Today's Hay Prices Calculated

[MikeC]

"Pasture/Hay – The days of cheap forage are gone. Just looking at the nutrient removal costs in a ton of hay will push hay prices to over $70/ton. By the time machinery costs and labor are figured in, $100/ton is about the breakeven price of producing hay."

These costs were worked up in the state of Ohio. Areas with more rainfall and light soil,even more fertilizer costs due to fertilizer soil leaching. For example: the Florida, South Ga, South Al., and South Ms. sandy type soils will lose almost twice that amount due to leaching.

I see a trainwreck coming............ I was called last night and asked what my hay will be selling for this year (IF we get adequate rain.......), I told the guy that it looked like it was gonna take $100 bucks for a 1000 lb. roll for good hay.

Much to my surprise, he told me I my estimates were cheaper than others were telling him. :shock:

 

[sidney411]

What I can't believe is the number of people I see selling 5x5 rounds for $15 - $25. I'll hold my hay over before I sell it for that cheap. We were selling 5x6's last year for $45 plus delivery and had people say we were too high.

 

[Jogeephus]

I can't see prices of hay reaching that in my area. Happen to know where there is 1000 rolls of good barn stored bermuda you can pick up for $45. I can see $50 - $60 roll for the johny come lately two roll hobby farmer that wants you to meet him on Sunday morning cause bessie's out of hay paying that. But I seriously doubt our market will excede $50/roll for significant numbers. But I have been wrong more times than I care to mention.

 

[Aaron]

I could see $100 for the horse and the city slicker farmers, but not for the average cow/calf guy. That raises another question for me, how long does a 1000 lb. bale last for a horse?

 

[bigbull338]

when you bale all the hay theres to bale on the good years.your gonna have a crappload of extra hay.an that hay will get cheap.because the boys know that they will be baling hay.an they know they need to sell it if they can.i know wheres theres 2000 bales or more sitting in the fields for sale right now.an all ive seen loaded an hauled out are 2 semi loads.

 

[critterair2]

The problem will be for the small time cattle producer who does not have his own equipment, at a 100.00/roll I see them selling out. 30 cows thats going to be 300.00 a week. Either cut way back on mouthes to feed or sell out completly. supply demand may drive the price back down. Time will tell, hunker down its gonna get worse.

 

[Arkieman]

That's what I don't get, I hear about this $50/roll hay and I've fed the entire winter never paying more than $25/roll - mostly $20/roll. I know there's $50/roll hay out there (I see it advertised in the paper). However, this past Sunday, they were the only ad in there - so I assume it didn't sell that well.....

 

[1982vett]

What I can't believe is the number of people I see selling 5x5 rounds for $15 - $25. I'll hold my hay over before I sell it for that cheap. We were selling 5x6's last year for $45 plus delivery and had people say we were too high.

Wouldn't think of starting the tractor for less than $60. I want to make a profit, not just have a cash flow.

If you are willing to spend the money of fuel, you can drive around the county roads and see hay still sitting in the field where the baler dumped it last fall. Just about every pasture has hay stacked against a fenceline or under some trees. :roll: Lots of old inventory to be moved out before prices will support the cost of producing quality hay.

Just turned some cows onto 12 acres I usually would be baling about now. Had them on another 13 acres I have not fertilized yet to graze it down. Ran a shredder across it yesterday to even things up and get it ready to fertilize. Normally would be cutting it about now also. Usually have 80 - 100 acres I cut by the middle of May. This year I will cut about 25.

By this time last year I had put out 17 tons of fertilizer. This year I have put out 4. :clap:

 

[grannysoo]

Cost of production and what the market will pay are two entirely different things. As for our area, there is hay everywhere left over from 2007. I have plenty left over for me, so I'm not going to cut any. Running hotwire now... going to let the girls enjoy the grass all summer and help fertilize it for me.

I'll look again at cutting hay in 2009.

