Feed hay prices

[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