Hay prices

[dalek]

What are hay prices like elsewhere? Here (East-Central Ontario) 3x3x8s are selling at 15 cents a pound this week.

[mb_rancher]

Here in SW Manitoba there is going to be piles and piles of hay. I think hay will be running around a cent a pound. Some people that have hay cut right now its laying in water.

[mb_rancher]

I have talked to folks in the ag industry from Pincher Creek to High Prairie over the past couple of weeks and they all seem to feel that there will be a real surplus of feed this year, barring hail or some other disaster !

[tirwin]

please excuse my ignorance "dalek" but what problems are driving your hay prices to this point. Also what would be your normal price range. I ask this question from southern Alberta. Looking forward to your reply. tirwin.

[grassfarmer]

I was assuming the problem was a missing decimal point? If not it's time to load your hay trucks up and head east!

[cowman]

Well that works out to $9/sq.bale! Just what we sold horse hay for in the drought! Sign me up if you want any? Of course you will have to pay the freight!

[dalek]

We had a little bit of rain in early April, none in May, and none in June until about the 25th. First cut for most people was 30-50% of normal. With the number of horses in the area and hay exporters we don't have a surplus of hay in a good year, this year we already have beef herds being liquidated because there's no feed. We had one beef herd call 2 weeks ago offering $3 small square for standing hay, they sent the herd out this week because they couldn't get any takers and couldn't offer more. With the amount some people are offering for hay now, it's probably better if they DON'T get it, they can't afford what they're offering.
We're one of the lucky few with 200 round bales left from last year so we should be fine as long as we can put 1100-1200 tons of corn silage in the bunkers.

[dalek]

No, the decimal isn't in the wrong place, although that's for good alfalfa. Average beef hay is probably 10-12 cents now if you can find it although I had a friend call last night who hasn't been able to find any within 30 km.

[mb_rancher]

How much real good alfalfa hay do you want for .04 per pound?

[dalek]

If you could get it HERE for that, you could probably sell as much as you want. I know part of the problem was that farmers farther east lost 100% of their crop to winterkill and they were buying up a lot of stored hay early this spring and cleaned out the barns. I don't think we're going to need any ourselves. Got 70 acres of peas/oats/barley to cut tomorrow.