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Hay & Forage Grower
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High-quality dairy hay appears to have been in short supply in the
Upper Midwest during January, according to organizers and observers of
quality-tested hay auctions in Wisconsin and Minnesota.
Fifty to 80 buyers attended each of the Dodge Council Forage Council
(DCFC) sales in Beaver Dam during January, says Matt Hanson, University
of Wisconsin Extension crops and soils agent. “Things are tight in the
local area. Much of the hay around here was sold off the field this past
year, so very little was put up into storage for a later sale.”
The auction picked up several new sellers in January, Hanson adds.
“Many were from some distance away because of the local shortage. This
year, we’re also seeing a greater mix of alfalfa, grasses, etc. Last
year, it was pretty much alfalfa only.”
Auction prices dropped a little at the second sale in January, but were
still over a dollar per relative feed value (RFV) point, he says.
Buyer interest was also relatively strong at the Sheboygan County Forage
Council auction in January, says Mike Ballweg, Hanson’s counterpart in
that county. “But only three lots of very low-quality hay were
offered,” he says. “There were no buyers willing to pay the minimum
seller price. Local supplies of high-quality hay are very short.”
In central Minnesota, prices at the twice-monthly tested auction in Sauk
Centre have been relatively strong. That's despite tough weather that
crimped attendance and “in light of the fact that milk prices have
hardly moved to a break-even point,” says Dan Martens, county
extension educator for Benton, Morrison and Stearns counties.
“We had a lot of nice weather for putting up good-quality hay,” says
Martens. “But dry spring weather may have limited first-crop yields in
some parts of the state and very wet weather was an issue in other
areas.”
At the Jan. 7 sale in Sauk Centre, four loads of medium square alfalfa
with RFV in the 176-200 range brought an average of $150/ton. The
highest selling price at the sale was $170/ton – for a load of
fourth-cutting alfalfa with an RFV of 200 and also for a second-cutting
load with an RFV of 158.
The remaining schedule for the auctions:
Dodge County, WI – First and third Tuesdays of each month
through the first week of April, Beaver Dam, WI – Visit the DCFC Web site.
Sheboygan County, WI – Second Wednesday of each month through
April, Chissy’s Pub & Grill, Waldo. Call 920-459-5904.
Sauk Centre, MN – First and third Thursdays of each month
through the first week in May, Truckers Inn. Visit the Mid-American
Auction Web site.
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Whether you’re looking for proven
performance in a package that offers exceptional value or a tractor that
gives you the latest electronic conveniences and push button simplicity,
the new T6000 Series tractors from New Holland are built for you. T6000
tractors are a natural choice for haying operations and heavy loader
work. To learn more, see your local New Holland dealer or call
1-888-290-7377. www.newholland.com/na
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A new type of moisture meter for big square balers sprays paint on
bales with wet spots so they can be separated from dry ones. Said to be
more accurate than other types, the Gazeeka Model 870 uses microwaves to
measure the moisture of bales as they leave the baler. Readings are
taken 50 times per second, and the average moisture content of each bale
appears on a screen in the tractor cab. If a reading is above a
predetermined moisture level, the meter sprays paint on both sides of
the bale at that location.
Imported from Australia by International Stock Food, Woodstock, GA, the
meter will be sold through hay equipment dealers. It was tested by
several U.S. farmers last summer, including Gary Smith of Mission Hill,
SD.
“I think it’s pretty darn accurate,” says Smith, immediate past
president of the National Hay Association. “It’s a really good
management tool, especially if you’ve got hired help out
there.”
Read more about the meter in the February issue of Hay & Forage
Grower.
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More custom operators should ask their clients to enter into
multi-year contracts, said Chilton, WI, attorney George Twohig. “If
you intend to buy substantial additional equipment because you’re
promised a lot of acreage, you should know that acreage will be
there,” Twohig told attendees at last week’s Wisconsin Custom
Operators (WCO) meeting in Wisconsin Dells.
“Is it unfair to ask a farmer to make a commitment to you if you’re
willing to make a commitment to him? Will he guarantee you at least a
minimum amount of acres for an extended period of time so you can keep
that equipment running? You have to have enough business lined up to
justify the purchase.”
