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Post by figi on Oct 31, 2008 11:45:12 GMT -5
I went to my local feed store yesterday to get some hay and the price was down $3.00 from last week!!!
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Post by swissgrl on Oct 31, 2008 12:20:50 GMT -5
not down here.........
the bales have gotten smaller and the price is still up
speaking of hay. I've heard you guys talk about the Teff Hay. I've seen it for the first time at one of my local feedstores, but it's $16.95 a bale, and the bales are probably around 90-100lbs. I don't know anything about Teff. Can I get an education please, and why it is good/or not?
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Post by wildwoman on Oct 31, 2008 13:25:52 GMT -5
Hey-Figi! which feed store do you go to and what kind of hay are you buying? OMG orchard was like $23 at Cenex last time! EEEEKKKKKKKK
Lisa
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Post by figi on Oct 31, 2008 13:52:33 GMT -5
I went to Dels it was $15.? somthing a bale!! Down from almost $19 last week. Strohs is like $30. a bale but for the 150# ones that i cant even move. I am getting the orchard grass. In past years I buy all my hay at once for the winter but this year I just dont have the money to do it.
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Post by cutiepiepmu on Oct 31, 2008 14:53:09 GMT -5
Hey all - I was lucky to get my hay in the barn at a decent price considering the year. Hay prices are down though - I tghink that there was alot of panic and it drove prices excesively high. We will be bringing in another 5-7 tons in the next month or so -but i think that now that things are settled AND because gas prices are down - you will see more of a drop.
Teff hay is OUTSTANDING - BUT, it needs to be cut and baled properly. It is a fine stemmed hay that is lower in sugar than most grasses or alfalfa but higheri n protien than timothy in general. The key with teff - It needs to be GREEN not BROWN - and the stems need to be at LEAST 8-10 inches with little to no seed heads. The stems should be extremely fine and when you pull out a handful it should smell sweet. Taste a stem - pull it out, chew it up in your mouth - it should not taste pungent or bitter - but have a sharp sweet taste.
This was a BAD y ear for teff hay - i haven't seen alot of good teff. Teff is by far my favorite hay to feed across the board - but because it takes extremely hot weather and needs to be cut/baled by someone that understands teff - it isn't always easy to get good quality teff.
Google TEFF and it will give you a bunch more info on it. It is becoming more popular - as is peanut hay and pea hay. I have seen thsoe more this year up here than in past years.
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Post by swissgrl on Oct 31, 2008 15:11:36 GMT -5
Thanks Sarah, I'm trying to get away from the Alfalfa, but Orchard is just way to expensive down here. I generally feed Bermuda, but like to give them something different.
I was told the reason the hay is so high, is because there is not much available, despite the gas prices going down, I got quoted $12.80 a bale of bermuda, but the bales only weigh about 95lbs. Where I paid $13.00 5 months ago, and the bales weighed 124lbs.
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Post by wildwoman on Oct 31, 2008 15:35:24 GMT -5
hey-what about 'canary grass' ? what is this?  ? |
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Post by michellep on Oct 31, 2008 16:39:22 GMT -5
The guy where we get our hay told us that lots of farmers in E. Washington are planting hay so the prices should drop by next year and there will be lots of hay available. We are paying $15 for alphalfa right now. Dont even get me started on the price of grain. I called three different feed stores and the price for senior feed was $17-22 per bag!!!!! I just about had a stroke
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Post by wildwoman on Oct 31, 2008 18:12:03 GMT -5
Michellep-where are you located? I get grain wholesale by the ton-can split a load if anybody wants.
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Post by cutiepiepmu on Nov 2, 2008 12:07:27 GMT -5
Canary grass is more of a weed than a grass. It is a middle to wide blade grass. It is seen in pastures mainly, but it clumps and drives off other grasses. Nutrient wise it is about the same protien as orchard but VERY high in sugar. that is why - when you see alot of local grass hay in W. washington - it is brown and has a musty smell. It has fairly low nutritional value over all.  Canary grass grown in other areas is ok to average - but not great for hay. Sara |
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Post by wildwoman on Nov 2, 2008 13:46:02 GMT -5
Thanks Sara! Now I know why I wasn't familiar with it-doesn't sound like anything anyone really needs huh?
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Post by figi on Nov 3, 2008 11:42:50 GMT -5
Hey Lisa next time you get grain let me know. I dont need a bunch but but would like to go in with you. I think I tried to do this with you a few years back and the cber bb shut down and i lost your contact info.
