crappy hay that is costing $35.00?
I would go with the last years hay. This is why...
You can buy three times as much for the same price as the crappy hay.
Now several things will come out of this...................
You get it tested and find out that it's actually pretty good hay inside.....you are a winner.
You get it tested, and find out it's in need of supplimenting...so you feed some protein with it, and use all that hay as a so-so quality filler. Still, for the price, you come out a winner.
You buy these bales from this guy who usually puts up great hay, and now you are a customer for the future needs!
Or you buy this years crappy hay, and have it tested, and find out that you need to suppliment it as well, you have now paid for one third the amount of hay you can get else where, and still have to suppliment it.
The folks see that they can sell you crappy hay... and look forward to selling you more of same at a huge price in the future.
Big question is.....next time you need hay...who do you want to do business with next year? :cboy:
I would go with the last years hay. This is why...
You can buy three times as much for the same price as the crappy hay.
Now several things will come out of this...................
You get it tested and find out that it's actually pretty good hay inside.....you are a winner.
You get it tested, and find out it's in need of supplimenting...so you feed some protein with it, and use all that hay as a so-so quality filler. Still, for the price, you come out a winner.
You buy these bales from this guy who usually puts up great hay, and now you are a customer for the future needs!
Or you buy this years crappy hay, and have it tested, and find out that you need to suppliment it as well, you have now paid for one third the amount of hay you can get else where, and still have to suppliment it.
The folks see that they can sell you crappy hay... and look forward to selling you more of same at a huge price in the future.
Big question is.....next time you need hay...who do you want to do business with next year? :cboy:
dj
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PLB consider that last year was a good weather year for hay in that area. This year production quaility and quantity suffered.
So even with the ageing it is most likely a better feed.
Rain in the bales shouldn't be a problem, you haven't had any. You are in an excellent area for hay. Those burmuda growers are getting some great hay test numbers.
So even with the ageing it is most likely a better feed.
Rain in the bales shouldn't be a problem, you haven't had any. You are in an excellent area for hay. Those burmuda growers are getting some great hay test numbers.
Dusty Britches
Well-known member
I just ordered hay delivered from 2 hours away for $95 a roll (1600 pound roll, guarenteed). And he was the cheap one, but he guarentees the quality.
aplusmnt
Well-known member
$95.00 a bale? That would be hard to pay. Would it pay to buy hay from in the Midwest and have it shipped? I live 6 hours from Dallas in Kansas. Hay is not hard to find here. Wonder how many rolls a person could haul on a flatbed semi trailer? Might pay to have some shipped in. My dad has a flatbed trailer service and hauls primarily Texas, OK, KS loads. I might have load some hay up and come sit on corner with a 4-Sale sign on it.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Paying 95 bucks for a bale of hay you need to rethink why you are in the cattlebiz. Management includes drought's floods, hurricanes and all the other crap Ma nature throws at us. Hope you survive this and learned to plan better for future years.
Dusty Britches
Well-known member
He's actually buying it for $60, selling it for $75, and shipping for $20. I can't find anyone that will sell it to me for less - all things considered. I did find someone 3 hours from me that will sell it for $75, but to ship it would cost $1000. ($3 per mile per load).
There is a guy in Longview selling it for $55, but by the time he returned my calls I already made a deal with the other feller. To ship would most likely cost $1200.
Then my ag agent reminded me of all those people we're helping out by paying the higher prices, b/c next time, it will be them that pay. Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better. But, now I have enough hay to get to my local guy's first cutting - and I got dibbs on that.
There is a guy in Longview selling it for $55, but by the time he returned my calls I already made a deal with the other feller. To ship would most likely cost $1200.
Then my ag agent reminded me of all those people we're helping out by paying the higher prices, b/c next time, it will be them that pay. Somehow, that doesn't make me feel any better. But, now I have enough hay to get to my local guy's first cutting - and I got dibbs on that.
Arnold Ziffle
Well-known member
A+ --- I've never seen more than 38 large (5 x 6) bales on a flatbed trailer. I don't think they are allowed to stack them more than two high.
PLB, based on your descriptions of the hay, the hay producer, etc. I'd jump on that $10 hay so fast it would make your head spin!! Long story, but I just recently finished feeding out some round bales that were anywhere from two to five years old and that had been stored outside. The oldest bales were still about half "good". Plus throwing more cubes at the gals than I normally would, in view of the relatively poor quality . (the old hay was all free for the taking)
It's too late for this year but, seeing as you are in Arkansas, have you ever investigated the possibility of getting some rice straw baled cheaply and ammoniating it and/or using molasses? As I recall, rice straw isn't quite up to wheat/oats/barley but it still has some viability in a somewhat emergency situation.
Ever considered the economic viability of moving some cattle down into the rice country for winter? Probably too late for this year once again, but would it be feasible to strike a deal with a big rice grower to put a little water on some land (that would normally be fallow the next year under his normal roatation system) and trying to grow a ryegrass or oats crop for grazing? Or for an early hay crop? (I don't know that any of that would "pencil out" --- just thinking out loud, so to speak)
PLB, based on your descriptions of the hay, the hay producer, etc. I'd jump on that $10 hay so fast it would make your head spin!! Long story, but I just recently finished feeding out some round bales that were anywhere from two to five years old and that had been stored outside. The oldest bales were still about half "good". Plus throwing more cubes at the gals than I normally would, in view of the relatively poor quality . (the old hay was all free for the taking)
It's too late for this year but, seeing as you are in Arkansas, have you ever investigated the possibility of getting some rice straw baled cheaply and ammoniating it and/or using molasses? As I recall, rice straw isn't quite up to wheat/oats/barley but it still has some viability in a somewhat emergency situation.
Ever considered the economic viability of moving some cattle down into the rice country for winter? Probably too late for this year once again, but would it be feasible to strike a deal with a big rice grower to put a little water on some land (that would normally be fallow the next year under his normal roatation system) and trying to grow a ryegrass or oats crop for grazing? Or for an early hay crop? (I don't know that any of that would "pencil out" --- just thinking out loud, so to speak)
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
We had 2 semi loads brought in. Hay was $22 a bale, 1500 lb bales. Trucking added another 18 per bale. That was last August. We got a little rain right after we brought it in and haven;t fed a bale yet.
dun
dun
aplusmnt
Well-known member
Duns....figures seems like what I was thinking. If a truck held 38 bales at $18 bale shipping it would be $680.00 I am not sure what trucks get, but I am sure I have heard my dad talk about going to Dallas area in that price range, especially there is usually some good flat bed loads out of Texas. Seems like a person could find some hay in our area delivered to Texas in the $40.00 range per bale.
TheBullLady
Well-known member
We have a semi, and have hauled round bales many times. You can haul two side by side, two high, with one more "tie" bale on top, but you'll have to watch any bridges. We've had to drop the air ride on the trailer to make it under some of them.
What about alfalfa? I still think if you have to pay to haul it, you're money ahead to get alfalfa and dole it out instead of feeding it free choice. But then, I don't know about the availability of alfalfa right now either.
1500 is a big bale. If someone is guaranteeing the weight that, offer to pay by the ton instead of the bale. You may be surprised how quickly they change their guarantee.
What about alfalfa? I still think if you have to pay to haul it, you're money ahead to get alfalfa and dole it out instead of feeding it free choice. But then, I don't know about the availability of alfalfa right now either.
1500 is a big bale. If someone is guaranteeing the weight that, offer to pay by the ton instead of the bale. You may be surprised how quickly they change their guarantee.