Custom harvesters need to price their services to be competitive and
profitable, Twohig added, and don’t want to be in a position where
they feel as though they’re “losing a dollar per acre but making it
up on volume.”
Those who opt for multi-year contracts will also want to include a
clause in the document addressing periodic price adjustments. “Don’t
you feel like you’re the only one who’s afraid to raise his
price?” asked Twohig, a partner in the firm of Twohig, Rietbrock,
Schneider & Halbach. “Everybody else raises their prices when they
have to. You have to charge enough to stay in business.”
Custom operators also need to get over the fear that they’ll lose
business if they ask clients to sign written contracts, Twohig added.
Other businesses routinely require written contracts. “The banker
won’t do a contract with you if it’s not in writing.”
At the very least, consider putting important contract terms on the back
of the purchase orders used with clients. “That’s what equipment
dealers typically do. With a purchase order you can put all the terms on
the back of it saying this is the agreement under which you’ll provide
services. That purchase order can also act as a contract.”
The WCO meeting was held in conjunction with the annual meetings of the
Midwest Forage Association
and the Professional Nutrient Applicators Association of Wisconsin.
Nearly 400 people attended this year’s event.
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 Know where to find the best alfalfa? Isn’t it obvious?
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persistence. Plus all the varieties you need, available through your
Garst seed advisor, Golden Harvest dealer or NK retailer. Contact them
today to place your order.
The Syngenta logo is a trademark of a Syngenta Group
Company.
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“Everyone is just trying to run as lean as possible. I used to
run with about six months of hay on hand at all times. Now I don’t.”
– Sunnyside, WA, dairy producer on what he thinks it will take to
stay in business this year. Source: Seattle Post-Intelligencer.
“As biomass production increases, pests will react to the new
resources we put out and make available to them. In the U.S., soybeans
were considered a pest-free crop for many years. But now soybeans, just
like any other crop, have management issues related to both insects and
diseases.” – University of Illinois researcher Jarrad Prasifka,
explaining that it’s not yet known how insect pests might affect
management of biomass crops like miscanthus and switchgrass. See Researchers
Evaluate Potential Pests In Biomass Crops.
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There’s an abundance of low-quality grass hay in many parts of
the country due to last year’s inconsistent growing-season weather.
Treating that kind of hay with anhydrous ammonia might be an option for
improving quality and value, says Bob Whitney, Texas AgriLife Extension
agent, Williamson County.
Whitney notes that, while ammoniating hay hasn’t been researched or
recommended for a long time, studies from Texas A&M University and
Oklahoma State University have shown an increase in energy and protein
consumption in cows fed treated hay. The OSU study notes that
ammoniating high-quality hay – alfalfa, forage sorghum, hybrid sudan,
small grain hays or any moderate-to-early harvested grass hay (including
both cool- and warm-season species) – can lead to toxicity problems.
The Texas A&M study was conducted on Coastal bermudagrass.
But even with low-quality hay, ammoniation should probably be a last
resort. “While the procedure can increase both crude protein and
digestibility, the easier and safer method of meeting the animal's
nutrient requirements would involve the use of some kind of
supplement,” says Texas AgriLife Extension forage specialist Larry
Redmon.
You’ll also want to do some cost calculations. “Ammonia is hard to
find, but it is still available,” says Whitney. “The cost will knock
you over until you understand that it is still the cheapest source of
nitrogen. Always, always exercise extreme caution when using anhydrous
ammonia. It can injure or even kill you.”
To learn more about recommended steps to follow when ammoniating hay,
check out this recent
blog post from Whitney.
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 Harvesting High-Quality Forages for Profitable Dairy
Production – February 9, 2010 at the World Ag Expo in Tulare,
CA.
High-quality hay and silage are vital to Western dairies, and good
harvesting and storage management is especially critical in these
difficult economic times. Hay & Forage Grower and Mycogen Seeds are
teaming up to present a seminar that will offer the latest information
on how to get the most return from these important feeds. On February 9,
top experts will present the outlook for hay and milk prices and tell
how to do the best possible job of managing your hay and silage crops.
Don’t miss this event.
