September 7, 2007

Drought, a spring freeze, potato leafhoppers and persistent rain are all contributing to a shortage of good hay and a strong market for high quality hay this year.

If you still have hay to harvest this year, consider trying to capture some of this high paying market. Hay cut in September and October usually is the best quality hay of the year. If you put up this hay correctly, it should bring $125-150 per ton, maybe even more. It will need to be baled without rain damage in heavy, square, transportable packages with most of the leaves intact. It should be stored under cover to prevent weather damage and then marketed to get its true value. If your original plan was to feed the hay to your own animals, if you sell yours for $125 and buy some other perfectly acceptable hay back for $80, you'll be money ahead.

Take advantage of good prices when you can. It doesn't happen every day.

Bruce Anderson
Extension Forage Specialist