anticipating hay price increase

[larryj57]

If I had to pay over $3 a bale I'd have to sell all the goats and most of the chickens. i can get the round bales for $20 for 700-900 lb rolls. The only problem is the goats don't eat it only use them for climbing and playing on. I have 30 acres of orchard run/ fescue grass mix, my neighbor has the square bale equipment and he bales for me on the thirds he gets 2/3 and i get what's left. the square bales we sell for $2 and they weigh abot 75-80 lbs. usually 125 bales will get me through the winter as we have grazing and browse all winter here.

 

[animalmom]

Y'all know it isn't nice to brag. Where we are, close to but not quite deep in the heart of the Great State of Texas (Woo!!) we've been paying so much for hay for so long that any rain for the grass is coveted. Earlier this month we just bought 10 big round bales of reasonable coastal hay at $70/round and thought we were getting a steal. Last winter we were paying close to $20 for am 80lb bale of hay imported from California, and we were glad to get that.

I've tried burning the prickly pear cactus here and the goats just won't touch it. I've even sliced and diced the pads and they still turn their nose up at it. Hubby said they just weren't hungry enough. God willing they never are that hungry.

Seriously I'm thrilled that some of you folk get hay at a price that doesn't break the bank... and hope you have some compassion for those of us who pay for what we can get. Here's praying for rain everywhere. I'd love to see the big round hay back down to the $50 range again... sometime in my lifetime... if the drought every stops.

Oh, and Alice, if you find your barn missing don't even bother to come looking at my place. HA Barn Envy!

 

[2goats8kids]

Suburbanfarmer, I'm in your general area. We are buying hay in Yelm/Roy for $7 regular bale, organic practices but not certified, mixed grass hay. Then we get organic alfalfa pellets from Azure Standard. Don't know how far a drive that would be for you, though. We've used several sellers in that area, found them via Craigslist.

 

[jenlynn4]

I couldnt find hay either....I did finally manage to find someone who has some today....I wanted 2nd or 3rd cut but all they had was first cut...I had to take it because 1st cut is better than NONE...I just hope it will be ok. I dont know ANYTHING about hay! It was $3.00 a bail for square bails

 

[SkyWarrior]

Our hay is running $150-$200 a ton.

Yeah, we're hurting.

 

[Southern by choice]

sky- wow!
btw- I see you are up, when do you sleep

 

[SkyWarrior]

sky- wow!
btw- I see you are up, when do you sleep

Sleep is highly overrated.

Yeah, the hay prices are horrible right now. Good luck trying to find some out here. We have lost a lot because of the drought.

I'm thinking of getting electric netting to graze the goats on our property. (We are on a mountainside). I figure that would cut down on the hay bill. Everything is brown, but I figure there has got to be some nutrition there.

 

[jenlynn4]

same problem here...It was VERY dry for a long time, then it got really wet! The farmers I contacted all said it was a terrible year for hay and that they were out. I was worried there for a bit...but the lady I am getting the goats from gave me the # for the person she gets hers from and they still had some. Its the same stuff they been eating so I guess that will be better anyhow. JEN