No Hay Today: Drought cuts supply, raises prices!

[FutureFarmer]

Thats what is on the front page of todays paper where i live... Isn't that just wonderful? All the feed stores around here are out of hay, and all the hay farms, theres none to be found. People are driving to GA to get it. And they are not expecting any for another month, with hope of rain!...

The shortage is forcing many people to switch to western-grown alfalfa.......

We Need Some Rain!!!!

-Devon :cboy:

 

[Frankie]

We had the same problem in Oklahoma last fall. Winter was tough. If it helps, we're having pretty good rain so far this spring. If it will just warm up, we should have hay for this winter.

 

[Jogeephus]

It looks like its gonna be an interesting year yet again. Good luck to you.

 

[backhoeboogie]

It is going to be the opposite here, so it seems. It has been wet.

'05 was terrible. Awful. Very little in the winter and spring. May, June, July were dry. A little sprinkling is August then nothing to late January. Not only did I have no hay to sell, I had no hay to feed. I had to have hay trucked in when I normally sell surplus hay. Then '06 hit and drought was widespread.

Atleast in '05 the drought was localized and cattle prices were high. Everyone who dumped cattle did great.

This year I could be grazing another 50 to 100 head.

So here is hope for you folks in Florida. Most folks in this area should be rebuilding herds and holding back cattle. With all the cattle dumped in the past two years, prices should be decent. If the rest of us have rain and you have to sell the way we did in '05, maybe you'll do okay.

 

[backhoeboogie]

By the way, it is not so much the drought that will affect hay prices as it is the price of fertilizer. Even if I have a banner year on hay production, the cost of fertilizer is going to keep my prices up.

 

[Susie David]

We're running short up here and almost everyone grows alfalfa.
Running upwards of $165 a ton and it is old first cut some have second cut for $175 and up. Good thing is that we have a couple of inches of grass in the pastures so we'll turn out some heifers next week to eat the weed starts and then pulll them off until we get six inches of growth.
Definately need to keep an eye on the hay barn when we buy extra cows in winter.....
Just my two bits worth...asked for or not DMc

 

[Bez>]

Hay is so plentiful up here I gave 14 5 foot rounds away today to a neighbour who ran short because he is an idiot - 'nuther story.



We are swimming in it. Less than a mile from me a about 7,000 big squares - wrapped - I do not think he has a buyer. Might be wrong - but that is what I heard last week.

Bez>

 

[backhoeboogie]

We're running short up here and almost everyone grows alfalfa.

Running upwards of $165 a ton and it is old first cut some have second cut for $175 and up.

Just my two bits worth...asked for or not DMc

My coastal is looking good except that it has more weed than it has ever had. Must be something to do with the drought. 2nd cutting may be really good. First cutting will have a bit too much weed.

 

[cfpinz]

Hay is so plentiful up here I gave 14 5 foot rounds away today to a neighbour who ran short because he is an idiot - 'nuther story.



We are swimming in it. Less than a mile from me a about 7,000 big squares - wrapped - I do not think he has a buyer. Might be wrong - but that is what I heard last week.

Bez>

What do the big squares and rolls (of grass hay) sell for in your area? Just for my curiousity.

cfpinz

 

[Bez>]

Hay is so plentiful up here I gave 14 5 foot rounds away today to a neighbour who ran short because he is an idiot - 'nuther story.



We are swimming in it. Less than a mile from me a about 7,000 big squares - wrapped - I do not think he has a buyer. Might be wrong - but that is what I heard last week.

Bez>

What do the big squares and rolls (of grass hay) sell for in your area? Just for my curiousity.

cfpinz

If I had to buy 5 x 4 rounds - no rain and covered I could probably get them for anywhere from 18 - 24 bucks Canadian. Maybe cheaper if I showed him cash vs a cheque.

I have no clue what a big square is worth now - I picked up 86 of them delivered to my place last year for 6 (or was it 8?) bucks each. It was a pretty nice deal - but it was a one time thing.

I have paid as much as 25 bucks for them in the past.

Bez>