Hay Auction

[Busterduck]

I just went to a meeting last night given by the extension office in St. Mary's on the drought conditions and its effect on our local hay supply. As you all know the situation is dire. Local farmers hope to get a second cutting but it is not looking like that cutting will be of horse quality. The further we get into fall, the harder it is to dry out the hay sufficiently for bailing.

I have had several folks approach me about starting up the SMRFM auctions early this year. We are scheduled to start the auction the first Saturday in November. I'm just checking to if any of you have a need to start the auction early this year. I'm not sure if we can do this but we are looking into it. We currently have produce auctions Thursday nights. We will have to see (if there is significant interest) if we can make room for all of the hay in the auction building.

Let me know what you all think.

Thanks.

 

[Robin]

Early might be good. Folks are in a panic Depending on the day I must answer 1-5 calls with folks asking if I have hay for sale and they are out and cant afford the high prices $6-10 a bale to feed their horses. What a local fellow has in round bales stored at the barn behind my store would carry folks through Mar/apr there isn't much left. some of which is cattle quality and being fed to horses because of the price. just please advertize the dates at all our facilities because most folks believe it do not mess with computers. you can e-mail a fler with the dates and I will plaster them and send them via e-mail to everyone on my email list.thank you in advance.

 

[persimmoncf]

I just went to a meeting last night given by the extension office in St. Mary's on the drought conditions and its effect on our local hay supply. As you all know the situation is dire. Local farmers hope to get a second cutting but it is not looking like that cutting will be of horse quality. The further we get into fall, the harder it is to dry out the hay sufficiently for bailing.

I have had several folks approach me about starting up the SMRFM auctions early this year. We are scheduled to start the auction the first Saturday in November. I'm just checking to if any of you have a need to start the auction early this year. I'm not sure if we can do this but we are looking into it. We currently have produce auctions Thursday nights. We will have to see (if there is significant interest) if we can make room for all of the hay in the auction building.
Let me know what you all think.

Thanks.

Im sure there wont be much there, if any.

 

[Busterduck]

Im sure there wont be much there, if any.

Actually, we should have plenty of hay. I know several of our sellers are holding hay just for the auction. We should also be getting loads in from Canada and out west.

 

[Robin]

please just remember to be kind to us we can all get loads in and not be gouged with high prices just because they can.

 

[Busterduck]

please just remember to be kind to us we can all get loads in and not be gouged with high prices just because they can.

Unfortunately, it is not up to the auction. Sellers set their minimum price. The auction doesn't make any money. It's all volunteer except we have one employee, our bookkeeper.

 

[Robin]

we can dream and hope cant we?
please p.m. me the auction dates when you set them thanks

 

[Katt]

please just remember to be kind to us we can all get loads in and not be gouged with high prices just because they can.

You fail to realize, if that hay has to come from other parts of the country and Canada, that takes alot of fuel and trucking expenses to get it here. They don't do it to make friends, they need to make a profit too.

 

[Robin]

You fail to realize, if that hay has to come from other parts of the country and Canada, that takes alot of fuel and trucking expenses to get it here. They don't do it to make friends, they need to make a profit too.

really? I was making the comment for folks that own horses and can't afford to feed what they have. I have my own truckload that came in for my farm. I deal with haulers and trucking companies daily. I know what it costs in fuel I pay the freight before folks pick up the bag of horse feed, medical supplies,fly sprays clothing for horse shows.for their horses weekly. I dont complain I just pay the frieght. I just have to listen to it everyday when folks don't understand when prices go up for the products they purchase. I dont fail to realize the cost of getting things here. If you read the whole post you would realize what was said...please re-read...

 

[Robin]

I also deal with some farmers holding out to get higher prices because they have too the cost of fuel fertilizer and man hours and labor for help to pick it up out of the field. We can all dream and hope but this is a little more of a chunk out of the wallet than 4-5 years ago. They have lost 2 cuttings already this year and sold what they would hold for their own cows and livestock thinking they would get a second or third cutting and cut theirselves short. I have folks that cant get hay from their regular suppliers because they are trying to spread it to all their customers instead of just 2 or 3.

 

[Four*Leaf*Farm]

I am in PA this weekend... It is so lush here.. I'd find it hard to believe they wouldn't be able to cut this fall...The whole way up the turnpike, I saw a lot of green.

 

[Busterduck]

I am in PA this weekend... It is so lush here.. I'd find it hard to believe they wouldn't be able to cut this fall...The whole way up the turnpike, I saw a lot of green.

The problem with fall cuttings is that it is MUCH harder to dry out the hay so that it is under 18% moisture. The further we get into fall the harder it will be to dry out the hay. The more lush a cutting, the longer the drying period needed. Hay over 18% is almost sure to mold and thus, would not be suitable for horses. I actually will not accept squares unless they are under an average of 16% moisture. 18% is pushing it and requires a loosly bound bale and stacking on edge.

