Hay Prices

[cakadu]

With this new crop of hay and most getting it off with little or no rain this year, what is the going rate?

As we have to buy some feed, it is good to know what prices are when negotiating.

Thanks in advance.

Cheers, Linda

[PureCountry]

2-2.5 cents/pound, depending on quality. Anyone asking over 3cents/lb this year is out to lunch in my opinion. There's a pile of it around, but it may depend on trucking, quality, and costs of course.

We had a custom cutter knock down our alfalfa Friday night, and the neighbour is going to bale it tonight or tomorrow. With those costs included, and rent on the pasture land, it will cost us 1.4cents/lb, and all I did was check the crop and pick up the phone.

I've said before that we wouldn't bale hay on our place anymore, but this was just too good to leave standing, since we can't get enough cattle to it soon enough.

[wd40]

We bought some hay a couple of weeks ago Tim/Alf. In very good shape for $35 per tonne landed in our yard.

[coppertop]

There is a lot of hay down in west central AB., and a lot already baled, but we seem to be getting a good shower every afternoon to it is going to be more difficult to find any that hasn't had at least one rain.

[rmhay]

Greetings. Just wondering how anybody out there would even make hay if all you could get for it was 2 or 3 cents/lb. It's gotta cost more than that to put it up. Do all your oil patch jobs pay for the equipment, so you can work for free all summer??? Not trying to rile you, just would like some explanation if possible. Being from west of the Rockies, we deal in smaller quantities,our costs are higher,especially fuel, and the freight to anywhere is substantial. It's uphill to everywhere you know. Being a seller, I'm greatfull we get the dollar we do. If all we could get was 2 cents/lb. I'ld never start the tractor. Thanks for any replys.

[coppertop]

prices are based on quality and supply and demand. When there is a huge supply it will bring a lower price, stands to reason. Oil patch jobs have nothing to do with the price of hay.

[rookie]

anything over 2.5 cents is too expensive for my cows. Cheaper alternatives are working for me.

[Cattleman]

Its a different world out here in Sask. Cheap land and much better economies of size, we sell small square bales and are getting over 3.5 cents per pound, and we have had two buyers from the Fraser valley at the farm looking at our hay as Washington got rained out as did parts of Alberta for teh horse hay market. There is quite the trucking cost but it can still work. But supply and demand drives prices out there, just as it does here.

[grassfarmer]

Agree with you rmhay, lots of this cheap hay is being produced at a loss. Most folks around me are busy baling just now - they have lots of grass in their hay fields and no ideas of what else to do with it. Suggest trying to run some electric fences and more cows and they think you are crazy - seems summer is meant for sitting in tractors putting up feed. Of course their cow pastures are bare now so it won't be long till it's time to start that other favourite occupation - hauling feed to cows!

[Cattleman]

I like your thoughts and system grassfarmer, but you have to consider risk, more cows sure gets costly in a drought, which some people still have deeply engrained in them, feed in the feed pen isn't all bad. Its the balancing act that is difficult. Risk is also another main part as to why people put up their own hay. You lose some years, and make it in other years. If you start losing in too many years, then you re-assess your situation.

[coppertop]

good points Cattleman. One positive for putting up one's hay is that the producer knows what it in it, sometimes buying hay is a roll of the dice.
Acquiring more cattle doesn't happen at the snap of a finger, it costs money to own them and many people aren't set up to custom graze in conjunction with their own cattle operation.

Farmers and ranchers do what they feel works best for them, I always look to the producers that have stayed in the industry for years and learn from their experience. People don't remain in the cattle business and stay solvent by accident.

[grassfarmer]

Cattleman, "If you start losing in too many years, then you re-assess your situation" - that makes a lot of sense but unfortunately in too many cases I don't see it happening. Too many old, old guys are stuck in the industry beyond an age they can change their thinking. I have a neighbour who is over 80 and he was out cutting hay in an old open top tractor the last day it was 32C!

[Cattleman]

I totally agree grassfarmer that people are stuck in their ways, but those not willing to change are just making things tougher on themselves. As for running grassers I think that is critical to a sustainable intensive grazing system, as they can harvest excess grass, and are easily disposable. In dryer years it may be just better not to get the grass cattle, and maybe harvest excess hay as it will likely be worth something then.

[coppertop]

many older farmers have never carried a debt load and likely it hasn't been feasible for them to plunk down cash on the barrelhead for new equipment.

I have dealt with many older cattle producers and when they came to buy a bull they paid in cold hard CASH, not a check but cash !!

You have to give the 80 year old farmer a lot of credit for being active enough to be out cutting hay at that age. I think if we are open minded we can learn a lot from thee xperiences of others in farming, new ideas plus experience garnered through years of farming can be invaluable.

[Willowcreek]

Talked to a fellow yesterday that bought some hay from the Rock Glen area- Paid $50 (American) a Ton and they will deliver it to his place 40 miles south of the border....