Feed hay prices

[TheMan419]

I can still find a decent amount of 2021 hay here in Northern Indiana. So I am buying some to hedge against the increase we are going to see for 2022 hay. Thankfully we have an indoor arena so we have some room to store it.

 

[LHF2019]

We are not raising our prices this year. We raised them last year for the first time since we started this business in 2015. We are already planning on raising them next year. IF we have any surplus to sell during the winter those prices are going up. For instance a 4x5 round bale of 2nd cutting will sell for $110. I plan on making 2 and would bet they don't sell. $110 for one bale will turn people off and even if I tell them that is a 10% savings over square bales they will buy the squares.

 

[japody]

Paid $35 per 900 lb roll delivered this year. Already been told it'll be $40 going forward. We usually get 200 rolls, so that will be a bite.

 

[jyoutz]

Wonder what the price point will be to see critter sell off ? The crazy prices may be ok for the top of the one percenters
but it's going to be pretty tough on those that were just getting by to begin with.

Many of the hobby horse people are probably going to sell. I saw that happen during the 2008 recession, and no doubt it will happen again soon.

 

[Hay Dude]

Many of the hobby horse people are probably going to sell. I saw that happen during the 2008 recession, and no doubt it will happen again soon.

Yep. I just got a call from one customer I supply feed hay to. They are not adding anymore calves and are selling what they have. I still have about 20 tons of feed hay left from ‘21 which will last me through spring.
Hay is going to be tough for a while.

 

[Jstpssng]

Anybody who can't understand must be living in a vacuum. I don't use hay but raise a couple of pigs and some poultry every year.
I was thinking about taking a year off but decided not to. The price of feed is one thing but will also affect grocery prices, so that's a wash. What I worry about is not being able to buy grain at all... producers are going to take care of their big customers before they worry about the ton which I buy in a year.

 

[Hay Dude]

Paid $35 per 900 lb roll delivered this year. Already been told it'll be $40 going forward. We usually get 200 rolls, so that will be a bite.

Thats a bargain for you. I wonder if your hay producer knows how much money he’s losing selling feed hay for $100/ton?

 

[japody]

Thats a bargain for you. I wonder if your hay producer knows how much money he’s losing selling feed hay for $100/ton?

I'm not asking!

 

[LHF2019]

Anybody who can't understand must be living in a vacuum. I don't use hay but raise a couple of pigs and some poultry every year.
I was thinking about taking a year off but decided not to. The price of feed is one thing but will also affect grocery prices, so that's a wash. What I worry about is not being able to buy grain at all... producers are going to take care of their big customers before they worry about the ton which I buy in a year.

When you have so many others selling cheaper they don't understand why ours is more.

Our first year we had a winter surplus we had it at $5/bale. Well, those that came and bought them never left and started to buy at the lower rate out of the field. Comments like, my animals clean up your hay, there are no "sticks" left behind, there is so much hay in your bales. Then there are those that call ask the price and we say $5/bale. Oh that is to expensive why is it so much. We challenge them to come and compare but they think they know just talking on the phone. Those are the ones that will by 2 $4 bales throw out the crap it will be a smaller bale and think they got a "deal" when they could have had better results with 1 $5 bale.

 

[Jstpssng]

When you have so many others selling cheaper they don't understand why ours is more.

Our first year we had a winter surplus we had it at $5/bale. Well, those that came and bought them never left and started to buy at the lower rate out of the field. Comments like, my animals clean up your hay, there are no "sticks" left behind, there is so much hay in your bales. Then there are those that call ask the price and we say $5/bale. Oh that is to expensive why is it so much. We challenge them to come and compare but they think they know just talking on the phone. Those are the ones that will by 2 $4 bales throw out the crap it will be a smaller bale and think they got a "deal" when they could have had better results with 1 $5 bale.

What little hay I buy is for mulch. One seller I bought from found out what I was using it for and I ended up with some poorly tied bales which couldn't have weighed more than 10 lbs; I was carrying them around with 2 fingers. I bought it because I needed it but ate the cost; there's no way I was passing that on to the client for what it was.
I also never bought from him again. Weeds and a few sticks don't matter so much for erosion control. What does matter is that they have to stay together, and I'm not buying the junk bales which didn't tie right, or are only half the weight for whatever reason.
Rained on is OK as long as they aren't waterlogged and the strings aren't rotten; sometimes I have to carry them a ways, or tie several onto the ATV so they have to stay together. I like the poly rope for my purposes, even though it means I have to pick it all up afterwards.
Mulch hay doesn't cost much less, if at all; except for your herbicide cost, it takes the same amount of money to produce that as for good horse hay.

