28 acres worth a hay operation?

   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #1  

bushhog28

Silver Member
Joined
Aug 22, 2014
Messages
245
Location
nc
Tractor
Massey 5611
Was thinking about a mower/conditioner and 4x4 round baler. Im just not sure what a bale would sell for and how many i would get.
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #2  
Depending on the grass you have and the area you're in you can make money in square bales.
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #3  
Was thinking about a mower/conditioner and 4x4 round baler. Im just not sure what a bale would sell for and how many i would get.

Those are two questions that no one can answer at this time. Your yields are going to depend on a number of factors, including the productivity of your soils, your fertility program, and the weather. Hay prices when you are ready to sell are going to depend on local supply and demand conditions at that time.

To get an idea of current hay prices in your area, check with your local CL, the ag. agent in your local Cooperative Extension office, and NCDA&CS - Agricultural Review Classified Ads. Farmers in your local area may give you info on their yields.

You also need to have a good handle on your costs. I tried to access the forage budgets at NCSU --
Field Crops Publications | North Carolina Cooperative Extension -- but obtained an error message. The forage budgets for SC should be comparable. See Enterprise Budgets : Extension : Clemson University : South Carolina. You can modify these budgets to reflect you situation.

Good luck.

Steve

Edit: I suspect that you would need to scale up from 28 acres to breakeven.
 
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   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #4  
Was thinking about a mower/conditioner and 4x4 round baler. Im just not sure what a bale would sell for and how many i would get.

28 acres of what? Native grasses? What kind?
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation?
  • Thread Starter
#5  
Thanks for the replys. Its native now but id prob plant bermuda if i gave this a try. Im not sure what the current grass even is.
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #6  
Thanks for the replys. Its native now but id prob plant bermuda if i gave this a try. Im not sure what the current grass even is.

The Clemson site (linked above) has a budget for establishing bermuda for hay.

Steve
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation?
  • Thread Starter
#7  
Was looking at that. 1200/acre seems pretty steep.
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #9  
I spent about $1200 for 10 acres for fertilizer and seed. Have everything disced and leveled. Maybe have 5% germination. Record rainfall we couldn't predict ruined it. Now we have a nice stand of weeds we're proud of

Brett
 
   / 28 acres worth a hay operation? #10  
I feed Bermuda seed mixed with my cattles cotton seed meal salt & mineral mix. I also dig & plant sprigs by hand. Selling hay you sell your top soil. You must replace with fertilizer or chicken litter ect or yields diminish. My 273 bailer cost me $425 my side delivery hay rake cost $120. My international mower cost $110 and my M farmall cost $325. All bought at auction. and I don't like to sell hay. We can have folks fighting over small square bales in the field at $4 per bale. after fuel , twine cost you really are not getting much for the labor and loss of organic matter.
 
 
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