Farmall Cub

Here in southern KY we are going through a drought. Everyone's ponds and creeks are bone dry, and the drought killed everyone's second cutting of hay, They've already fed all their hay, and are selling out. The cattle market is flooded, cattle are cheap. I went to the stock sales yesterday with my grandfather he bought a new bull. Several good looking cows 2-3 months with calf sold for $250. Rolled Hay is Bringing $60-$100 dollars a bale here. Is this just here or is anyone else experiencing this? It'd be a good time to buy cattle if someone had the hay to feed them. It's dry here. They are starting to shut down car washes in town because of water usage. It hasn't rained here forever. I've not mowed my yard in over a month and a half. It's just dead.

The cattle market owners are getting rich, they're buying all the cattle cheap and shipping them out of here, to the land of green acres.

Brandon, funny you mention hay. My FIL was just asking me the other day to consider making hay in my pasture field. Prices here are up as well, and everyone is wanting it as feed prices are high. Guess the good thing is that the crop yield up here is looking good. Even though there was a lack of rain this year, the crops are still looking good. My BIL mentioned the other day that the moisture content is so good, there are several folks that have been combining that aren't going to have to dry it very much at all prior to taking it to the grain elevator.

Same story here, we had excess hay to cut this year, didn't really get all we could have done, now look. Boy I wish we could do it over. We waited to late on the first cutting, then the drought, no second cutting. Most people just bushhogged their fields because there was no use in cutting it for 3 or 4 bales. They are trucking hay in here and selling. I mean everyone is selling their cattle, even people who have had cows for as long as I can remember.

Hi Brandon, In NW Wisconsin we also experianced a 6 to 8 week dry period this summer. I managed to get the hay I needed in June and it was a good cutting and high quality. We had no second cutting and this fall my neighbor who has 15 horses and feeds all year long is almost out. I found a field for him to cut after he took a cutting from mine and wouldn't you know the rain started the day after it was on the ground and it hasn't quit since. Some of the corn is also very spotty some good and some terrible. I kind of wish I could take advantage of the low cattle prices but it would be a long way to haul and I am not really set up for cattle. By the way that hydrolic unit you sent me a couple years ago works well. The tractor has been totally restored and purrs like a kitten. It is used regularly to drive over to the neighbors where we gather at 4:00 for can of suds. Hope you are well. Don

I am sorry to hear that if you guys were closer to me I would let you cut the hay off my fields. I have over 25 acres that have hay that would work for you.

$60-$125 here is WKY Brandon. Noticed lots of people bailing there corn stalks. Seen it before but not real common in this area. Been a bad year for hay here

I know that hay here is getting$$$$My old next door neighbor used my 16 ft trailer and her truck to get some hay cheeper else where.She keeps about 4 horses now.She didn't like me moving cause I helped out unloading the hay.Kevin

Real dry in Virginia. Small square bales of horse hay are going for $10 each.
Best,
Mike

Interesting contrast to all your stories, but here in Vermont we've had the best feed year in probably the last decade. Enough rain, but not too much or all at once, and some nice dry weather for harvest. In some places, they're going to get a fourth cutting of forage crops and the corn (which often has problems due to short season here) is tall and well-eared.

Lots of dairy guys who went out of business over the last decade still sell hay. Local prices for horse hay are around $2 square bale, but if you can truck it toward Boston, Connecticut, downstate NY and NJ, you can look for anything from $4 to $10.

All this and $20 milk!

$ 10.00 a bale, Holy Moses but that explains why I see Semi Trucks loaded with hay headed East on I 94 all the time. It is hard to find hay in this area that is just grass because the dairy industry uses alphalfa. I guess we are all subject to the weather either good or bad. Don

Here in Canada, there was a severe drought a few years back in the prairies, hay was hard to come by for a lot of farmers. The farmers here in NB, NS and PEI, had lots.. so they got together and sent (with corporate help from CN) car loads of hay out west. Must have been 4 or 500 car loads... hay was donated, and CN helped out with the flatbed rail cars.

Sometimes we need to help our brothers and sisters when acts of nature wipe out the crops. Is this common in your areas as well

Rudi, Last year on a smaller scale it was done here in Colorado. Some of the southern part of the state had so much snow, that farmers couldn't get to their stacks, or to their livestock. Hay was trucked in and then dropped by helicopter to keep the cattle alive until farmers could get pathways plowed to them. Still was a high loss of cattle in some areas.

Bob

OK, guys. Educate me.

I see hay advertised here as first cutting, second cutting, etc. I understand what the terms mean, but what is the difference in the cuttings and which is best? Thanks.

Don:

From what I understand, first cutting is best as it has the most nutrients as it is the spring growth. Also more tender than second. Second cutting is hardier..and will keep pretty well. Third cutting if you can get it is what is used up first. Doesn't keep as well. Fourth cutting------ wow! gotta have an excellent year for that.

Remember, I am still a neophyte farmer... with lots to learn.

It's about $8 a bale for horse feed out here. The nearest hayfields are about 70-80 miles away. The nearest real commercial hay fields are much further. We've got lots of sheep, cattle, horses, and even the occasional llama around the area, but most all the animals out here are free range.