$$$ HAY $$$

[dcwolcott]

I remember those days, with the dime pepsi and the hamburgers a quarter.  Remember when the first A&W came along, or the first McDonalds?  I used to love those rootbeer floats from A&W!

I could fill my car for less than $3.00 (had a VW Bug), and my first job paid $1.26/hour, and I left there and went to work at IBM Federal Systems Division for $2.00/hour.  That was really good money back then!  I remember a can of Campbells Tomato Soup was 8 cents a can, and a loaf of bread less than a quarter -- and that was for the "good" stuff.  Heck, rent that included everything was only $100 was I got married.  Can't remember what college tuition was back then, but I look at what it costs now (and what college cost for my first daughter entering college) and nearly had a stroke.  Then when it came to Medical School - oh boy, oh boy!  Those were the days.  I remember having 3 in college at the same time with 2 at home, and pinching every penny.  I made all my kids leave Florida for school, but with sports scholarships, it cancelled out the "out-of-state" tuition costs.

So glad that part of my life is over!

[Ryan]

I remember when we were allowed to go to the milkbar with $1 for sweets and you would come out with enough to last you a week. Even the quality was better back then than it is now.

Now days everything is smaller and alot more expensive !!

[Ryan]

Just found some Lurcern bales at $15.90

Will be picking some up tomorrow night

[Chanda]

Digging up an oldie, but it's the same topic...  HAY!
Picked up one load of hay, it's grass mix (varying amounts of alfalfa in the bales), just glad ot have it.   Same price as last year, $170/ton out of the stack; and it doesn't look promising that the grass field I usually get hay from will have any this year, or it'll be minimal (and not sure I want to drive back down there for more, 55 miles one-way).

Extra anxiety this year, as I blew a tire going to town yesterday for groceries and such.  We're fine, only one tired suffered; and the 4 new tires look great.  Due for new tires this fall, but didn't need the bill to come early.   So, today pulling the trailer (with a different pick-up) every bump and creek had me jumpy.

Now to go unload at least part of the hay, a few bales will go in the two smaller barns, so will get those bales done first, and I can do the big unload tomorrow (Shayne, needs the pick-up, so will unhook, and I can unload later).

[Ryan]

I think this thread will always haunt us all in some way. Whether its the price, quality or lack of it.

So much of our country is in severe drought. Many hay farmers have been lucky to get one cut over the last two years. Saddens me to think things are so bad, many are taking their own lives.
 

Hay prices are crazy here at the moment. I am so glad I brought 60 bales in March. I have 4 bales left of it. I put in another order which I will get in Nov. Its just a basic base hay. I add Lucerne and clover hay to it when needed.

Feeds stores are charging $25 for one bale of grass hay. Well over $30 for lucerne and without rain , these prices will only increase.

Please pray for rain for us 

[dcwolcott]

 

[Chanda]

I follow an Aussie equine nutrition FB group, so I've been reading about the drought, and hay and feed shortages, so scary.

[Ryan]

It is scary. Without rain, I will have to reduce numbers for sure. If I cannot secure my hay in bulk for next year, i will really start to worry.  Im glad I just said no to 4 preg mares coming to agist. It would have been great topic for here , but Im going to need every blade of grass I can get until mother nature sends some rain from up above.

Whilst we have had some rain over winter, its far from the average we do get.

North from me, Its baron and thats where many hay farmers are.

So if anyone does a good "rain dance" ?? Please be my guest

[Ryan]

Just managed to get 50 bales at $11. More importantly , he will come back down around Jan and we can buy more for the same price ( makes me rest a little easier going into winter next year)

[Chanda]

Just managed to get 50 bales at $11. More importantly , he will come back down around Jan and we can buy more for the same price ( makes me rest a little easier going into winter next year)

That sounds good.  How big of bales?  What type were you able to get?  And, how many horses are you feeding?  Just being nosy.
I have 13 mini horses (I think I've lost count), 1 mini donkey and 2 saddle horses; I only buy 3-5 ton of small squares (this year just 75 bales, around 75# each, so about 2.5 ton), the rest is homegrown in large rounds that are around 1200#.  All mostly grass hay with a little bit of alfalfa.  Then, I supplement with a bit of hay pellets, beet pulp and commercial feed (not everyone gets the same, so that's just a real basic list).

[Ryan]

Well as Im going into spring , I've ordered 50. This will get me through to the start of the year. Im more thinking of winter next year. I am currently feeding 6 at home at the moment. 2 Tbs and 4 minis.

Its a grass and clover blend. Its really just a basic grass hay but does have a little clover through it. I call it my "Base hay" Then I just buy Lucerne when I need it and its added to the grass. On top of that , Lucerne chaff and "extra Zero" during winter. Theses are just standard small squares. Due to a lack of storage at the moment at home , thats all I can get.

With hay prices ass they are at the moment , I have the fencing contractor coming next week. Ive got a 5 acre paddock that I am going to turn into 3 paddocks. The larger one at the back will be used to grow and bale my own 

[Carly Rae]

We are in drought here too. We are on 13 acres and our paddocks are bare, in the 10 years we have lived here our paddock has never been bare.
I bought 2 round bales of Rhodes grass at $120 a round which are half gone and I've had them a month, its very dry, dusty hay and the horses didnt think much of it but they decided it was better than nothing.
Rhodes squares are around $14 a bale and the cheapest lucerne squares are $24 each. ]
I've heard recent stories of people having to give up their horses to the knackery because they cant afford to feed them anymore, one being a friend of a friend.
Really hoping for some rain 
 (before and after pics of our paddock)

[dcwolcott]

I m so sorry to see such devastation of your pastures.  Drought is so terrible, and I'd be so happy to share the deluge of rain we get during our rainy season here in Florida.  Mowing grass is a weekly chore now.

Our bare times are later in the winter.  But my horses were always on dry lot, so lots of alfalfa was purchased over the years.  Don't forget, with so much dirt/sand going into their guts when there's no grass, add some psyllium to their diet to keep their guts clear of sand build up.  That was a monthly routine here, doing psyllium for 1 week out of each month.  Kept them from colicing with sand build up.

Praying for rain for you and Ryan.  ~~Diane   

[Chanda]

I m so sorry to see such devastation of your pastures.  Drought is so terrible, and I'd be so happy to share the deluge of rain we get during our rainy season here in Florida.  Mowing grass is a weekly chore now.

Our bare times are later in the winter.  But my horses were always on dry lot, so lots of alfalfa was purchased over the years.  Don't forget, with so much dirt/sand going into their guts when there's no grass, add some psyllium to their diet to keep their guts clear of sand build up.  That was a monthly routine here, doing psyllium for 1 week out of each month.  Kept them from colicing with sand build up.

Praying for rain for you and Ryan.  ~~Diane   

Sand treatment is something I always forget about, as it's rarely been a problem for me or my horses.  I didn't really deal with it, til I had Jasper, and dealt with his habit of grubbing around for every last scrap of hay; the others really didn't do that much, but I do see it a bit more now that they are on drylot.  I suppose it time to get another round of sand clearing product.  We like the Equus Psyllium pellets, they are much easier to get my group to eat.

[Ryan]

My cousin told me last night she had to get hay on the way home and they charged her $23.95 for a bale of plain grass hay

My hay order should be here in the next couple of days and Ive started putting some money away each week to I can order in Jan.

Hope you get some rain soon too Carly