Third cutting concerns

[EddieWalker]

We've had a weird year this year and I'm in a bit of a situation getting hay for my horses. For the last three years, I've had great sources that lasted a few loads, and then got out of the hay business. Then I find another supplier that's even better then the previous one, and they disappear on my after a few loads. Either I'm the curse of death for them, or my luck has just been really bad. Anyway, I'm out of hay and it's become very hard to find. Prices are all over the place too, junk for $50 a bale that I wont touch, to $125 a bale that I just bought, and might buy again, that is really nice hay. There are a few people advertising third cutting hay that they just baled for $85 a bale of clean fertilized coastal hay.

I'm in East Texas and we froze two weeks ago with temps in the 20's, which is before the hay was cut. Temps are back into the 50's and 60's during the day, but in the 40's at night. Is it possible that hay cut after the freeze will be good for feeding horses? My understanding is that once it freezes, or temps get into the 40's, the hay loses all it's protein and isn't any good anymore. Is this true?

I haven't looked at it yet, just been trying to arrange a time to go look at it and then buy it if it's good. I can smell good hay. I love that smell!!! I can also smell mold and see what rotten hay looks like, but I'm not sure if it's fresh, if I can tell if it will be good to feed to my horses or not. What should I look for?

Thank you.

 

[aczlan]

From what I found ( Watch for toxicity in frost-damaged forage ) if its cut and dried for hay, it should be fine (especially if you can wait 6 weeks to use it).

Aaron Z

 

[stuckmotor]

I had a friend who said hay was the only business he knew where the grower, the cutter/baler, and the buyer all lost money. That might have to do with why you can't keep a good supplier. Good luck with your search.

 

[AllDodge]

I wish ya luck, but best way to have hay is have enough land to cut your self, or go in halves

They folks aroun here would love to get 125, it goes for 30 to 40 tops for round bales

 

[EddieWalker]

, it goes for 30 to 40 tops for round bales

I'm wondering if it's going to be worth the drive to go to where I can find it at that price?

 

[aczlan]

I'm wondering if it's going to be worth the drive to go to where I can find it at that price?

Around here we sell good 1st cutting grass/alfalfa/clover mix 5x4 round bales for $30ish per bale. 2nd cutting is $40ish.

Aaron Z

 

[AllDodge]

Just looked at hayuse which is a hay broker in TX and they are up there but say they do have it. North Texas hay list first cutting a $5 each and second at $6 each, but all is reserved for regular customers.

This might be a better option. Contact a place in another state that has it (square bales). Pay a trucking company to haul a full truck load to you. If you get it reasonable enough, use what you need and sell the rest to other locals to offset cost, or go in with some to do it

Here is a place in OK
Hay

 

[Lineman North Florida]

Our last cutting of the year be it the 3rd or 4th is usually shorter grass and therefore not stemmy which is what I have always found that horses like best, also don't be afraid of hay with a little native grass mixed in such as crabgrass, most horse people will turn their noses up at it but put a roll of all coastal and one with some crabgrass mix in the lot and see which roll they stay at, it won't be the coastal till the other roll is gone. Good luck. Charlie.

 

[CobyRupert]

I had a friend who said hay was the only business he knew where the grower, the cutter/baler, and the buyer all lost money. That might have to do with why you can't keep a good supplier. Good luck with your search.

Ha ha ha . THAT'S FUNNY!

(- because there's some truth there)

 

[EddieWalker]

I found some in Canton for $85 a roll that's really nice and smells really good. I bought five rolls. I'm hoping that they will still have more next week when I can go get another five rolls. I really want at least 20 rolls to get through winter. Every day I'm trying to drive to work a different way with the hope that I'll see a sign that says that they have hay for sale. I've seen a few, but what they have is in really bad condition. Old and falling apart after sitting out in the weather for well over a year.

I'm also seeing people advertise out of state on Craigslist and FB that claim to have good quality hay, but also people here in my area that are selling hay that they said they got out of state that is so bad and full of burs that they refuse to feed it to their horses.

 

[EddieWalker]

Our last cutting of the year be it the 3rd or 4th is usually shorter grass and therefore not stemmy which is what I have always found that horses like best, also don't be afraid of hay with a little native grass mixed in such as crabgrass, most horse people will turn their noses up at it but put a roll of all coastal and one with some crabgrass mix in the lot and see which roll they stay at, it won't be the coastal till the other roll is gone. Good luck. Charlie.

Thank you, I hadn't thought of that!!!

 

[ovrszd]

Hay is gold up here because of our weather problems this year. $100 per bale is considered cheap. Two weeks ago there was still hay being cut.

Good luck.

 

[AllDodge]

Hay is gold up here because of our weather problems this year. $100 per bale is considered cheap. Two weeks ago there was still hay being cut.

Good luck.

A fella with a big rig might be able to make some good money at that price hauling it in, not round ones though, to hard to transport in bulk

 

[ovrszd]

A fella with a big rig might be able to make some good money at that price hauling it in, not round ones though, to hard to transport in bulk

Yep, you can get a lot more tonnage with large squares.

 

[prof fate]

It's often better to feed first cutting..stemmy keeps horses busier longer with chewing.

When you need hay here it's often easiest to go to the auction. it's weekly.

But yeah, I feel your pain on suppliers..we need sawdust for our stalls. $200 a load, $100 a load for trucking and we pay for the sawdust, the cheapest guy only brings a full load on a very large trailer that is more than we can fit in the barn. Seems everytime we find an affordable easy solution they quit the business.

We can borrow a dump trailer, but no sides on it (extended sides) so a load won't be much..probably need 3 loads..our time/gas has value too.
Problem now is saw mills are shutting down for the winter...buying bagged shavings at TSC is pricey

 

[ovrszd]

The trucker's time and fuel has value too. He needs to be generating at least $150 per hour on the truck to survive.
If he only gets paid $100 per load he has to turn a round in 45 minutes. That's measured by when he dumped the previous load til he dumps the load of sawdust. Probly ain't gonna happen. He'll spend 20 minutes at the mill. It's just not feasible.....

 

[EddieWalker]

I'm seeing 18 wheelers hauling hay almost every day. Sometimes there is three of them on a row going down the highway. I've been tempted to follow them, but so far, I haven't, but if it gets any worse, I just might!!!!

 

[K5lwq]

My neighbor just picked up a nice bale of horse quality hay. I will find out tomorrow where he got it and let you know. Had to be close to Mineola because he normally won't venture to far from home.

 

[K5lwq]

Eddie sent you a PM.

 

[ultrarunner]

I was talking with horse friends in Washington State when Texas had the drought... full rigs leaving WA for TX... seems a very long way to go but what can you do.

My brother buys bales of Orchard Grass and it adds up.

To minimize labor I have been looking for a dedicated trailer he can use just for hay... missed one that would have done the job for $600...