Kansas hay demand remains light, prices still steady
This past week, demand remained light, and prices were mostly steady, according to the Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Oct. 8.
The hay market remains sluggish, as one producer put it, “there is too much feed and too few cattle.” Silage and high moisture corn remain the greatest threat to the hay producer with thousands of acres put up and low corn price. Producers remain busy in the fields finishing up corn harvest, planting wheat and starting on beans. Prices are based on averages and given on a per-ton basis, unless otherwise noted.
Southwest—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa, grinding alfalfa and ground and delivered alfalfa prices, steady. Alfalfa: Dairy, $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Fair/good, grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $95-$110, large squares, $95-110. Ground and delivered locally to feed lots and dairies, $140-$150. For the week ending Oct. 5, 6,909.5 tons of grinding alfalfa and 230 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold.
South central—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa prices steady. Grinding alfalfa $5 lower, ground and delivered and alfalfa pellet price was steady. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $105–$110 delivered, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $105-$110 delivered. Alfalfa ground and delivered, $140-$155. Sun-cured alfalfa pellets, 15% protein, $230-$240, 17% protein, $240-$250, 17% protein dehydrated, $365. Bluestem grass hay, rounds and squares, $100-125. Brome, $110-$120. For the week ending Oct. 5, 9,492.5 tons of grinding alfalfa and 1,357 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold.
Southeast—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Bluestem rounds, $10 lower, large squares and brome hay price remain steady. Dairy, $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Bluestem grass hay: large rounds, $100-$110, 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $120-$140. Brome 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $135-$145. Wheat straw, large squares, $70. For the week ending Oct. 5, 882 tons of grass hay was reported bought or sold.
Northwest—Little to no demand. Trade activity is slow. Horse alfalfa, $175-$185. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $100.
North central/northeast—Demand light. Trade activity is slow. Dairy alfalfa price, grinding alfalfa, ground and delivered and grass hay all steady. Alfalfa: Dairy $1.15-$1.25/point RFV. Fair/good grinding alfalfa, large rounds, $90-$100. Alfalfa ground and delivered, $150-$160. Bluestem grass hay, small squares, $8-$9/bale, large rounds, $80-$110. Brome, small squares, $9-$10/bale, large rounds, $100-$120, large 3×4 and 4×4 squares, $130. For the week ending Oct. 5, 401 tons of grinding alfalfa and 225 tons of dairy alfalfa was reported bought or sold.
Source: Kansas Department of Agriculture-USDA Market News Service, Manhattan, Kansas.
