Hay prices still steady

Hay market prices remained mostly steady for alfalfa and steady for grass hay, with movement still slow, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Dec. 14.

Most producers believe folks have what they need until after the first of the year with the south-central region reporting there are a number of folks offering alfalfa hay for sale. The north central-northeast region and the southeast region worry they will be short of alfalfa come spring due to the decimation earlier by army worms and stress from drought. The southeast region has seen good to premium stock cow hay increase in both, demand, and price. Grass hay stores remains high with likely carryover into the 2022 hay year. According to the U.S. Drought Monitor for the week of Dec. 7, most of the region was unseasonably warm and dry with average temperatures ranging from 2 to 12 degrees above normal with the greatest departures observed in eastern portions of Colorado and Wyoming, Kansas, and Nebraska. Prices are based on averages, and given on a per-ton basis, unless otherwise noted.

Southwest:

Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa steady, ground and delivered steady, movement slow. Premium horse alfalfa, small squares, $260-$280. Dairy 1.05-1.10/point RFV, supreme, $195-$250, premium, $180-$205, good, $155-$185. Stock or dry cow, $185-$195. Grinding alfalfa, $180-$185. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies, $195-$205. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $8/bale, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $85-$95, large rounds, $75/bale. Wheat straw, large rounds, $60-$75. Corn stalks, large rounds, $75 delivered. For the week ending Dec. 11, 7,258 tons of grinding alfalfa and 275 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold. The average paid by feedlots on Dec. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $200.13, down $0.20 from the previous month, usage was 530 tons/day, down 9% and total usage was 15,905 tons.

South central:

Dairy alfalfa, alfalfa pellets, grinding alfalfa steady, movement slow. Horse alfalfa, small squares, $255-$275. Dairy 1.05-1.10/point RFV, supreme, $195-$250, premium, $180-$205, good, $155-$185. Good stock cow, $170-$180. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $160-$170 delivered. Ground and delivered, $185-$195. Sun-cured alfalfa pellets, 15% protein, $225-$235, 17% protein, $240-$250, dehydrated 17% protein, $310-$315. Bluestem grass hay, large rounds, $85-$95, large squares, $100-$110. Brome: large rounds, $100-$105, large squares, $110-$120. Oat hay, good large rounds, $120-$125, good 3×4 squares, $130-$135. Sudan, large rounds, $85-$95. For the week ending Dec. 11, 8,117 tons of grinding alfalfa and 1,167.5 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold. The average paid by feedlots on Dec. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $181.45, down $1.85 from the previous month, usage was 287 tons/day, down 1% and total usage was 18,156 tons.

Southeast:

Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa steady, grass hay steady; movement slow. Horse or goat alfalfa, $260-$270. Dairy 1-1.05/point RFV. Good stock cow, $170-$180, with an instance of premium stock cow, $220-$240. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $120-$130, good 3×3 squares, $115-$125, good 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $100-$110, large rounds, $70-$85. Good brome, 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $115-$125, large rounds, $85-$95. Wheat straw, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $60-$80. For the week ending Dec. 11, 1,101 tons of grass hay was reported bought/sold.

Northwest:

Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa, ground/delivered steady, movement slow. Horse or goat alfalfa, small squares, $300-$400 delivered. Dairy, premium/supreme 1.05-1.10/point RFV. Stock cow, fair/good, $175-$185. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $170-$180. Oat hay, 3×3 squares, $135-$145. Wheat straw, large squares, $75-$85.

North central/northeast:

Dairy alfalfa, grass hay steady, grinding alfalfa, ground/delivered steady to $5 higher, movement slow. Premium horse alfalfa, small squares, $9-$10/bale. Dairy 1.05-1.10/point RFV, supreme, $195-$250, premium, $180-$205, good, $155-$185. Stock cow, $160-$170. Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, $140-$150; ground and delivered, $165-$175. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $6.50-$7/bale, large 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $130-$140 delivered, good, large rounds, $90-$100. Brome, small squares, $7.25-$8/bale, large rounds, $90-$105. Wheat dtraw, small squares, $5-$6/bale, large 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $85-$100. Certified weed free grass mulch large rounds, $80-$90. For the week ending Dec. 11, 778 tons of grinding alfalfa and, 250 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold.

Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Manhattan, Kansas.