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Illinois
Demand for straw remains high in the Upper Midwest, reports hay and
straw dealer Don Brown, Jr., from Davis. Normally, Brown doesn’t get
many calls from livestock producers for straw bedding until late
November or early December. Last fall, though, the calls started in
October. “The corn harvest was late, and people didn’t have stalks
available like they normally do. Then we got a pretty good snowstorm
around Christmas, and things picked up even more.”
Currently, straw packaged in large square bales is bringing $90-115/ton
in private treaty sales. That’s up about $20/ton from prices of a year
ago. Reports that winter wheat plantings in many states, including
Illinois, are down considerably from year-ago levels could also affect
straw marketing over the next several months, he says. “The supply
could stay tight, and demand could stay strong for awhile.”
Brown and his wife, Sandee, also grow alfalfa, alfalfa-grass mixed and
straight grass hay on 300 acres at D & S Brown Farms. During a typical
year, about 30% of their hay sales are to dairies, 30% to beef
operations and 30% to horse owners. The remainder is sold to a variety
of markets, including alpaca owners and circuses.
Demand for dairy-quality alfalfa hay has also been picking up since the
first of the year. The Browns market most of their alfalfa in 3 x 3 x
8’ bales to dairies in northwestern Illinois, Wisconsin and Iowa, but
they occasionally range farther afield.
“A few months ago, it wasn’t moving at all,” says Brown, who is
finishing up a term as president of the Illinois Forage and Grassland
Council. “Dairy farmers didn’t have any money. But it’s
really started coming around in the last several weeks. The dairy guys
have fed up everything they had, and they’re buying again. The milk
price has been getting a little better and that’s helped, too.”
Crowds at the twice-a-month Northwest Illinois Forage Council hay
auction have been growing since the first of the year, says Jim
Morrison, University of Illinois Extension educator in Rockford. The
auction takes place at the Boco MiniMart in Orangeville on the second
and fourth Saturdays of each month from November through May. Start time
is 11 a.m.
While most of the loads selling at Orangeville haven’t been tested,
Morrison says his general impression is that prices are higher than they
were a year ago. He expects high-quality hay will continue to command a
higher price as the winter progresses. “But that will be impacted by
the tight financial conditions for dairy producers,” he says.
Hay trading in northern Illinois has been moderate to active with prices
steady to firm, according to the most recent Hay Market Report
compiled by USDA and the Illinois Department of Agriculture. Premium
alfalfa hay, packaged in big squares, is selling for $170-180/ton.
To contact the Browns, call 815-238-8372 or email don.brownjr@yahoo.com. To
contact Morrison, call 815-395-5710 or email morrison@illinois.edu.
Minnesota
Offering customers an incentive to take delivery during the growing
season is part of the overall profit strategy at Nelson Hay Company in Hadley, MN.
Owner Kevin Nelson markets alfalfa-grass hay, grown on 800 acres and
packaged in small and medium square bales, to horse owners in Minnesota
and western Wisconsin. In a typical year, most of his production is
contracted by the end of April.
He charges customers $5/ton storage fees if they take delivery between
Sept. 1 and Dec. 31. For delivery between Jan. 1 and March 31, the
charges bump up to $10/ton. “Getting rid of inventory is a way to
reduce my risk,” he says. “Just a little leak in the barn roof can
ruin 10-15 bales.”
Even with market and input price volatility, Nelson has worked to hold
prices “mostly steady” for the past four years. “We did tack on a
surcharge when fuel prices spiked. But we haven’t changed our basic
price. Our goal is to keep our long-time customers.”
There’s been an increase in activity at local hay auctions in recent
weeks, due mostly to heavy snow cover, he says. “In a lot of places,
there are 2-3’ of snow on the ground. People haven’t been able to
turn out their cattle on cornstalks, and there’s still a lot of hay
stacked out in the field that people can’t get to. Grass hay prices
have been picking up a bit.”
To contact Nelson, call 507-836-6181 or 507-227-4932.
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Educational sessions on marketing and legal issues, pest
management and forage management, along with a trade show, will be held
at the 2010 Idaho Alfalfa and Forage Conference at the Best Western
Burley Inn in Burley on Feb. 16-17.
Specific session topics include: “Optimizing Profits by Adjusting
Cutting Schedules, “Recent Advances in Alfalfa Tissue Testing” and
“Reducing Inputs to Improve Profits: Good or Bad Idea?”
