Hay Making on a Different Scale
- Thread starter LHF2019
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LHF2019
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Final tally of bale numbers. Last years numbers for comparison. No change in acreage. Really hoping we don't have a spring like this year for a long time.
2022
1st Squares-14,306
1st 4x4 round-541
2nd squares-5644
2nd 4x4 round-28
2023
1st square-3778
1st 4x4 round-328
2nd square-8863
2nd 4x4 round-196
2022
1st Squares-14,306
1st 4x4 round-541
2nd squares-5644
2nd 4x4 round-28
2023
1st square-3778
1st 4x4 round-328
2nd square-8863
2nd 4x4 round-196
Hay Dude
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Thats a pretty sharp drop off in 1st cut squares.
I bet you’d do great with a Krone Multi-baler.
I bet you’d do great with a Krone Multi-baler.
EddieWalker
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Here in East Texas, where I'm at, square bales are selling for $10 to $12 each and 4x5 round bales are $65 for weeds and thorns, up to $120 for really nice, clean, horse quality Coastal Bermuda. I'm paying $90 for 4x5 1/2 horse quality bales.
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LHF2019
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We can only wish for that here. I have the prices maxed out for my area at $4.50 1st and $6 2nd. Need a cold hard winter and a reduction of cheap hay in area and it will start moving.
Have my 4x4 at $65. They won’t sell.
Only reason we have 1st available is customers changed their stored orders and it is all last year’s. Out of field price is $3 1st and $3.75 2nd. Pre buy and stored add $0.50 to field price.
EddieWalker
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Our prices are so bad that people are trucking in hay from other states. I've seen it coming in from Missouri, Florida and even Ohio!!!! Price to ship it isn't included in the price, but when people are desperate, they pay panic prices!!!
sandman2234
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Dang, I went to Texarkana a couple of weeks ago with an empty trailer! I could have hauled some hay and covered some of my fuel cost!
David from jax
Hay Dude
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This is the primary reason I got out of small squares. Too much volatility caused by small timers in my area making 500 bales and selling them for way below market price for “fun” or beer money, etc. even though $8/bale is well within reason down here.
Round bales are great and can get $85 for a 4x5, but the demand for them down in MY area is below average. Not enough horse people have the courage to feed them to their precious pets that mean more to them than their own children.
I went to large squares and I wish I did it 10+ years ago. They move fast, they are fast to make and easy to load/ship. It sounds like you have a lot of acreage and could make a lot of large squares really fast.
I also like the ability to be able to make a “cube” of hay like a 4x4x5’ as a round bale alternative to keep one foot in the feed hay business.
LHF, is there any way you could switch to a large baler? Like a 3x3 or 3x4 and sell to cattle raising operations? Do you have a 150HP to pull one?
I realize it’s a big investment, but once you make the switch, you may like it a lot. The buyers have a more “9-5” work mentality and you move a lot of hay at once. This leaves me a lot of extra time for mowing and property maintenance (off farm income). You could make shorter large square bales for your round bale guys and they stack/store better.
Round bales are great and can get $85 for a 4x5, but the demand for them down in MY area is below average. Not enough horse people have the courage to feed them to their precious pets that mean more to them than their own children.
I went to large squares and I wish I did it 10+ years ago. They move fast, they are fast to make and easy to load/ship. It sounds like you have a lot of acreage and could make a lot of large squares really fast.
I also like the ability to be able to make a “cube” of hay like a 4x4x5’ as a round bale alternative to keep one foot in the feed hay business.
LHF, is there any way you could switch to a large baler? Like a 3x3 or 3x4 and sell to cattle raising operations? Do you have a 150HP to pull one?
I realize it’s a big investment, but once you make the switch, you may like it a lot. The buyers have a more “9-5” work mentality and you move a lot of hay at once. This leaves me a lot of extra time for mowing and property maintenance (off farm income). You could make shorter large square bales for your round bale guys and they stack/store better.
Last edited:
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LHF2019
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Our current clientele would never accept it and 99% of them if were interested have no way to handle them. I’m not sure what the marketable aspect would be for the big squares but then we would be changing our whole system. While making a large investment is years out the ideal way would be to add it to the lineup. We used to sell a lot of rounds but those have really fell back with more squares leaving. We just keep raising our prices gradually for out of the field. One the cheap crap is sold they will be knocking.