Buying hay in fall: How screwed am I?

[luvmyhackney]

I pay 9.50 for a first or second cut grass hay that tests below 9% for NSC, stacked and delivered. It’s around 50ish lbs a bale.

I pay 12-14.00 for alfalfa, stacked and delivered. Bales are around 40-45 lbs.

Occasionally I can find grass hay, 2nd cut for 5-6.00 a bale but it’s rarely baled tight, and sometimes can be high in sugar and then I have to soak.

If you are on a budget feeding rounds is so much cheaper in my area.

[NancyM]

Do you have the tractor for unloading and stacking 750 lb bales? If you buy a trailer load of big bales, it is unlikely that the shipper can/will unload for you like they do with small squares.

Big bales are super easy (and cheaper to buy) if you have the equipment. And practically impossible if you don’t.

[stargzng386]

If you’re buying a decent quantity of small square bales you can also look into getting a load from PA. Prices are less and the hay quality is better. A lot of ppl around me in NOVA actually ship in PA hay to re-sell. Def keep in mind how you’re moving your hay. The large squares are just hard, and hard to use if you’re feeding hay in a stall. The flakes are too big to easily stuff in a net, pulling them apart a ton of hay drops and they’re harder to carry.

[CalPal]

Thanks all for the replies. I need to stick to small squares but my gut was correct, even allowing for it being nice second cutting - and not easy in VA last year with drought - the price I am paying is steep.

if anyone is willing to share leads would be great - message vs post if you prefer. I can take 225 at a time so usually a full flatbed for someone

Thanks all and thanks OP for letting me tag on your post

[enjoytheride]

I do two cuts a year on my field in the Midwest. Getting hay out of the field is cheapest, followed by they deliver a wagon, followed by they get it out of the field, stack and store, then unstack and deliver. So as long as you anticipate the extra price you should be fine.

I have had people want me to store hay for them on my farm, and only pay for it when they need it, for the price I sell it out of the field.

Around here it can be harder to find farmers with the storage space to allow someone to pick up in the fall. I have gotten screaming good deals when a hay farmer calls me and says "I have 60 bales of alfalfa mix on a wagon that someone backed out of, if I can be there in 10 minutes you can have it for $5.75 a bale.

There’s always someone here in January who only has 1 bale of hay left in their barn complaining about the price or lack of hay.

[clanter]

@RooTheDay

I know the tariffs are going to make everything more expensive

I just got two tons of hay delivered, cost had dropped 10% since the last delivery of two months ago which had been at the same cost for the last year and half, so at least for me the tariffs are a good thing.