Hay QualityBale TypeAverage PricePrimeLarge Square$216Large Round$195Grade 1Small Square$229Large Square$177
How much is a bale of hay 2020?
Small square bales averaged $4.60 a bale (range of $2.00 to $6.00). Large square bale straw averaged $64.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 to $90.00). Large round bale straw averaged $58.00 per bale (a range of $40.00 – $85.00). In Nebraska, hay sold steady, demand is light in 2020.
How many square bales is an acre?
With an average bale weight of around 40 pounds (with our Abbriata small square baler or any of our mini round balers), that’s 100 bales to the acre for a first cutting.
How much does a bale of hay cost 2021?
What Is the Average Price for a Bale of Hay? On average, a bale of hay costs around $15. For example, two wired Alfalfa Hay bales typically run high, costing $19.95 apiece, whereas bermudagrass is only $8.75. Timothy Hay is the most expensive, typically costing at least $20 a bale.How many square bales are in a round bale?
Round bales have the same amount of hay as about twenty square bales. They are designed to be moved using tractors. Instead of having to move twenty square bales out of the field, into the barn, then back out to the cattle during the winter, one large bale is moved with a tractor.
How much is a straw bale?
Straw bales can cost anywhere from $0 to $12 apiece. In some areas, farmers might give them away if they have an excess supply taking up space in their barns.
Why is hay so expensive?
Drought, excessive rain and a late spring hay harvest are causing prices to rise on hay. The weather last year, over the winter of 2018-2019, and the wet end of winter this year are causing hay prices to soar, according to several sources.
How much hay can 15 acres produce?
Member. Probably average 3000 (+/-) 40 pound bales, so 60 tons more or less! That would be a total for all cuttings taken.How much does a bale of hay cost for cows?
Thus, four to five bales of hay could be required per cow for the winter feeding period. At a typical cost of $45 per bale, the cost of winter hay substitution alone accounts for $180 (for four months) to $225 (for five months) per cow.
Can you make money selling hay?“If you are getting $125 per ton for quality hay, you are going to see a profit of $51 per ton, or $204 per acre. “The potential is there to make some pretty good money on hay.” Brown says producers could decide to grow higher-quality hay and sell into the dairy or specialty hay markets.
Article first time published onHow many acres do you need to grow hay?
Average yield of hay per acre is 2.44 tons. That means a cow/calf pair needs the production of 2.7 acres planted hay to eat for a year.
How big is a small square bale of hay?
For farms and ranches feeding a small amount of livestock, small, squares bales are used because they can be easily carried by hand. The dimension of a small bale held together by three strings is approximately 16” high x 22” wide x 44” long (406.4 mm high x 558.8 mm wide x 1117.6 mm long) and usually weighs 100lbs.
How much does a square hay bale weigh?
A standard two-string square hay bale weighs between 40 and 75 pounds; a three-string square bale weighs over 100 pounds, and some as much as 140 pounds; the average round hay bale weighs about 1,250 pounds, but their weight varies greatly from 563 to 1,584 pounds.
How big is a bale of hay?
SizeDimension(L x H x W)Weight2 stringed bale36 inches x 19 inches x 16 inches40 to 75 lbs.3 stringed bale44 inches x 22 inches x 15 inches100 to 140 lbs.Half ton6 ft x 4 ft x 3 ft1000 lbs.1 Ton8 ft x 4 ft x 4 ft2000 lbs.
How long can hay last?
If the hay was of good-quality when harvested and stored in a dry place with sufficient airflow, hay is likely suitable for consumption for two to three years. Keep in mind that hay, even premium forage, loses much of its vitamin content in the first few months of storage.
Is hay just tall grass?
Hay is a grass that has been cut, dried, and stored for animal feed. … Hay is made from the stems, leaves, and seed heads of plants that are fresh. It is cut and baled when it has the most nutritional value, and is fed to livestock.
What is difference between straw and hay?
Hay is a crop that is grown and harvested as a feed crop for cattle, horses and other farm animals. Straw on the other hand is a byproduct of a grain crop; in our area it’s usually usually wheat straw that we see. … Hay often is made up of a combination of different plants growing in a field or meadow.
Is straw cheaper than hay?
Straw is far less expensive than hay in our area, selling for under $4/square bale. … Since hay is more nutritious but more expensive, we buy hay solely for the horses to eat. Since straw is cheaper, dried and therefore less likely to mold or attract moisture, we buy straw for the backyard chicken coop and nesting boxes.
How big is a straw bale?
A standard size bale should be 14 inches high, 18 inches wide and between 36 to 40 inches long.
How much area does a square bale of straw cover?
COVERAGE GUIDELINES 1 bale covers an area approximately 80-73 square feet to a recomended depth of 2 inches.
How much is a 1200 pound bale of hay worth?
As you can see, the cost or value of the primary nutrients in a typical bermudagrass round bale is $20.30. If you add to this the cost of baling, about $15 per round bale, then your cost for a 1,200-pound round bale is now $35.30.
Is it cheaper to buy hay or make it?
In most environments where forage production is based on natural rainfall, you can almost always buy hay cheaper than you can produce it. Most farmers and ranchers initially don’t believe this. … When full cost of production is accounted for, hay generally costs between $70 and $140/ton to produce.
How many pounds is a bale of hay?
Hay bales can weigh from 40 lbs to 2,000 lbs (18 kg to 907 kg). They come in two basic shapes, round and square. Round hay bales are usually quite large and weigh from 600 to 1,600 lbs (272 kg to 544 kg). Square hay bales come in two size groups, small and large.
How much does it cost to plant a hay field?
Costs generally are $200 to $300 per acre.
How many times a year can you harvest hay?
In most areas of the country, grass hay can be cut twice, sometimes three times, per year. The first cutting generally has the largest yield.
How many small bales of hay can you get from 10 acres?
I.e. 10 acres would make about 1,000 bales.
Is hay a cash crop?
Over the last few years many hay acres have been planted to cash grain crops. Combining fewer acres in hay production with decreased forage yields, the supply of hay is low. Consequently, hay prices are strong and in demand. … Much of this hay will be harvested in late maturity.
How much hay can an acre produce?
The average U.S. dry hay yield (all types) dropped from 2.52 tons per acre in 2016 to 2.44 tons per acre in 2017. For alfalfa and alfalfa-grass mixtures, the average yield declined from 3.45 tons per acre in 2016 to 3.32 tons per acre in 2017.
How do you sell hay?
A roadside sign is often overlooked but also very effective as, because of its bulk, most hay is sold within 30 miles of home. Let those around you know you have hay for sale with a sign at the road. Auction barn bulletin boards, classified newspaper ads, or ads in dairy or equine magazines can all work.
How much hay will 100 acres produce?
At 65lbs per bale (which can vary significantly, but whatever), that’s about 77 bales. So for 100 acres that’s about 7700 bales or about 250 tons of dry hay.
How do I start a hay field?
For hay, mow the field with a rotary mower to remove problem plants by cutting them before they set viable seed. Till to control tenacious, perennial weeds, such as bedstraw, and then seed. The best time to seed is in May or in the first three weeks of August, when seed will survive and compete with weeds better.
