Fertilizer

[foreman Etexas]

I have a stupied question!! How come I always here of hay going for alot cheaper in other states? Im talking 30/40 a roll,do these folks just not use fertilizer? I dont even see if not fertilized how they get 30,when I am paying 27 just for baling. I know some are going to say,own there own hay equipment but you still have fuel,maintance,supplies,equipment payments(for sometime). Without fertilizer the yield wouldnt be near as good,anyways right? Hay not fertilized,doesnt have as much protein right? Just wondering!!!! I must be doing something wrong!!!!

 

[AKfish]

We use to buy it delivered and spread by the ton in medium duty fertilizer trucks from the local coop. Now I have to buy it in 40# sacks at a LOT higher price. So $744 sounds good to me.

Steve, just got a quote from a dealer in Oregon for $808/ton. He mentioned that he's still waiting on a freight estimate...

I'm gonna be out there in those fields drinkin' lot's of beer and peein'!! :laughing:

At those prices - I'll have all the neighbor's over too - free beer; for pee!!

AKfish

 

[Duffster]

AK, you have to keep on mind that P & K cost more then N these days.

 

[AKfish]

I have a stupied question!! How come I always here of hay going for alot cheaper in other states? Im talking 30/40 a roll,do these folks just not use fertilizer? I dont even see if not fertilized how they get 30,when I am paying 27 just for baling. I know some are going to say,own there own hay equipment but you still have fuel,maintance,supplies,equipment payments(for sometime). Without fertilizer the yield wouldnt be near as good,anyways right? Hay not fertilized,doesnt have as much protein right? Just wondering!!!! I must be doing something wrong!!!!

What kind of hay are we talkin' about? Wild hay..? Good 'ol South Dakota native prairie hay - have never, ever seen anyone fertilize that!

Most likely; it's the same grasses that are dominant in ND, SD, NE, WY and Montana. Probably some of the same native species in northern Kansas and eastern Colorado, too.

And that's THE in-demand horse hay!

AKfish

 

[AKfish]

AK, you have to keep on mind that P & K cost more then N these days.

OK... OK - I'll eat some salt-peter, too! Then pee..

AKfish

 

[powerpace]

Grass hay. $70 for a 1100#+ round bale. $35 for 700#. Same as last year. The smaller bale was first cutting larger was second cutting and better quality.

It's a little different this year I have seen large square grass bales shipped from Douglas County, Oregon to areas that grow Alfalfa. They feed the grass hay to beef cattle there. That same ranch is shipping Alfalfa Large square bales to Dairy operations on the Oregon coast. 300 miles for the grass hay. 450 miles for the Alfalfa.

In the Willamette Valley there are huge operations that send hypercompessed bales of straw to Japan by the container load. The grass seed growers can no longer burn the fields as in the past so they developed the market to Japan. The Japanese add nutrients to the straw (ruffage) and feed to their livestock. Shiploads of the stuff.

 

[D7E]

been doing 2-4 loads a week all winter Second cut alfalfa/grass mix going to indiana , winsconsin , ilinios dairies leaving here 4.5 cents per pound and 2 year old poorer quality going all the way to texas at 4 cents per pound (1600 kms)!

 

[Duffster]

been doing 2-4 loads a week all winter Second cut alfalfa/grass mix going to indiana , winsconsin , ilinios dairies leaving here 4.5 cents per pound and 2 year old poorer quality going all the way to texas at 4 cents per pound (1600 kms)!

Do you know what those loads weigh?

 

[D7E]

Do you know what those loads weigh?

It varies as different trailer types take anywhere from 48 to 57 bales but few bales i checked so far are 760-780 lbs

 

[Duffster]

It varies as different trailer types take anywhere from 48 to 57 bales but few bales i checked so far are 760-780 lbs

Would you say those are just short of 8' long?