Here we go again . . . hay and straw prices up this year?

[PolarSkye]

Reading and listening to all the news about the current drought situation - right at the beginning of the growing season - looks like we'll be experiencing rises in hay/straw/cereal prices . . . not to mention facing not much grass at some yards.

Our yard doesn't have the best grazing . . . we've been haying the fields all winter . . . I may need to think about moving somewhere with better grazing (and, yes, we JUST moved) so we're not spending an extortionate amount on extra hay for the field .

P

P.S. I'm in the southeast

 

[Tinypony]

I'm also in the South East and have saved about 80 bales this year, I've got about 50 sitting in the barn as a nice safety net. I put that down to the much milder winter and using slow hay feeders to save waste.
Have you got storage? Maybe you could buy in some of last year's hay now to give you a head start.

 

[Dolcé]

Locally we are seeing last years (and the years before) hay being sold far cheaper than it was through the winter. It would appear it has been 'hoarded' with the intention of making a fortune out of it and unfortunately, for them, the shortage never materialised and there is now a glut! We have been using about 3 big bales, so around £100, per week less this winter than we did for the previous 2 so have saved a fortune, simply because the grass hasn't really stopped growing. Our supplier hadn't put it up by much, only £5 per large bale, so has kept his customers but they have bought far less because it wasn't needed.

We will be taking our own off this year and the fields look great at the moment, hopefully when the fertiliser goes on the yield will increase and we will get enough off for both the business and our own horses for next year. We will be making hay for the business and haylage for our own use, using all our own equipment, so our costs for next winter should be minimal - fingers crossed! We are lucky in that there is no sign of a drought here and the warm weather is really making the grass grow. I have booked warm weather daytime and rain at night for the next few months, warm dry blowy days and nights for June, and then more growing weather until the last couple of weeks in august ready for a second cut, when it will be warm,dry and blowy again for drying.

 

[lachlanandmarcus]

I too would recommend buying some of last year's, you should have a pick of good, cheapish hay at the moment as they will need to clear barns ready for this year. This years harvest in south is likely to be poorish unless there is more rain.

There is no shortage up here in NE Scotland, however! And plenty (too much!) rain over the winter!