Price of hay bales in the North?? Help!

JustAnotherNeddy

JustAnotherNeddy

Well-Known Member
Joined
5 August 2012
Messages
148
Visit site
Hi :)

I have a friend who is going to sell his hay from this year as his sheep will not need all 880 over the winter!

He doesn't know what the price is at for hay this year with the harvest being funny and things (he rarely ever sells any hay, but has downsized and therefore has spare). He's asked me to find out what people would normally pay for hay like his.


It's the small rectangular bales. It was a late first cut because of the weather, second year grass ley, lots of clover + rye grass, mixed meadow hay that is relatively dust free and not at all prickly.

What is the going rate in the north east/yorkshire area for this type of hay? It's been a while since i've bought any meadow hay from farmers so i haven't a clue!


Thanks :)
 
We are still buying last year's hay, and pay £5 a bale for good quality meadow hay. Our supplier doesn't think there will be a shortage at all, and he buys from the Yorkshire area, certainly not for big haylage bales, which we will move onto over winter. There is often hay on ebay - keep an eye for similar quality and what it is going for...
 
We have paid £2 50 for organic hay, which looked fine, horses wouldn't touch it, neither would the donkeys.
Changed to another supplier £5 a bale, very loosely baled, again, horses were'nt that keen.
Now have a supplier £4 from father £5 from son and horses can't get enough, never known them be in the barn as much
 
If you are buying it in bulk, check out what the local auction centres are getting for it.

At the livestock auctions people bring wagon loads of hay, weighed at a local weighbridge and sell it by the tonne. That gives you a good idea of prices in the area.

By the bale I'm afraid its what people are prepared to pay. Recently people on our yard, who dont want to use the haylage, have paid between £3.00 and £7.50.
 
i have just bought 50 bales of late cut hay for £2.75 a bale. It's not the lushest but i have M&M's so perfect for them!
 
JS65 said:
i have just bought 50 bales of late cut hay for £2.75 a bale. It's not the lushest but i have M&M's so perfect for them!
Click to expand...

Hay is going to be very variable in quality this year. I agree, that's exactly the type of hay you want for M&Ms! But there are an awful lot of horse owners out there who clearly don't have a clue about hay, judging by some of the calls I get.
 
Thank you all very much, he's going to advertise at the end of the farm drive. Do you think local tack shops are a better way? He has about 600 bales to shift from October onwards but we haven't a clue about the demand for 'not perfect but above average hay' this year :/
 
The problem is, a lot of farmers make hay for their dairy heard, then sell excess to horsey people. The hay is rich and so full of feed that if you had it analysed it would probably have pretty much everything your horse needs without hard feed.
I love good crappy hay, i soak it anyway so any dust is removed, as is a lot of the feed content. I just give them that with a handful of Top Spec Supplement!
 
JustAnotherNeddy said:
Thank you all very much, he's going to advertise at the end of the farm drive. Do you think local tack shops are a better way? He has about 600 bales to shift from October onwards but we haven't a clue about the demand for 'not perfect but above average hay' this year :/
Click to expand...

Where about is he? Would he be willing to sell single bales?
 
meandmyself said:
Where about is he? Would he be willing to sell single bales?
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure he would be yes, though i can't say for definite. He's just near Driffield, e.yorks. If you'd like a sample sent then i'm sure i could arrange that if you're a little further afield and are unsure about quality!

I don't know if he would be happy about selling any before october, he kept mentioning that when we were discussing it!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top