 

[lman]

What little hay I buy is for mulch. One seller I bought from found out what I was using it for and I ended up with some poorly tied bales which couldn't have weighed more than 10 lbs; I was carrying them around with 2 fingers. I bought it because I needed it but ate the cost; there's no way I was passing that on to the client for what it was.
I also never bought from him again. Weeds and a few sticks don't matter so much for erosion control. What does matter is that they have to stay together, and I'm not buying the junk bales which didn't tie right, or are only half the weight for whatever reason.
Rained on is OK as long as they aren't waterlogged and the strings aren't rotten; sometimes I have to carry them a ways, or tie several onto the ATV so they have to stay together. I like the poly rope for my purposes, even though it means I have to pick it all up afterwards.
Mulch hay doesn't cost much less, if at all; except for your herbicide cost, it takes the same amount of money to produce that as for good horse hay.

I would think straw would work better for that application and is cheaper. Wheat straw is cleaner with less seeds.

 

[Jstpssng]

I would think straw would work better for that application and is cheaper. Wheat straw is cleaner with less seeds.

Seeds are good. You'd be surprised at how well a hay bale can get grass growing. Plus it costs less and covers more area per bale.

 

[lman]

Seeds are good. You'd be surprised at how well a hay bale can get grass growing. Plus it costs less and covers more area per bale.

Ok. Around here we use straw for that.

 

[LHF2019]

I would think straw would work better for that application and is cheaper. Wheat straw is cleaner with less seeds.

Depends on your application. I would prefer 1st cutting hay for reseeding a lawn but straw for a garden. As for cost, if I had "mulch" hay it will be the same price as 1st cutting. It all cost the same to make and in some instance costs more. We also sell straw and it is our most expensive product.

 

[Jstpssng]

Depends on your application. I would prefer 1st cutting hay for reseeding a lawn but straw for a garden. As for cost, if I had "mulch" hay it will be the same price as 1st cutting. It all cost the same to make and in some instance costs more. We also sell straw and it is our most expensive product.

That's what I find, also. I would wager that most of the small bales here are for some type of landscaping or erosion control. The only time straw is used is in sensitive areas where they don't want grasses to take over.

 

[EddieWalker]

I just found out what the "new" price of hay is going to be this year. Last year a full, tightly rolled, horse quality, fertilized and clean coastal bale was $65. This year, it's $85. I can live with that because I have to, but I also think that it will keep increasing over the Summer and $85 will seem cheap. I just wonder where my breaking point will be?

 

[Hay Dude]

I just found out what the "new" price of hay is going to be this year. Last year a full, tightly rolled, horse quality, fertilized and clean coastal bale was $65. This year, it's $85. I can live with that because I have to, but I also think that it will keep increasing over the Summer and $85 will seem cheap. I just wonder where my breaking point will be?

Look at the price at the diesel fuel pump and the price of N fertilizer. That will give you the price on hay. Those are the 2 leading indicators.
I’m now $100 on a 950lb round bale and $200 on a 2000lb square bale for average quality feed hay.
If anything, maybe this will give hay farmers a chance to have a “great reset” on our prices……they’ve only been underpriced for 40 years now

 

[Tx Jim]

I'm setting at $90 right now on last seaons hay. My price on this yrs hay will be determined by cost per bale plus cost of $28 per bale baling charge

 

[jyoutz]

I just found out what the "new" price of hay is going to be this year. Last year a full, tightly rolled, horse quality, fertilized and clean coastal bale was $65. This year, it's $85. I can live with that because I have to, but I also think that it will keep increasing over the Summer and $85 will seem cheap. I just wonder where my breaking point will be?

It won’t be long before the horse rescue stations and Mexican slaughter house are full of hobby horse that people can no longer afford to keep. I saw that happen in 2008 during the Great Recession.

 

[Hay Dude]

It won’t be long before the horse rescue stations and Mexican slaughter house are full of hobby horse that people can no longer afford to keep. I saw that happen in 2008 during the Great Recession.

For once I agree with you. Sort of. The recession wasnt over in 2008. It went on for years after that.
Anyway, said same thing about hay prices and horse ownership decline in another thread.

Soon as hay prices go up 50% or double, a substantial chunk of horse owners will cut or cull their horses.
Many horse people live in debt. They’re fantasizers and pikers. They will buy hay before they clothe their kids. lol