Hay movement down, demand remains very light
![Producers can reduce hay loss with proper storage, says University of Missouri Extension specialist Charles Ellis. (Photo courtesy of Kyle Spradley, MU College of Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources.)](https://hpj.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/hay_bales17.jpg)
Hay movement during the week ending Aug. 10 was down while demand remained very light as no one seems to be interested in buying, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Aug. 13.
Prices continue to weaken a bit with the abundance of other feed stuffs available. Grass hay is still trying to find its footing as prices tend to be all over the map. Alfalfa is headed into dormancy in the drier regions where producers state they will be done unless they get rain. Prices are based on averages and given on a per-ton basis, unless otherwise noted.
Southwest—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa prices are steady. Grinding alfalfa price $5-$10 lower and ground and delivered alfalfa price steady. Alfalfa: Dairy, $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Good stock or dry cow, $120. Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $95-$100, large 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $95-$110. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies, $155-$160. Sudan large rounds and large squares, $60-$70. Teff, small squares, $9/bale, large rounds, $130-$140. Wheat straw, large rounds and large squares, $90-$100 delivered. For the week ending Aug. 10, 4,693 tons of grinding alfalfa and no dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold. The average paid by feedlots on Aug. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $177.20, down $11.40 from the previous month. Usage was 477 tons/day, down 13% from last month and total usage was 14,778.5 tons.
South central—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa prices are steady. Grinding alfalfa price steady, Ground and delivered steady, and alfalfa pellet price steady. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $115–$125 delivered, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $115-$125 delivered. Alfalfa ground and delivered, $150-$160. Sun-cured alfalfa pellets, 15% protein, $250-$260, 17% protein, $265-$275, dehydrated 17% protein, $370-380. Brome, rounds and squares, $100-$120. For the week ending Aug. 10, 6,464 tons of grinding alfalfa and 950 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold. The average paid by feedlots on Aug. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $164.38, down $0.58 from the previous month. Usage was 192 tons/day, down 8% from last month and total usage was 5,959.5 tons.
Southeast—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Bluestem $5 to $20 lower and brome hay price, largely unchanged. Good, stock cow, new crop, $130. Bluestem grass hay, old crop small squares, $180-$185, large rounds, $110-$120, large 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $120-$135. Brome, medium 3×3 squares, old crop, $150-$165, large rounds, $130-$140, large 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $130-$140. For the week ending Aug. 10, 945 tons of grass hay was reported bought or sold.
Northwest—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Grinding alfalfa prices are steady. Premium horse alfalfa, small squares, $310, good small squares, $290. Alfalfa fair/good old crop, 3×3 squares, $120. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $100.
North central/northeast—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa price is steady, grinding alfalfa mostly steady, ground and delivered steady, and grass hay steady to $10 lower. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Premium horse hay, small squares, $12/bale. Good stock cow, 3×4 squares, $145-$150. Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $90-$100, medium 3×3 squares, $165-$175. Alfalfa ground and delivered, $150-$160. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $8-$9/bale, large rounds, $90-$100, large 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $120-$130. Brome, small squares, $9-$10/bale, large rounds, $110-$120, large squares, $125-$135. Wheat straw, large rounds, $60-$70. For the week ending Aug. 10, 321 tons of grinding alfalfa and 374 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold.
Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Manhattan, Kansas.