Silage / Straw / Hay Price Tracker

[som farmer]

With wrap at £80/roll. Are people going to continue wrapping silage bales?

Bound to be getting to the stage it isn't worth it.

Perhaps wrap prices will follow lamb and cereal prices downwards.

Cows dont milk much on hay, they need something abit moist

it's also the cost of disposal of wrap, that won't get cheaper.

making hay, bit of a change of opinion on that, having bought a lot, for being short of fodder in the last few years, our dairy cows have responded extremely well to it, as part of a ration, not exactly what we expected.

So going forward, 1st cut silage, and 2nd more hay orientated, depending on weather, nice to have a fall back plan, wrap.

With all fodder, even grain, there are alternatives now, which simply were not available 40/50 years ago, when we made the dash from little bales, to wrap.

 

[livestock 1]

it's also the cost of disposal of wrap, that won't get cheaper.

making hay, bit of a change of opinion on that, having bought a lot, for being short of fodder in the last few years, our dairy cows have responded extremely well to it, as part of a ration, not exactly what we expected.

So going forward, 1st cut silage, and 2nd more hay orientated, depending on weather, nice to have a fall back plan, wrap.

With all fodder, even grain, there are alternatives now, which simply were not available 40/50 years ago, when we made the dash from little bales, to wrap.

The baled silage was meant to be better feed quality than the previously made hay in the 80’s. Having said that we did continue to make a lot of hay when we could. What stopped us was the wet winters less attractive for outwintering cattle and the amount of stray cats taken in by folks

 

[Anymulewilldo]

There were a few loads of fodder yesterday in. I would have griped about it if you offered me the stuff for free. No use at all, better feeding good straw and chopped carrots than 3rd quality crap hay and all the weeds that come free with it

 

[Anymulewilldo]

Farmers feed a lot of second or even third class hay to cows as nothing
else will eat it .Can't really expect them to milk on some of that rubbish.

Wether it’s right I don’t know, but Grandad says nowadays there’s no excuse for people making third quality hay. It’s so easy to bake it and wrap it a day sooner and make passable haylage. The cost of the wrap far outweighs the loss of feed value through making crap hay.
That being said, Few years ago we were offered the ground next door, not been grazed for 2 years. Not been farmed really for 20 before than. Took it in July so was knee deep in grass all over. Crashed the lot off, made hay on 15 acre (bank field in full sun) and it threatened rain so we baled and wrapped the last 20 acre a couple of days before it was ready really. All smelled beautiful, grand job. I’ve never seen cows that had a feed barrier full of bales all the time lose condition before. What a load of shite it was. Looked good, smelled good. They ate it like it was going out of fashion, but obviously had little or no feed value in it. The last 40 bales of hay were brought out the following spring and some careless swine accidentally waved a lit match near them. Best end to bad rubbish.

 

[Werzle]

Farmers feed a lot of second or even third class hay to cows as nothing
else will eat it .Can't really expect them to milk on some of that rubbish.

No thats why some silage will always be made, which was the question asked. 2nd and 3rd quality hay is ideal as a binder when cows and calves go out on spring grass and for the cows in the autumn when the calves have been weaned. Good hay wouldnt do the job as well for those two jobs. Good hay is fed in the run up to calving before i switch to haylage /silage a week or two before calving starts.

 

[som farmer]

Wether it’s right I don’t know, but Grandad says nowadays there’s no excuse for people making third quality hay. It’s so easy to bake it and wrap it a day sooner and make passable haylage. The cost of the wrap far outweighs the loss of feed value through making crap hay.
That being said, Few years ago we were offered the ground next door, not been grazed for 2 years. Not been farmed really for 20 before than. Took it in July so was knee deep in grass all over. Crashed the lot off, made hay on 15 acre (bank field in full sun) and it threatened rain so we baled and wrapped the last 20 acre a couple of days before it was ready really. All smelled beautiful, grand job. I’ve never seen cows that had a feed barrier full of bales all the time lose condition before. What a load of shite it was. Looked good, smelled good. They ate it like it was going out of fashion, but obviously had little or no feed value in it. The last 40 bales of hay were brought out the following spring and some careless swine accidentally waved a lit match near them. Best end to bad rubbish.

like all fodder, carp in, carp out.

some of the hay, from 2nd cut, has been 11% protein
it's got a place, but is somewhat unreliable !

looking outside, snow falling steadily, prices going up ?
but we are in the 2nd half of jan, anyone who wants to sell fodder, will be bringing it out now.

 

[OakLleyns]

Trade was 30-40 on round and square hay.
Heard one lot of round silage 44 a bale would be grand stuff I used to buy it when it was 12 a bale.
Straw between 9-13 for rounds. Saw squares at 16 a bale
Fodder beer 45 per tonne.
Once I filled what I wanted I was gone. Gotta be careful got a manitou payment due in two weeks

Where was that? Hereford sale?

 

[adda]

Where was that? Hereford sale?

Yes

 

[Hfd Cattle]

Brightwells sale gonna be interesting .
Starting to get a few viewing ...same regulars ringing up .

 

[Jgt103]

What prices for barley and wheat straw delivered to Cheshire/north Wales?

 

[Mr Jones]

World's gone mad had a phone call midweek Haylage bales locally £35 and that's with rushes in it.

Organic hay locally, £20 rounds. Guess which one I went for

 

[adda]

World's gone mad had a phone call midweek Haylage bales locally £35 and that's with rushes in it.

Organic hay locally, £20 rounds. Guess which one I went for

halls had farm sale pit silage £82 a ton

 

[Poorbuthappy]

halls had farm sale pit silage £82 a ton

Local sale here had pit silage at £35 / ton. Looked cheap compared to hay in the sale, though prices were all over the place.

 

[Only]

halls had farm sale pit silage £82 a ton

Was that at Buntingford Hall?

 

[adda]

Was that at Buntingford Hall?

sorry dont know it was on f book

 

[Werzle]

Prices all over the place at the moment on barbers marteye timed auction, 1 day left ish. Pit silage and maize upto £60/t , silage bales from 22-40 , hay from 12-40 and alot of six string straw at 12-14/bale.

 

[Top Tip.]

Prices all over the place at the moment on barbers marteye timed auction, 1 day left ish. Pit silage and maize upto £60/t , silage bales from 22-40 , hay from 12-40 and alot of six string straw at 12-14/bale.

At 12-14 pounds I could just about haul it up here.

 

[thorpe]

straw job's been sh1t we only sell our own straw , but 3 loaqds ordered today and one bloke begging me for our hay, i think it's better fed!

 

[Farmerdunk]

Not sold a bale of wheat straw. Nor barley, got a market for some small barley so re-bailing some

 

[thorpe]

Not sold a bale of wheat straw. Nor barley, got a market for some small barley so re-bailing some

done plenty of re baling in the past, i can't even sell the conv i have now! i'd rather put a match to it now!