High cattle prices affecting hay pricing

[Hook]

Seems hay prices are trying to compete with cattle prices lately. 4 x 5 rounds of coastal hay or Bermuda hay were $40 last year. Up until this week they shot up to $55-$65 for the same roll. That's a pretty stiff increase when you're buying all your hay every year. 150 rolls per year.with fuel prices going down I can't help but think it's a direct result of high cattle prices.

 

[jedstivers]

It's a glut of hay in AR. We didn't sell a bale last year or this either.

 

[highgrit]

I'll sell you what you need for $40.00. Just come and get it.

 

[Hook]

There's plenty of hay to be had here. Fields of weeds everywhere are being baled. Wet summer but now the rain has shut off. No rain in the last month. Pastures are all dried up. Anyone want to send me 2 semis at 40/roll? Hg.. What do ou think Itll cost to truck it per roll in a semi?

 

[hillbilly beef man]

It is 45 a roll for 4x5's here. On the same note corn stalks are $20 a roll and bulk corn/gluten/soy hulls are $197 a ton, would you come out ahead with corn stalks and feed instead of hay? I have enough hay to do me this year, just kickin around the idea for next year.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

It's a glut of hay in AR. We didn't sell a bale last year or this either.

Hey Jed, depending on freight and all I just might buy 50 tons from you for next year! Do you test it? I had fun looking at hay this year; we have always produced our own hay, but this year the water was light, and we are just a little overstocked so I only put of 36 bales and we use about 120 a year (1000 pound bales).
I was looking at some good hay in KS, but the freight would have been $1000, a bit high for me!

 

[bigbull338]

as cattle get higher and more people sell out that usually means hay will get cheaper.

 

[Angus Cowman]

It's a glut of hay in AR. We didn't sell a bale last year or this either.

Hey Jed, depending on freight and all I just might buy 50 tons from you for next year! Do you test it? I had fun looking at hay this year; we have always produced our own hay, but this year the water was light, and we are just a little overstocked so I only put of 36 bales and we use about 120 a year (1000 pound bales).
I was looking at some good hay in KS, but the freight would have been $1000, a bit high for me!

You would probably be looking at 1000 PR load in freight from us as we are about 290 miles from Springfield and I think you are west of there freight depends on price of fuel right now freight is running about $3.90 PR mile on semi's

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

as cattle get higher and more people sell out that usually means hay will get cheaper.

Hay folks are retiring too in our area.

 

[torogmc81]

Not sure about that being the case around here. So many have gotten out of the cattle business to till up any pasture for crops in last 3+ years that hay has been in low demand in our region. The hay auction around here was cheap all last winter on all large bales even with a lot of producers loosing their hay crop due to all the moisture in 2013. This year's crop will be better but I really don't think there's enough demand, few if any are getting back into cattle, and definitely not enough to drive up demand and prices.

 

[Williamsv]

Seems to me that rye seed went up a lot this year. I bought more than I did last year, but not enough to make the cost what it was.
Now it is planted and too dry to come up. Guess we will have to irrigate next week.

 

[cowgirl8]

We advertised hay for sale in august. Didnt get a single call, probably because there was still hay being baled around here and for the most part most people dont plan well. Forecast call for very cold and drought into next year. Decided to keep all our hay just in case there isnt any to be baled next year and if there is an extended feeding season or unusually cold. Once we decided to do that, people are calling wanting hay. Nope, no hay for sale here anymore. We might possibly sell hay if any neighbors get in a bind, or if prices skyrocket.

 

[highgrit]

Hook, I have 50 rolls of T-9 bahia that must of went through a heat or something. I must of baled it to wet and my cows won't eat it, but it's been fertilized and barn stored...cheap to. I guess we're lucky we didn't burn the barn down also. It's cheap, but you get what you pay for.

 

[TexasBred]

We advertised hay for sale in august. Didnt get a single call, probably because there was still hay being baled around here and for the most part most people dont plan well. Forecast call for very cold and drought into next year. Decided to keep all our hay just in case there isnt any to be baled next year and if there is an extended feeding season or unusually cold. Once we decided to do that, people are calling wanting hay. Nope, no hay for sale here anymore. We might possibly sell hay if any neighbors get in a bind, or if prices skyrocket.

Greed overcomes...can't help but take advantage of those who "do not plan well"...what a neighbor.

 

[skyhightree1]

Hay prices are the same here no major increase I guess cause not many cattle in my area but anything else that has to do with cattle has sky rocketed like trailers.

 

[John SD]

I sold about half of my alfalfa/grass hay for $70/ton delivered locally. 5x5 twine tied bales @ 1300 lbs.

Felt pretty good about that considering there is a glut of hay and cattle numbers "here" are down due to Atlas.

Have done no advertising, just word of mouth. The hay situation might be a whole different story next year, or not.

 

[bigbull338]

its always smart to know where you can get cheap hay fast.i always know where i can get hay quick at pretty close to my price and cheap.if we was sell any of our hay it would be $70 a bale.we could sold all of our hay this year for $125 a bale to a dairy.

 

[cowgirl8]

We advertised hay for sale in august. Didnt get a single call, probably because there was still hay being baled around here and for the most part most people dont plan well. Forecast call for very cold and drought into next year. Decided to keep all our hay just in case there isnt any to be baled next year and if there is an extended feeding season or unusually cold. Once we decided to do that, people are calling wanting hay. Nope, no hay for sale here anymore. We might possibly sell hay if any neighbors get in a bind, or if prices skyrocket.

Greed overcomes...can't help but take advantage of those who "do not plan well"...what a neighbor.

I separated the two reasons for selling. One was to help out neighbors, for which we always do for a fair price. The other was to sell to people who dont plan out of our circle if prices go up. You always seem to do what you can to make me look bad, at least you're consistent....lol

 

[cowgirl8]

its always smart to know where you can get cheap hay fast.i always know where i can get hay quick at pretty close to my price and cheap.if we was sell any of our hay it would be $70 a bale.we could sold all of our hay this year for $125 a bale to a dairy.

In 2011 we were the only people in texas baling hay it seemed. You could see it from the highway so we had to have someone guarding it 24/7...It was a constant stream of people pulling up wanting to buy with trailers. Going price for any junk was over 100. We had over 1000 bales and it was SOOOOOOOO hard to not sell. It would have been so easy to sell and take advantage of the people who were caught with their pants down..... It was a very hard decision, but our business meant that much to us. We did sell a few, at a fair price, to some neighbors. But with no end in sight, we didnt part with much. That land is now crops, so no relying on getting it anymore in a pinch..

 

[swiftdood]

The scuttlebutt from the 5am coffee drinkers (the good 'ol boys) is that the winter here in NE Texas will be longer and a tad wetter than normal. I have the highest respect for these folks...they've been there/done that longer than I have. I don't think I've ever seen so much hay made in Van Zandt county than this year. In saying that.....a large part of the state has been still suffering some form of drought and are not as fortunate. As for the hay going up in advertised price? I haven't seen it yet. But....it could if the winter turns longer than anticipated and budgeted supplies dwindle. In a feed shortage hay becomes worth what folks are willing to pay for it. I remember in '10 folks around here were paying $80 a roll for road ditch hay...the fast food burger wrappers were in the rolls! Go to your local sale barn and see what folks are paying for bred short-mouth cows! Last winter I fed liquid supplement to make my hay stretch out. Best decision I ever made. At 3-4lbDM/hd/day liquid supplement brought our cows through as sassy as I've ever seen them.