Hay Shortage

[Bright Raven]

If it continues like this over a large part of the nation, there is going to be a hay shortage that is going to put some heavy pressure on many producers.

 

[skyhightree1]

If it continues like this over a large part of the nation, there is going to be a hay shortage that is going to put some heavy pressure on many producers.

As it stands hay has been more plentiful than last year for me. I don't just feed hay either.. Hay, WBG, Silage is what I feed during the winter months. Last year burnt through a lot of hay when things dried up.

 

[jltrent]

If it continues like this over a large part of the nation, there is going to be a hay shortage that is going to put some heavy pressure on many producers.

Hay galore around in this part of the country. The second cutting is looking good too.

 

[ddd75]

bout to make my 2nd cutting, i held off the weekend.. took 3 rounds and something didn't feel right so I quit. Ended up pouring rain right when I was going to bale it. only called for 20% chance but it was so humid and hot it blew one up.. only lasted about 10 minutes or so but it poured. looks like i'll be able to get to it this weekend coming up.. looking really good.. I need to take a picture. looks like a magazine picture.

 

[Bright Raven]

The embryologist who just put in an embryo (at Fire Sweep Ranch in Missouri, I am managing while they are at nationals) said last year at this time he had put up 450 round bales. So far this year, he has put up 75. He bought a couple semi loads out of irrigated hayfields in Kansas. He does not expect a second cutting as usual. If it starts raining, he may make up some of the loss.

Missouri is much drier than where I am in Kentucky. But even in Kentucky, the late winter has reduced production by about 35 to 40 percent. Now we are starting to see some of the dry weather with extreme heat index temperatures.

 

[Ky cowboy]

Its rained so much in western ky that what hay there is, was cut 3 weeks late causing poor quality. That with long winter and I really think the sun didn't shine here for at least 3 weeks this spring everyone's yields are down

 

[M-5]

Still haven't got 1st cutting on one field. 2nd cutting on other will be ready next week.

 

[Bright Raven]

Its rained so much in western ky that what hay there is, was cut 3 weeks late causing poor quality. That with long winter and I really think the sun didn't shine here for at least 3 weeks this spring everyone's yields are down

I am hearing the woes of hay from everyone. I was at the Genex Bull Collection station in Stafford MO yesterday. Guy there said hay is going to be a big problem.

 

[rollinhills]

Sure not very dry where I’m at. Month of June we had 17.65 “ of rain.

 

[Bright Raven]

Sure not very dry where I’m at. Month of June we had 17.65 “ of rain.

It has been interesting. We probably were about average for June - maybe 6 inches. There were a lot of storms that came up the Ohio River Valley. TT had a couple gulley washers in June that only sprinkled in Maysville.

 

[M.Magis]

Quantity of rain here hasn’t been the problem that the frequency has. Very little hay here has been put up before getting rained on. Quality was poor also from the weather going from winter straight into summer, and everything went to seed very quickly with less leaf than normal. On the other hand, it sure beats no rain and no grass.

 

[cowgirl8]

The grass has acted weird here. The dalis grass has not headed out or heck even grown.. Most of what we've baled has been almost weedless and the native grasses are doing ok. Getting about 3/4 of what we normally get off each field. But have had a few that made over 4 bales to an acre. One field is the highest spot in this area, top of a hill...made the 4 bales to the acre. I had just finished cutting a field that made 2 to the acre and was told the hill top one wasn't going to do very good. Got in there and had to call my husband to tell him it was going to do really good... This is a custom field so we get paid and we want it to make as much as possible, right...Anywho, just finished cutting the last field. After the 2011 drought, we keep 2 years of hay on hand and we may just use it this year. If we don't get rain, we'll start feeding hay by next week for sure in some herds.. We did fertilize our hay fields and if we get rain we'll get another cutting off them.. Everyone around here is looking for hay..

 

[cowgirl8]

And just like that, it rains...…….

 

[Caustic Burno]

If it continues like this over a large part of the nation, there is going to be a hay shortage that is going to put some heavy pressure on many producers.

It’s short here as well very short.
We should be on third cutting and most have only gotten one.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Hay season is just getting started up here but what I've done already the yeild is down. 10 inches of rain in the last 10 days makes it nearly impossible to even get in the fields at the moment.

 

[snoopdog]

Yield is down here , just finishing up first cutting for the most part .

 

[rollinhills]

I tried to bale sudangrass yesterday afternoon came a little shower on me just .84 hundredths, tedded it this morning going to try again here in a bit. Supposed to rain all day here Friday

 

[Bright Raven]

I tried to bale sudangrass yesterday afternoon came a little shower on me just .84 hundredths, tedded it this morning going to try again here in a bit. Supposed to rain all day here Friday

You are getting all the hits from the scattered thunderstorms. They are missing us now - northeast Kentucky. They are calling for 70 percent chance of scattered thunderstorms Friday. But question is whether we get some. Right now, we need some cooler night time temperatures

 

[Nesikep]

you have the opposite problem we have. We had a hot May, then june turned cold and windy, wasn't particularly wet as far as total rainfall, but there was just hardly ever a stretch where you had 4 days of reliable clear weather.. it was just a thunderstorm after another that would roll through. Nothing wanted to head out except orchardgrass.. Alfalfa didn't bloom until mid june, and timothy was just barely headed out.. Yields weren't bad, but a 3rd cut is out of the question with how far behind I am... I have plenty of hay thankfully, about 50 ton left over from last year anyhow.

 

[Franke]

Dry has has been hard to come by. Seems to rain every other day and the weather stations change the forecast faster than models change clothes at a fashion show! Yields have been good with the rain and high heat and humidity grass and alfalfa is doing well. Wish I could send some rain around.