Haylage shortage = wrap price collapse .

[pine_guy]

Was thinking about this today (life here is slow, and one doesn’t have much mental stimulation to while away the hours whilst scattering grass).

Costs about £4 to wrap a round bale, £2.50 for plastic and £1.50 to wrap it. So would a 60x30 shed with one side sheeted cost about say £10,000 plus compacted hardcore floor etc.? So say £12,000.

If this shed held say 300 bales stacked four high as bean cans this would save £1200 a year in wrapping cost. So if my figures add up correctly it would take ten years to pay for such a shed cost to break even.

In the long term maybe a good investment, but the hay would have to be perfectly dry to store whereas wrapped damp hay is usually good quality and always saleable. Also on a short term or tenancy basis the capital outlay might never be repaid in time to justify the expenditure.

So do these figures make economic sense, or what do others think?

Don’t forget to factor in the cost of the week spent scattering it about with the hay bob! That alone would probably pay to wrap the first 2/3 bales an acre!?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

On 4 strings now. This weather is like Cristmas to a child

 

[juke]

grass yields are well back here bout 4 4 ft bales to the acre back,

 

[Werzle]

Childs play this year, letting the sun do the work and only turning it twice

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Is that price for the shed erected too or just in kit form?
Guess you would also need one side sheeted in box profile against prevailing weather which would add something to the cost.

However when you look at your figures above then a shed does look attractive compared to wrapping.

That's fine if you can guarantee the weather for hay, which you can't.

Also, hay needs a few extra passes with the tedder so extra cost there.

Still nice to make hay when you can and good not to have to use (and dispose of) all that plastic, but I wouldn't want to use the figures being quoted here to justify a shed.

 

[Jerry]

I think people saying how cheap hay is going to be are missing a point. There may be an abundance right now but you cant make more hay and more haylage/ silage.
Overall I think grass yields will be depleted by the dry weather and use will be up if it continues .....so far I think the stats point to forage being short....time will tell.

Rings true here. Have made some lovely haylage this year. But in the same field as last year I’m back 30% on bake numbers due to the late spring and having to graze it before cutting.

There is currently bugger all regrowth as well even with it being cut 3 weeks ago.

 

[glasshouse]

That's fine if you can guarantee the weather for hay, which you can't.

Also, hay needs a few extra passes with the tedder so extra cost there.

Still nice to make hay when you can and good not to have to use (and dispose of) all that plastic, but I wouldn't want to use the figures being quoted here to justify a shed.

Plastic is a massive cost, pits are far cheaperr or hay is cheapest of all.
How long before single use plastic is banned?

 

[glasshouse]

Is that price for the shed erected too or just in kit form?
Guess you would also need one side sheeted in box profile against prevailing weather which would add something to the cost.

However when you look at your figures above then a shed does look attractive compared to wrapping.

Sides are a luxury.
£12k erexted

 

[DRC]

An 80 x40x18 shed costs about £12k
It holds 800 bales 4x4
Thats £15/ bale so is 4 yrs wrap cost
The shed will last 100 years,
Will be empty at lambing and can be backfilled with straw as hay is used

Then your landlord pinches shed .
I won’t spend a penny here on their farm .

 

[DRC]

I see fields left for hay that could’ve had two cuts of silage or haylage. Made second cut last week, 24 hr wilt and it’ll be rocket fuel compared to a lot of hay that I see looking like sticks . Ok it costs more in plastic , but no shed required ( that can house expensive machinery that you often see left out to rust), and no loss of leaf after it’s been thrashed to death with recreational tedding.
Tin hat on

 

[Werzle]

Recreational tedding.lol

 

[MrNoo]

There is currently bugger all regrowth as well even with it being cut 3 weeks ago.

Chatting to 2 contractors last night and they were saying the same, zero regrowth since cut. Noticed he same with the lawn here!

 

[mixed breed]

I see fields left for hay that could’ve had two cuts of silage or haylage. Made second cut last week, 24 hr wilt and it’ll be rocket fuel compared to a lot of hay that I see looking like sticks . Ok it costs more in plastic , but no shed required ( that can house expensive machinery that you often see left out to rust), and no loss of leaf after it’s been thrashed to death with recreational tedding.
Tin hat on

True enough, It never recovers the same after hay either, What we baled yesterday ain't going to green up anytime soon. Saying that, what we silaged 3 weeks ago will soon wilt away in this heat.

 

[DRC]

True enough, It never recovers the same after hay either, What we baled yesterday ain't going to green up anytime soon. Saying that, what we silaged 3 weeks ago will soon wilt away in this heat.

It's gone quite cold here, big cloud came over and the wind is chilly.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

Makes no odds with hay they only take one cut and it's already grown .What dairy farmers will do if it don't rain is another matter. Most are on their 2cd cut so I suppose it's the 3rd cut that will get hit

 

[DRC]

Makes no odds with hay they only take one cut and it's already grown .What dairy farmers will do if it don't rain is another matter. Most are on their 2cd cut so I suppose it's the 3rd cut that will get hit

Most will still want their hay ground to re grow for sheep or cattle grazing. I thought the Welsh lads weaned their lambs onto hay aftermath.

 

[wilber]

I see fields left for hay that could’ve had two cuts of silage or haylage. Made second cut last week, 24 hr wilt and it’ll be rocket fuel compared to a lot of hay that I see looking like sticks . Ok it costs more in plastic , but no shed required ( that can house expensive machinery that you often see left out to rust), and no loss of leaf after it’s been thrashed to death with recreational tedding.
Tin hat on

We wrap all ours and the machinery is still left out to rust

 

[Grassman]

An 80 x40x18 shed costs about £12k
It holds 800 bales 4x4
Thats £15/ bale so is 4 yrs wrap cost
The shed will last 100 years,
Will be empty at lambing and can be backfilled with straw as hay is used

Sides are a luxury.
£12k erexted

Interesting. Which company does it for that price? I was expecting a lot more.

 

[DeeGee]

Interesting. Which company does it for that price? I was expecting a lot more.

That sounds a really good price for an 80 by 40 by 18; you would normally expect a shed this big to cost a lot more than this if erected as well.
Can you let me know who is quoting these prices please, because I might be seriously interested?

 

[glasshouse]

That sounds a really good price for an 80 by 40 by 18; you would normally expect a shed this big to cost a lot more than this if erected as well.
Can you let me know who is quoting these prices please, because I might be seriously interested?

Buy the kit for about £8k and knock it up yourself