Sure hope they do get a horse quality second cutting.

 

[appendixqh]

Sure hope they do get a horse quality second cutting.

thats why I feed hay cubes!

 

[Four*Leaf*Farm]

The problem with fall cuttings is that it is MUCH harder to dry out the hay so that it is under 18% moisture. The further we get into fall the harder it will be to dry out the hay. The more lush a cutting, the longer the drying period needed. Hay over 18% is almost sure to mold and thus, would not be suitable for horses. I actually will not accept squares unless they are under an average of 16% moisture. 18% is pushing it and requires a loosly bound bale and stacking on edge.

Sure hope they do get a horse quality second cutting.

Crossing fingers for perfect drying conditions!

 

[SLIM]

I am in PA this weekend... It is so lush here.. I'd find it hard to believe they wouldn't be able to cut this fall...The whole way up the turnpike, I saw a lot of green.

I was in PA. this weekend too! Yes it was real pretty green but....... they just had about 4 days of rain! I was in the 'Gettysburg' area. They probably will get a last cutting but......... it has to 'grow' before they can 'cut' and by that time ....... the nights will be alot cooler and the dew will be heavier creating more work to 'dry' the hay out so it 'won't' mold to make it suitable for horses. Anyway, I hope I can manage enough pasture for my 2 horses long enough to successfully ration my hay to last me until at least April. Last year I was lucky enough to only have to buy 5 bales at $8 a bale!
We all live and LEARN something new everyday!!!
Good luck!

 

[Busterduck]

Crossing fingers for perfect drying conditions!

You and me both.

 

[mygoldnhorse]

thats why I feed hay cubes!

Do you feed only hay cubes? I haven't had to feed anything but pasture up until at least October but this year I have been haying all summer. I just went to the henyard on Saturday and bought haycubes. I figure that with the fact that the hay quality/quanity might not be that great this year I would supplement with hay cubes. They were $12.75 a bag . Needless to say I only bought 5 bags to last me until I could check out some other places. Joe said these were more expensive because they stopped buying the ones from Cambridge MD that he used to sell for $7 something a bag and they have these shipped in from Canada. He thinks this brand are more consistant. I also checked his prices on T posts, his were $1.00 more each than Southern States. WTH....I think not!

 

[appendixqh]

Do you feed only hay cubes? I haven't had to feed anything but pasture up until at least October but this year I have been haying all summer. I just went to the henyard on Saturday and bought haycubes. I figure that with the fact that the hay quality/quanity might not be that great this year I would supplement with hay cubes. They were $12.75 a bag . Needless to say I only bought 5 bags to last me until I could check out some other places. Joe said these were more expensive because they stopped buying the ones from Cambridge MD that he used to sell for $7 something a bag and they have these shipped in from Canada. He thinks this brand are more consistant. I also checked his prices on T posts, his were $1.00 more each than Southern States. WTH....I think not!

Hola! Yes...I feed straight hay cubes...no hay, then they can also munch on what measly pasture has grown this year. I order in bulk, and if you want hay cubes let me know, it will run $7 a bag. My supplier has pretty much guarenteed me supply through the winter, but if it looks like the supply is getting low, he will give me a call and I can stock up on 15 tons or so. I have about 25 horses on this diet, and they are all doing fantastic. Average horse eats 15lbs a day at my place, so to feed hay cubes runs about $2.25 per horse per day.

 

[mygoldnhorse]

Hola! Yes...I feed straight hay cubes...no hay, then they can also munch on what measly pasture has grown this year. I order in bulk, and if you want hay cubes let me know, it will run $7 a bag. My supplier has pretty much guarenteed me supply through the winter, but if it looks like the supply is getting low, he will give me a call and I can stock up on 15 tons or so. I have about 25 horses on this diet, and they are all doing fantastic. Average horse eats 15lbs a day at my place, so to feed hay cubes runs about $2.25 per horse per day.

Yes I would like to get some. I am busy this weekend but the following weekend I will be free. Could I get 50 bags?

 

[Pasofever]

Hola! Yes...I feed straight hay cubes...no hay, then they can also munch on what measly pasture has grown this year. I order in bulk, and if you want hay cubes let me know, it will run $7 a bag. My supplier has pretty much guarenteed me supply through the winter, but if it looks like the supply is getting low, he will give me a call and I can stock up on 15 tons or so. I have about 25 horses on this diet, and they are all doing fantastic. Average horse eats 15lbs a day at my place, so to feed hay cubes runs about $2.25 per horse per day.

$2.25 per horse a day is still more then what I am paying for hay at 1/2 bale per horse...Beet pulp is about the same...if used as ruffage and a complete hay replacement on that is about $2.25 day too (10 lbs a day dry weight)

Hey Appendix do you feed any N/H or H/H horses??