Short on Hay

[Named'em Tamed'em]

3x4? thats like a core..

3x4x8 ft large square 1300# ÷/-

 

[TexasBred]

3x4? thats like a core..

here's your sign. :dunce:

 

[CreekAngus]

I picked up 8 round bales today $30 apiece. Looked clean and green. The guy had a barn full!

I'm astounded when I see hay prices out east. I get rounds as well for $30 (we probably live real close) and big squares for $55.

I'm in Kitsap county, and you! :tiphat:
I normally haul 3x4 bales of Alfalfa out of E. Wa.

I'm down in Lewis. I have a guy that pounds up 3x4 squares, really good local hay, which isn't the norm. And I also buy the throw aways from a local feed store, for alfalfa.

 

[Stocker Steve]

If you had 1000 bales in a shed here, you could go on vacation for the rest of the year. That being said, some people aren't too on the ball and are selling it for no more than usual. As far as I am concerned, any hay is double normal value this year. Supply just is not there. Really makes people think whether or not the 4 leggers are worth it. If nothing else, soak it to the horsie ladies - they are coming from 250+ miles away to buy the little hay available here - money is no object for their horse fetish.

Can you afford to truck in beet byproduct from the valley ?

 

[Stocker Steve]

More acres in corn n beans, and more big rain events from the higher humidy from more corn and beans, has changed hay making here. Upland hay guys are buying bale wrappers, and low meadow hay guys are SOL.

I don't see how the "buying it is cheaper than making it" approach can work w/o having a big hay inventory for years like this.

How many years worth of hay inventory are you targeting for the future?

 

[Aaron]

If you had 1000 bales in a shed here, you could go on vacation for the rest of the year. That being said, some people aren't too on the ball and are selling it for no more than usual. As far as I am concerned, any hay is double normal value this year. Supply just is not there. Really makes people think whether or not the 4 leggers are worth it. If nothing else, soak it to the horsie ladies - they are coming from 250+ miles away to buy the little hay available here - money is no object for their horse fetish.

Can you afford to truck in beet byproduct from the valley ?

At over 100 miles one way loaded, plus difference in exchange rate, pretty sure it is cost-prohibitive.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Had a bottom dump heavy loaded with pressed pulp get stuck in my drive way turn off last night. They are behind on winging off the roads and the driver did not swing wide enough... Finally got it out using wood ash and a tractor. I figured that it delivered the DM equivalent of 9 tons of grassy hay.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I am stacked full of squares. Also have squares stacked in the lane and covered in a tarps. Sold 200 squares for $2 each just to clear it. Now that guy wants more. I don't like square bales any more. Funny how that works. I resisted round bales all those years and now I prefer rounds.

A real estate lady called and needed a barn cleared. "Before Daylight!" I bought it all. It was an offer I could not refuse. Haven't worked that hard in years. Don't even know what the hay is. Nothing like anything I have ever seen. It smells good. Big stem. Cows love it. I worked until 4:30 a.m. Took a vacation day from work the next day.

I still can't tell anyone what it is. The guy who bought some from me is just as clueless as I am.

 

[snoopdog]

3x4? thats like a core..

In a round bale, its also a very handy, valuable size for folks with a few animals, small tractors. 2 side by side on a standard utility trailer. I've sold a bunch of them.

 

[Caustic Burno]

3x4? thats like a core..

In a round bale, its also a very handy, valuable size for folks with a few animals, small tractors. 2 side by side on a standard utility trailer. I've sold a bunch of them.

I know two people with 3x3 round balers. Horse people buy from them.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Seems like an odd size.
Will a horse eat that much in a day, or are they just able to roll these around easily ?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Seems like an odd size.
Will a horse eat that much in a day, or are they just able to roll these around easily ?

I have no clue.
Just a lot of these people have 15 or 20 acres with a small tractor. I figured they could move and store the smaller bales easier.

 

[Brute 23]

This was a really mild winter with a lot of moisture. The winter grass has been a savior. I dont think I've fed a bale per head yet. The Bermuda is taking off already. Looks like spring is very near.

 

[Caustic Burno]

This was a really mild winter with a lot of moisture. The winter grass has been a savior. I dont think I've fed a bale per head yet. The Bermuda is taking off already. Looks like spring is very near.

We have went through more bales per head than I can remember. I am one of the few persons around me that hasn't run out of hay. Normal is four bales per head I am pushing six.

 

[snoopdog]

3x4? thats like a core..

In a round bale, its also a very handy, valuable size for folks with a few animals, small tractors. 2 side by side on a standard utility trailer. I've sold a bunch of them.

I know two people with 3x3 round balers. Horse people buy from them.

We sold our small baler the other day, probably regret it. They can really reduce waste when feeding a small group, or early/late in the season, and if grinding /mixing you don't have to invest so much in the bigger equipment. They really shine for the folks with limited capabilities, which is why we aquired ours in the first place. Like small squares they are labor intensive though.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Thats a lot of hay. Could winter a moderate cow in the artic vortex with that much.

How are the out of hay operations managing cattle ?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Neighbor is feeding range meal trying to hold on. We have had near constant rainy conditions with low temps in the 30's and 40's this winter. It's not the temp it's the temp and rain causing the excess hay consumption. These are 4x5 rolls.

 

[Brute 23]

This was a really mild winter with a lot of moisture. The winter grass has been a savior. I dont think I've fed a bale per head yet. The Bermuda is taking off already. Looks like spring is very near.

We have went through more bales per head than I can remember. I am one of the few persons around me that hasn't run out of hay. Normal is four bales per head I am pushing six.

I didn't realize it had been that cold there.

 

[Caustic Burno]

Brute the brake pedal on one of my tractors actually seized from lack of use this winter. This is my dry ground
For the first time ever my solar chargers are not keeping up. I have had to go to running two and keeping the others as backup. The constant cloud cover and wet conditions about a week is all a battery will take before I switch.

 

[Brute 23]

Ya that's tough. We just dried out here last week but it started raining again today.

Just hold on to you bible and remember it will be a good spring. The sooner the better...