The full conference registration fee of $145 includes membership in the
Idaho Hay and Forage Association.
If received after Feb. 5, a $30 late fee will be added. One-day
registration rates are also offered. Get conference details and
a registration form.
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“Get (Highway) Legal” is the theme of a morning meeting
sponsored by the Northeast Washington Hay Growers Association and
Washington State University on Feb 6 at the Clayton Grange Hall in
Clayton. Washington State Patrol commercial vehicle inspectors will be
on hand to discuss commercial drivers' licenses, DOT numbers, securing
farm loads, truck and trailer safety retrofitting and more.
For more information, call Wes McCart at 509-258-4041 or Tom Platt at
509-725-4171, or download a brochure.
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Feb. 2-3 -- 2010 Mid-America Alfalfa Expo, Buffalo County
Fairgrounds, Kearney, NE. For details, visit www.alfalfaexpo.com, call Barb
Kinnan at 800-743-1649 or email her at nebalf@cozadtel.net.
Feb. 8-12 -- Minnesota Forage Days, at various state locations.
Feb. 8, Holiday Inn, Detroit Lakes; Feb. 9, Cromwell
Pavilion, Cromwell; Feb. 10, Joseph’s Restaurant, Avon; Feb.
11, Southwest Research & Outreach Center, Lamberton; Feb. 12,
UCR Heintz Center, Rochester. Call 651-484-3888 or visit the University of Minnesota
forage Web site.
Feb. 9-11 -- World Ag Expo, Tulare, CA, starting at 9 a.m. each
day. Cost: $12/day. Visit www.worldagexpo.com.
Feb. 18-20 -- 2010 Wisconsin Grazing Conference, Hotel Mead,
Wisconsin Rapids. Visit www.grassworks.org or contact
Heather Flashinski at 715-289-4896 or grassheather@hotmail.com.
Feb. 16-17 -- Professional Crop Producers Conference, (Forage
Program is Feb. 17), Holiday Inn Harrisburg/Hershey, Grantville, PA.
Contact Marvin Hall at mhh2@psu.edu or
download program.
Feb. 25-28 -- 8th Annual Pennsylvania Horse World Expo, Farm Show
Complex, Harrisburg. Visit the Expo Web site.
March 2 -- Illinois Forage Institute, 9:30 a.m.-4 p.m., Kankakee
Community College, Kankakee. Visit www.illinoisforage.org.
March 4-6 -- U.S. Custom Harvesters Inc. Annual Convention,
Howard Johnson Plaza Hotel, Wichita Falls, TX. Visit www.uschi.com.
March 5-6 -- Maryland Cattle Industry Convention/Hay And Pasture
Conference, Hagerstown Hotel and Convention Center, Hagerstown.
Contact Les Vough at vough@umd.edu or
301-405-1322.
March 10-11 -- Wichita Falls Ranch & Farm Expo, JS Bridwell Ag
Center, Wichita Falls, TX. Visit www.wichitafallsranchandfarmexpo.net,
call 866-685-0989 or email dales@bwtelcom.net.
March 16-17 -- Professional Dairy Producers of Wisconsin Annual
Business Conference, Alliant Energy Center, Madison. Download
a brochure.
March 27 -- Winter Regional Horse Owner Program, Cloquet Forestry
Center, Cloquet, MN. Registration deadline is March 24. Register online.
April 8-9 -- Hay Production School, Spence Field, Moultrie, GA.
Details at www.georgiaforages.com.
April 14-15 -- Kentucky Grazing School, University of Kentucky
Research & Education Center, Princeton. Preregistration required. Download
a brochure.
May 13 -- Legume Management In The Southeast: Field Day And Pasture
Walk, Central Georgia Research & Education Center, Eatonton. Details
forthcoming at the University
of Georgia Forage Web site.
June 21-23 -- American Forage And Grassland Council Annual
Conference, University Plaza Hotel, Springfield, MO. Details at www.afgc.org.
Aug. 9-10 -- Kentucky Grazing School, Woodford County Extension
Office, Versailles. Preregistration required. Download
a brochure.
Sept. 5-7 -- National Hay Association Annual Meeting, Griffin
Gate Marriott Resort, Lexington, KY. Watch for details on the NHA Web
site. www.nationalhay.org
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