Prices for alfalfa mostly steady, grass steady
Hay market prices remain mostly steady for alfalfa and steady for grass hay, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Aug. 10.
There has been great concern over the worsening drought in Kansas. Producers state that things are getting pretty dry and, in some cases, if they do not receive rain, their alfalfa will be done for the year. Hay sales have slowed a bit with folks thinking they will hold on to some hay for later in the year, while others state they will not be backing off their current prices. Loads to feed yards have slowed leaving grinders and pellet mills anxiously waiting for cattle to return to pens. Prices given on a per-ton basis and are averages.
Southwest:
Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa, ground and delivered steady; movement slow to moderate. 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, $175-$185. Grinding alfalfa, $170-$185. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies, $200-$210. Brome grass hay, large rounds, $80-$90. Wheat straw, large rounds, $60-$70. For the week ending Aug. 7, 6,008 tons of grinding alfalfa and no dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold. The average paid by feedlots on Aug. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $203.61, up $5.58 from the previous month, usage was 568 tons/day, down 3% and total usage was 17,598 tons.
South central:
Dairy alfalfa, alfalfa pellets, grinding alfalfa, ground/delivered 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, $175-$185. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $160-$170 delivered. Ground and delivered, $190-$200. Sun-cured alfalfa pellets, 15% protein, $220-$245, 17% protein, $235-$250, dehydrated 17% protein, $305-$315. Brome, large rounds, $65-$75. Good oat hay, 3×4 squares, $110-$120. For the week ending Aug. 7, 5,089 tons of grinding alfalfa and 195 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold. The average paid by feedlots on Aug. 1 for alfalfa ground and delivered was $182.11, up $13.11 from the previous month, usage was 212 tons/day, down 28% and total usage was 6,562 tons.
Southeast:
Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa, grass hay steady, movement slow to moderate. Horse or goat alfalfa, $240-$250. Dairy 1-1.05/point RFV. Stock cow, $155-$165. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $150-$160. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $125-$135, good 3×3 squares, $110-$120, good, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $90-$110, large rounds, $65-$75. Good brome, small squares, $125-$135, 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $110-$120, large rounds, $75-$85. Wheat straw, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $60-$80.For the week ending Aug. 7, 1,623 tons of grass hay was reported bought/sold.
Northwest:
Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa, ground/delivered steady, movement slow. Horse or goat alfalfa, $245-$255. Dairy, premium/supreme 1.05-1.10/point RFV. Stock cow, fair/good, $165-$175. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, $140-$150 with an instance at $155-$160. Ground and delivered, not a large enough sample to report. Sudan, large rounds, $60-$70.
North central/northeast:
Dairy alfalfa steady, grinding alfalfa, grass hay steady, ground/delivered steady to $5 lower, movement slow to moderate. 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, large rounds, $100-$120, 3×4 squares, $120-$145, Ground and delivered, $155-$165. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $5-$6/bale, 3×4 to 4×4 squares, old crop, $90-$100, large rounds, $60-$75. Brome, small squares, $6-$7/bale, 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $115-$125, large rounds, $85-$100; Wheat straw, small squares, $5-$6/bale, large 3×4 to 4×4 squares, $85-$100. For the week ending Aug. 7, 917 tons of grinding alfalfa and 912.5 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought/sold.
Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Manhattan, Kansas.