 

[mnmtranching]

I don't know what its like in all parts of the country. I know when hay is scarce people will cut every nook and cranny. I would expect after the record hay prices now, producers will be baling everything.If we have normal rainfall in this region, might be a lot of hay available at $80 per ton.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

WOW! I wish I was in y'alls part of the country! I bought grass rounds last fall and paid $90/ton delivered, that was a "friend" price because my wife and I are good friends with our hay guy. He was charging normal customers $120/ton, not delivered. We were buying grass small squares out of the fields we baled with our own equipment for $2/bale. I haven't figured what the price per ton would be but right now small squares are selling for about $180/ton. My inlaws just bought some rounds for $138/ton and they had to go get them. Every week there is a hay auction up here and Tuesday I'll listen to the radio and get what prices are being paid. This year we are planning on putting up about 500 more s.s. than we did last year to sell next spring. Up here in Iowa the hay market is always ridiculously high this time of year. Luckily we bought enough to supplement our own crop to last until we pasture our animals.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I know when hay is scarce people will cut every nook and cranny. I would expect after the record hay prices now, producers will be baling everything.If we have normal rainfall in this region, might be a lot of hay available at $80 per ton.

I sold some meadow hay stored outside to a friend for $25 a roll (about 900# roll). I know I could have got more. A year ago this kind of hay was going to $15 a roll.

I sold a load of average hay stored in a shed at an auction today for $80 a roll :shock: A horse guy was out and he was thrilled to have it.

Hard to know what the summer of 2008 will bring, but I think there is more money today in selling hay rather than feeding cows.

Maybe I should build that new hay shed :idea:

 

[dyates]

I wish I was as optimistic as some of ya'll. Last year's drought followed by a soggy winter has really hurt our grass. The weather gurus are predicting another drought this year. Even where folks have already fertilized, the grass just aint growing like it should. I thought I had enough hay carried over for next winter, but it looks as if I will be feeding all summer. Triple 19 is over $800 dollars a ton and off road diesel just hit $4.05. If I produce any good hay, I will have over $100/roll in it. I think I'll try to produce some good hay and some cheap hay to split the difference and get by (maybe ).

 

[oscar p]

I figured my lime, fertilizer,and paying to have it cut and baled, I had $34 a roll in my hay

 

[highvoltagecattleco]

Here is the reality in the Northwest. New hay (alfalfa and orchard grass) that will be put up on the east sides of Washington and Oregon is expected to open at $170.00 a ton. We just got hit with a huge cold front and it looks like new hay wont be put up until late May. That could drive prices even higher. I have heard of folks over there selling the cows and selling the hay. They cant put up $170 hay and feed it to their own cows and make money. On the west side, here. We were at $2.00 a 60lb bale two years back. Last year I bought 70lb orchard grass for $2.75 a bale. At those prices I couldn't afford to put up my own hay. This year I have bought equipment and leased ground. Hay was $5.00 to $6.00 per bale this last winter. It will be selling for $4.00 in the fields. I have culled extremely hard this year. I plan on selling hay, rather than cows this year.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Here is the reality in the Northwest. New hay (alfalfa and orchard grass) that will be put up on the east sides of Washington and Oregon is expected to open at $170.00 a ton. I plan on selling hay, rather than cows this year.

Who is buying at that price?
The dairies can not be taking it all.

 

[Dave]

The eastern Washington alfalfa is starting at a higher price than high voltage stated. I heard from a reliable source last week that one of the big hay export outfits is offering hay contacts at $205 a ton in the field. Of course that is top quality export hay. I don't look for feeder quality hay to under $175 a ton and then there is the hauling to get it over here which is another $50 a ton. All the dairy farmers I have been talking to are expecting to pay $250 a ton at their barn this year.
Haylage in 4 by 4 bales were $40 to 45 each this year. Dry hay in 4 by 5's were $50. Grass seed straw which will work for a good portion of the ration was $20 a ton plus the haul a couple years ago is now $80 plus freight and the haul has gone up. I don't see how anyone can make it if they aren't making their own hay. And it isn't coming down any time soon.

 

[highvoltagecattleco]

Dave, It wasn't too long ago that hay was 1.50 a bale in the field. Folks would let you take hay off their ground for free. I've been blessed and found some pieces real close to home. At reasonable prices. I have heard that some guys are paying $70.00 an acre this year for hay ground. With this weather we have my pastures are really slow growing.

 

[Stocker Steve]

Dry hay in 4 by 5's were $50. Grass seed straw which will work for a good portion of the ration was $20 a ton plus the haul a couple years ago is now $80 plus freight and the haul has gone up. I don't see how anyone can make it if they aren't making their own hay. And it isn't coming down any time soon.

A neighbor is offering oats straw. Have you seen any quality test data on oats straw from a new alfalfa seeding? You can see some alfalfa in it.

 

[mnmtranching]

Steve, what your talking about, oats used as a cover crop baled up as straw with new seeded alfalfa in it is some decent feed for wintering cows.