hay shortage

[Tattooed_Dressage]

@MysticOakRanch

Wow, envious of all of you! Here in Nor-Cal (which is still less pricey then So-Cal), we pay about $15 - $20/bale for orchard or orchard/alfalfa. That is about 15 to 20c/pound for hay, or about $280 to $400/ton. Delivery is extra!

Mystic that’s probably about what the cost of decent quality hay costs around the lower mainland of British Columbia without delivery for most forage dealers. At least that was what I was paying 4 years ago prior to relocating. I think it has increased additionally since then from what friends have mentioned to me.

I did a quick calculation on what I’ve paid so far this year per ton as follows:
Square Bales
Timothy/alfalfa mix: 9c/pound
Straight alfalfa: 9c/pound
Grass: 8c/pound

Last years mixed round bales worked out to be 5.5c/pound

ETA: These prices include delivery

[UrbanHennery]

Yeah, I’m paying $20 per 100 pound bale for Eastern WA 2nd cut orchard. I buy by the 1/2 ton, and pick it up at the feed store. I’m paying $17 per 95 pound bale for 1st cut orchard to try to feed less 2nd cut to my QH and give him something to chew on all day.

That works out to $400 per ton for the former and $360 per ton for the latter. Plus add almost 10% sales tax. Which isn’t bad for around here. Though I think it’s as high as it was last winter (usually comes down this time of year) so I expect I’ll be paying more come January.

[Calvincrowe]

Wow I guess my little trip to pick up my own hay paid off. I paid .11/lb for 2nd cut orchard. Add in $50 for diesel and my own labor (nephews were free) and it’s a bit more I suppose. Last year’s was delivered and stacked at .14/lb.

[Fharoah]

I pay $500 a ton delivered here in BC for Timothy or alfalfa blend.

[SLW]

In Kansas the brome fields (grass hay) for livestock is providing 60% of what is normally grown due to the drought. My hay producer of 15 years did not raise his fee for the square bales I purchase. Everyone is hoarding hay to get through til next summer. The pastures are gone too which has affected the cattle guys the most so they are selling off herds.

[TCA_Arabians]

I’m in SoCal. I feed alfalfa, 3-way, pellets & Integrity Senior (30-year-old).

I do not soak the pellets. We’ve fed this way for years.

Prices are as follows:

Alfalfa & 3-way - $14.99 per approx. 100lb bale.
Senior Integrity - $23.74/50# bag
Bermuda Sacata blend pellets - $10.44/50# bag

Our feed store buys the alfalfa & 3-way from local growers.

[winter]

Ah, I remember the big “hay scare” a few years ago here. The hay cartel got together and agreed to start charging 11$/small square. It was outrageous, were were paying 4 or 6$ in the years before that. They hyped up this ‘hay shortage’ that didn’t really exist so they could gouge their customers. I refused to pay the premium and was looking at getting huge semi loads from other provinces. Luckily I was able to secure hay at a reasonable price and of course the “shortage” never materialised and there was a lot of hay on sale at the end of winter.

[Rae89]

In north east saskatchewan we have a nice hay crop… maybe somewhere to look. PM if you want some names.