The incredible increases in fuel prices have definitely worked their way into the hay price structure, and now the drought in the midwest and South has ranchers slaughtering cattle early and selling good horses for less than the price of a bale. Some friends of ours in TX are reporting $14/square, and with one of them feeding 30 horses I know she’s hurting.
How much is good-quality hay going for in your area? I priced the poll by the “small square,” but if you buy rounds you probably know the going rate for squares also.
Feel free to leave a comment about where you are geographically as well, and what you’re doing to manage.
A Joyful Birth
The Flying T Ranch Blog 
Posted by redgatefarm on October 18, 2011 at 10:18 am
I used to live in the Southern California desert, where good hay was $12-$14/bale. BTDT, not interested in doing it again. Now we are in CO, and when I heard that the midwest was buying up all our hay, and that prices were creeping upward by summer’s end, I knew we had to act fast. We tried to calculate our entire winter’s hay needs (and we have a LONG winter here–about Oct to May), bartered with a neighbor to store it for us, and got it all for under $9/bale. Sure enough, prices continue to creep upward, suppliers are running out, and some are anticipating seeing prices of $18/bale by years’ end.
Posted by Melissa on October 19, 2011 at 9:43 am
I live in East Texas which is usually a major hay production area. We have been feeding hay since June due to the drought. We switched from round bales to square bales in late July to better moniter our cattle’s hay consumption. Decent square bales here are 10-12 dollars. High end horse hay is higher than that. We culled all we could and are trying to hang on until Spring. But if we don’t get rain, we will be forced to sell-out next year. It breaks my heart.