Straw market analysis.
- Thread starter An Gof
- Start date
Sleaford? Ely?
ollie989898
Member
The milk price is good, they won't like it but they should be able to pay no problem if they really need it.
The majority of people I know secure their straw at harvest and shove it in a shed. In fact a lot of them do not even use a lot of straw compared to traditional deep litter systems, it's normally only youngstock that require it, and you can chuck anything in for them nearly.
By the sounds of it, any half sensible arable farm should be investing in a baler of their own or getting very friendly with a contractor who will turn up when required.
The majority of people I know secure their straw at harvest and shove it in a shed. In fact a lot of them do not even use a lot of straw compared to traditional deep litter systems, it's normally only youngstock that require it, and you can chuck anything in for them nearly.
By the sounds of it, any half sensible arable farm should be investing in a baler of their own or getting very friendly with a contractor who will turn up when required.
Any half sensible arable farm should be investing in a straw chopper to guarantee not to bring weed seed, compaction and be exporting potash & organic matter! Next year, the only straw leaving the farm will be coming back as manure. The only reason I sell cereal straw is to help DD the following crops, not out of an act of charity. If that means my market for feed grain reduces, so be it.
That's not what straw users want to hear but this season the income from straw sales will probably be exceeded by the costs of compaction, fertiliser replacement and the loss of time in sowing the following cover crops. Some of my later sown oilseed rape should have gone in 3 weeks earlier.
Tin hat on!
That's not what straw users want to hear but this season the income from straw sales will probably be exceeded by the costs of compaction, fertiliser replacement and the loss of time in sowing the following cover crops. Some of my later sown oilseed rape should have gone in 3 weeks earlier.
Tin hat on!
ollie989898
Member
I don't expect anyone to bale/sell straw as an act of charity, either it pays or it does not. In my view, you are able to sell what can be a problematic by product. Either the reward offsets the additional management load or it does not. I am AOK with selling it in bale form or chopping it, I have no preference because you can do both/either if your mindset accommodates it.
Weed seed and compaction is a different issue. Again, potash and organic matter there are sums to be done.
I would not tolerate having straw sat in the swath for weeks either. I would want it baled pronto behind the combine and given the potential value of the straw on an area like yours you could probably justify a baler quite easily.
Muck for straw is AOK in my mind but I would not accept an arrangement with just any man jack, it would have to be a trusted partner, not a weed and string infested nonsense.
Sleaford and Brigg
4course
Member
- Location
- north yorks
we all have different views , I for one would only" chuck" the best quality clean and dry ie spore dust and mould free straw into any stock especially young stock and any half sensible arable farmer will have done the costings and worked out that to bale your own behind the combine you will more than likely need an extra man and tractor as the others are better employed in cultivation or direct harvest work and not just a tractor jockey and considerable investment in a baler wether round or square as most cannot be justified on a one farm stand alone investment and when selling straw the cost of baling as a part of the product is well accepted by all involved
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
Would you go into a shop and pay top dollar for mouldy milk??? no thought not and neither will livestock farmers pay top dollar for straw that is baled wet/ ends up wedged like steel in a bale!
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
Straw delivered on farm in the SW hasn't reached the high prices achieved last winter yet and are unlikely to do so with most farmers panic buying now and not on a as I need it basis.
Intrestingly its dealers that are talking the trade up/ paying over the odds including one who bought some baled straw on farm for x a ton ( very high price ) and is now selling it for less than they paid ton delivered in.
Intrestingly its dealers that are talking the trade up/ paying over the odds including one who bought some baled straw on farm for x a ton ( very high price ) and is now selling it for less than they paid ton delivered in.
ollie989898
Member
The price needs to reflect the quality of the end product. The fact it is out of the way for an arable man as opposed to being sat there in a swath for weeks, is worth something in itself.
As others have eluded to, either it is out of the way pronto or they will chop it. You are viewing the job through the wrong prism. An arable farmer does not want the straw in the way, he can chop it and be free of the encumbrance. Leaving it in the swath leaves him with an problem, particularly if it is delaying cultivations or the establishment of a valuable breakcrop or the spreading of sewage sludge etc.
Personally I would bale everything down to the bean haulm just to be shot of it. The money paid back in recompense would be secondary to that. I'd much rather know I am helping the neighbouring livestock boys and also reducing the amount of residue I have to deal with, but not all farmers are so charitable.
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
Worth about £25/30 acre in PK etc, straw is now nearly as expensive as grain cant see how the hell you can now call straw cheap!
Reality is bale 1.5t acre of wheat straw = £90 acre less £20 acre costs = £70,000 across 1000 acres of wheat, is arable farming really that profitable that they can chop £70k of income??
And even if you allow £30 off that £70 for PK etc that still leaves a net profit of £40,000 for a 1000 acre wheat farm!
ollie989898
Member
I don't know how you arrive at the fact that 'straw is worth as much as grain'.
That cannot be true. None of my customers have paid anything like £140/tonne for straw delivered in. Wheat is worth over that for November futures. Granted barley is trading at a considerable discount but heck straw is not worth that.
cattleman123
Member
- Location
- devon
Really losing money...hard to believe to be honest
4course
Member
- Location
- north yorks
on the basis that like me folks I talk to who have harvested white straw crops are roughly 20% down in quantity particularly wheat so they say with few exceptions . if we have a short dry winter no problem if its longer than normal(what is normal nowadays)then I think supplies will be non existent, the other thing to bear in mind folks like me who use some and sell some are not going to sell much of any hoped for surplus thisside of january so its more withholding of supply that is hoisting prices now as the dealers just cant get hold of it .We have been asked many times this year since harvest for straw but have not let any go to other than to our regular men and saved enough for our usual winter customers plus a bit but thats made our remaining heaps less so it just is not there at least up here but im a long way from the sw which by your comments must be awash with the stuff ,
- Location
- Ardrossan Ayrshire
Prices quoted up here at the moment are £120 per ton delivered for wheat straw and £135 for feeding barley straw. I don't know anyone that has bought at that, but I was speaking to a man who had bought wheat straw for his own use ex farm at £85 and said it would be £30 to haul it.
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
I said Nearly...
WB straw is £102 ton
WB grain is what £120 ton?
( so not much difference )
gone up the hill
Member
- Location
- Devon
A lot of very big arable farmers either cut when the straw isn't yet fit and/ or cut at high moisture contents including when its raining/ very early mornings/ late at night and no way you can bale that straw behind the combine but people do.
cattleman123
Member
- Location
- devon
Its one way of getting weight on to the wagon...