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Post by cutiepiepmu on Nov 3, 2008 15:01:00 GMT -5
The one thing I always recommend regarding hay - not just this year - is to build a relationship with a good hay BROKER. Figure out exactly how much hay and of what type you need for the year, THEN negotiate the contract before first cutting. Farmers like to know that their field of hay is sold even before it grows and are willing to give price breaks - sometimes HUGE price breaks - to have that happen. For those of you that have your horses at home - it is WELL worth spending a little money to build a hay shed and bring in your years worth of hay at one time. Keep in mind- you hay shed does not have to be fancy - just has to keep the hay dry and keep it off of the ground. Doing a clear span type hay building and using rubber mats then putting your hay on pallets can work just dandy and only costs about $1500 to build for a size to store up to 10 tons or so. so - for all of you that say you only have storage for 1 ton - you might want to consider the deal you get long term if you can do it all at once. Get the 5 tons you use a year or the 25 in my case  I know we are all short of money - but your shelter that you build won't go away - you can use it again and again! Sara |
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Post by swissgrl on Nov 3, 2008 15:13:27 GMT -5
I agree, I bought 6 months worth, and could kick myself in the you-know-what for not buying a full year, especially with the 2 extra mouths to feed.
I have been looking into building a hay shed myself, right now (and that's the only reason I'm happy for the hot so.cal weather) they're on pallets outside my barn, but I'd like to get something more protective of the sun, dust, and eventual rain.
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Post by michellep on Nov 3, 2008 18:01:39 GMT -5
I agree about having a hay barn to store hay. We finally built one, its a 20x11 something like that. I think we can get up to 5 ton in there which should at least get us through a winters feeding. Now we just need to find a good hay broker, we have friends that go eastern washington to get theirs so hopefully we can tag along and start getting our hay there. Lisa, I dont need a huge amount of grain, but would be interested in getting some. Im just now starting to grain them now that the rain/bad weather is here to stay for a while. Im in the Graham, WA area
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Post by wildwoman on Nov 4, 2008 12:16:42 GMT -5
Yeah-I used to coordinate this before for several people-the ton weight does not need to be all the same thing-just whatever to add up to it. I called yesterday as I am going in today for some-fluxuates more than feed store $$ due to several factors.
currently:beetpulp-$9.00/50 pound bag, rice bran was $14, senior feed $12 and mountaineer was 21.50/per 100 pounds (that one only comes in 80 pound bags that were 16.80 ) I also have a friend that gets corn and oats to feed the ducks. they have cat litter and salt blocks etc not just feed.
Call me wierd-but all my people get beet pulp with whatever else they need-50/BP50 mtnr to start with and rice bran for the fat/protien content without sugars and making them hot-then whatever other supps I need to add-joint stuff or flax seed or daily feed through wormer or ACV etc etc etc it all mixes in nicely without worrying that some powdered someting didn't get into the animal.
Also when it is cold I use hot water and it softens up FAST and they get a warm meal.
I have the bag tags showing list of ingredients and % of everything mineral content wise.
I am gonna take some hay to my kids in Home-then back here before I head into T-Town, PM me if you need something and what amounts.
Thanks
Lisa
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Post by chatty on Nov 4, 2008 12:43:27 GMT -5
We have a great hay guy...Drops off 6 tons a month and charges us what he calls a rescue price...But were the only rescue he has...
130.00-150.00 a ton...28 bales to the ton...The range in price is based on the amount of alfalfa is in it...
Every month he talks to Duchess and tells her he can't take her home...But she loves to see him come, may be just the hay...Maybe one day....
We also have a account at the grainery, also rescue price...This is for our horses and any others we help...With donation to this account we will not go short this year by helping other horses we can't bring in...
chatty
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Post by cutiepiepmu on Nov 4, 2008 14:26:02 GMT -5
Wow - great price on hay Chatty! I was THRILLED to get my 2nd cutting orchard which is beautiful and tests OUTSTANDING for $315 a ton delivered and in my barn. My poor hay guy - the whole time he was writing out the recipt kept saying - I am SO sorry it is so expensive.... lol. Not his fault... He kept saying that he felt bad making any money because hay had gone up so much for us.... Funny! I want him to make money.... if he goes out of business... I loose my hay guy!
Sara
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Post by chatty on Nov 4, 2008 21:55:58 GMT -5
We are so lucky that people respect what we're doing...And they are doing their part by backing us....
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?
Canary grass grown in other areas is ok to average - but not great for hay.