Hay troubles

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emmaln

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What a pooey day, just rang to try and order some more hay and the farmer told me that he's not selling any more as he needs it for his cows and his grass hasn't grown so he can't cut anymore for next year???? Does this mean getting hay next year is going to be nigh on impossible?
 
yep, if it carries on as it does with the weather and growth etc, everybody is going to be in short supply!
I have 1 bale left (large square) and that's it...
The cows only just went out last weekend, been in since late October... I have 15 acres in seed grass and it's not looking like an early cut will be possible at all:(
 
horse people need to seriously think about buying in hay and storing it off field, careful use next winter as it will be like gold dust, grass not growing, all barns empty and if we have rain at the wrong time i know we will silage ours for farm use and what hay have go to long term customers.
 
I take a financial hit each winter and pre-order and pay for in advance enough hay from my supplier to last me right through to the following October...easier with only one horse but otherwise I would run out too and cannot afford that as my horse needs hay all year round as he is a good doer on very little grazing...I have no choice but to plan ahead. I will be doing the same this year...filling my spare stable to the rafters in Oct and then pre-ordering a good 100 more.
 
For the first time ever last winter I bought my hay off the field, thank goodness I did not only did it save me a fortune but it also made sure i've not had any shortage, i'm down to 10 bales left now to last me until the farmer cuts again, think its going to be worse this year.
 
My hayfield is a bit of hit and miss this year, just above ankle in the good places, not even grown in others, so yes hay is going to short this year and I've already put an order in for more hay to see me through next winter, as last year we baled and carted in 435 bales and that hasn't seen me through, but May has been a very cold month so had to keep in and feed on the 4 horses and if this the trend, hence ordering more hay from friend for next winter. And he said he had many inquires about if he had hay for sale through May.
 
A friend of mine (Ag contractor) is going back to baling this year, after a few years off, because, as he says, the price of hay and straw has rocketed so much.

Thanks to him, and his contacts, I never struggle to get hold of any (well apart from nagging him to deliver on time :p), but my words it's pricey!! (I usually buy haylage which I find is better value, but for various reasons have recently been needing hay instead).

I am hoping to get half of my field cut this year. It won't be a huge amount, but with that and buying some in off the field I certainly want to fill the barn up in advance.
 
johnrobert said:
but May has been a very cold month so had to keep in and feed on the 4 horses and if this the trend, hence ordering more hay from friend for next winter. And he said he had many inquires about if he had hay for sale through May.
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Eak! Where abouts are you?

I've found May incredibly mild and sunny, albeit with lots of showers, and as a result I've got a field BURSTING with grass, and my two large horses in small starvation paddocks each :o
 
Puppy said:
Eak! Where abouts are you?

I've found May incredibly mild and sunny, albeit with lots of showers, and as a result I've got a field BURSTING with grass, and my two large horses in small starvation paddocks each :o
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Lucky you!
The days are warm, but temperature drops drastically at night and stifles the growth... now it's getting warmer it's waay to dry:o
The grazing grass isn't to bad as it shot up in a short favourable weather spell (helped along with fert) and the horses don't need it long, but the crop grass is only 6-8 inches high and not growing very well I'm afraid...
 
Hay is going to be extremley short supply in some areas and expensive all over - some horse owners seriously need to look at their wastage, it's totally disgusting the amount of hay just wasted. Now, i'm all for giving a good fibre ration but the sheer amount I see lobbed out on muckheaps and trampled into paddocks is a crying shame, and now they are all whining that we have run out, we have been sworn at and abused due to the fact we have sold out of hay. Disgraceful behaviour - TBH I would think seriously about selling it again....
 
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