Mekanamom Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 We are fortunate to have enough room for horses, but not fortunate enough to have a year round pasture. Hay prices having been going up steadily, and this spring they've shot right through the roof. I'm paying $2 more per bale than I did last fall. Hay costs more than twice as much per bale now than it did when I got my first horse 7 years ago. My grain prices have only gone up maybe $.50 per 50lb bag. If I wasn't so worried about colic, I might decrease hay and increase grain to save a little bit each month. How are you all managing? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tlcmom Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 My 16 yod supports her own horse. She paid about $85 a ton last year and bought 3 tons (which worked out about right) The gentleman where she keeps her horse just found out that the prices have gone up by about $40 a ton for the hay he bought last year which he paid $120 a ton for, so it will be $160. YIKES!!! She is also paying $16.50 a bag for grain. I am not sure if she will be able to come up with enough odd jobs to support all her critters this year. (and by looking at the income poll - we, her parents, are poor compared to everyone else :001_huh: and probably can't help her). We are in Oregon, where are you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Remudamom Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 I wish I could tell you, but we grow our own. We have alfalfa and prairie and clover, in big round bales and small square ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 I'm in N. California.... lol, land of insanely high prices! (But the hay really wasn't too bad less than just 10 years ago.) Dang, at $2.00 more per bale, we're going to be spending $120 more for the same amount of hay we got a few months ago. Ugh! We found a local mill that offers high quality grain mixes at a very reasonable price (less than $12/bag.) Since we buy directly from them, it has kept our grain costs down... it's a long shot, but maybe check around to see if you have any local mills near you too? Has your daughter compared her grain prices with beet pulp prices? She might be able to stretch the grain a bit further by mixing it 50/50 with beet pulp. Last year though, my local feed store said that beet pulp prices are going up too. (It's still better than $16.50/bag, though!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mekanamom Posted April 10, 2008 Author Share Posted April 10, 2008 It must be so nice to grow your own! :glare: Ooops, I mean :thumbup1: (You know I'm just kidding with ya; I really am happy for those who can grow their own livestock feed!!) :tongue_smilie: LOL, hand me the rum when the hay guys give me the bill today, k?? I know it's totally not the hay guys' fault. We buy hay directly from the growers. All their prices have gone way up; the seed and fertilizer doubled in price over the last year; the gas, of course, to deliver the hay and also to till their fields and cut & bale the hay. Even baling twine went up in price! They are being very good to their customers, not skimping on bale weight at all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Liz CA Posted April 10, 2008 Share Posted April 10, 2008 We are fortunate to have enough room for horses, but not fortunate enough to have a year round pasture. Hay prices having been going up steadily, and this spring they've shot right through the roof. I'm paying $2 more per bale than I did last fall. Hay costs more than twice as much per bale now than it did when I got my first horse 7 years ago. My grain prices have only gone up maybe $.50 per 50lb bag. If I wasn't so worried about colic, I might decrease hay and increase grain to save a little bit each month. How are you all managing? nt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryl in NM Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 We're spending $75 for a 1/2 ton round bale of Coastal Grass hay. It's not nearly as good as the hay we were able to get in Utah, grown in Utah, for that price. The Bermuda 3 strand bales from the feed store are $18/bale. It's much better than the round bale we get, but prohibitively expensive and it's not even as good as the Utah hay. I wish we owned a semi/trailer and could bring down a load from Utah! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kris Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 I had to get rid of my horses last May. We were paying about $50 for a round bale. I bawled like an infant, but it turns out it was a good move, because with the drought last year there was *none* to be had. People were scrambling big time and there's no way we would have been able to feed them. Sorry I don't know what it is now, though. I did ask a guy a few months ago who bought some of my "horse stuff" where he was getting his hay and he just said, "I don't like to say." Classified, I guess -- even when you're talking to someone who doesn't have horses anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted April 11, 2008 Share Posted April 11, 2008 hi, we paid $100 per round bale of lucerne. this is a lot less than last year when it was $150. I get the hay for my house cow. my sister paid $250 per very large square bale of wheat hay last year. Prices were very high because of the drought! MelissaL in Australia Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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