new crop forage prices???

[Ron]

Anybody hear any facts, rumours, speculation or just plain lies about newcrop greenfeed? I heard that my neighbors cousins friend from work contracted his greenfeed baled in the field for $80/ton. Just trying to decide whether to fix the ac in my combine or buy a baler. thanks

[Muttley]

I think you will see hay prices still up somewhat from most years. I myself here in central Sk. am going to sell some hay right off the field as soon as I bale it. The price I still do not know but I figure there is still a big demand out there for it so why bother holding on to to much.

[corine]

Hay was going for $174 per BALE at VJV auction in Ponoka last Wednesday. They were 1st cut bales from this year. I guess a couple of dairy farmes wanted them pretty bad. Cant' afford to keep the cows at these kind of prices.

[Muttley]

I start cutting this week and I only hope prices stay up for my sake. Feeding cattle at high prices the owner must have the kind of stock that can not be replaced easily.
I suspect if feed costs are high only breeders will pay a really big price.
If one only has commercial cows I think they would be better off selling and buying back later. The only reason to keep would have to be blood lines they didn't want to lose.

[cowman]

I cut a couple of oil leases yesterday. I get paid to cut them anyway and usually would just use the brush cutter. A few weeds but not too bad(rocks were not all that great...three sections). I expect I'll get about 10 bales on the two leases. When hay prices are this high it pays.

[Muttley]

I started baling last night. Wouldn't you know I spent two days working on the baler, got everything working pretty good for having such a old one, I got to the field, made one bale and blew a chain. I hope it get's better.

As for the hay I'm real happy with it. After last years poor crop it's good to have enough to sell. I've told a few people around home $100.00 dollars a ton and they seem interested so I guess that's my starting price. I'm not sure I'm high or low but since nobody else has any for sale that's as good a place to go as any.

[wilagro]

At that price. I couldn't afford to feed my cows very long. They will have to go bye bye. My pasture is cooked and my hay is not worth cutting. Most of my neighbours are in trouble as well. The most that I have ever paid was $65 a tonne for hay delivered to my farm. There comes a point when you have to be realistic about the whole situation.

Regards...

[cowman]

I am sure about half the cattle producers in the drought area are thinking about the same as you Wilagro. I think you will see a major, major sell down over the next several weeks. No other option really? Well I guess there goes Ralphs grand scheme to increase the "value added" livestock sector! With fire sale beef on the market it won't be long until pigs follow them into the tank. And looking into the future I guess Cargill and IBP won't be needing all their staff to kill a dwindling supply of cattle. And we won't need as much feed grain so down goes the price. Nobody wins forever in a drought.