Fair Hay Brings Premium Prices

Mar 1, 2008 12:00 PM

Hay supplies are so tight almost nationwide that fair-quality alfalfa hay is worth almost as much as premium-quality alfalfa was two or three years ago. Some reasonably priced hay still is available, though — check out the prices listed for Iowa, Montana and South Dakota.

The following prices were gathered in mid-February by USDA. Figures followed by (D) are delivered prices. All others are at the farm. Cube and pellet prices are for bulk sales.

Horse-quality alfalfa hay:	Price/ton
Colorado (northeastern)	$215
Colorado (southwestern)	255-290
Kansas	150-200
Montana	200
Nebraska (western)	150
Nevada (western)	190-200
Oregon	140-165
Utah	125-180
Washington (Columbia Basin)	170-180
Wyoming	140
Premium-quality alfalfa hay:	Price/ton
California (northern)	$240-248	(D)
California (southern)	200-220
Colorado (large squares)	145-160
Illinois (northern)	160-180
Illinois (southern)	180-225
Iowa (central)	100-150
Iowa (Rock Valley)	113-130
Kansas (southwestern)	140-150
Kansas (northwestern)	125-135
Minnesota (Sauk Centre)	235-280
Missouri	140-175
Montana	130-140
Nebraska (northeastern)	125-145
Nebraska (western)	115-120
Nevada (western)	190-200
Oklahoma	130-160
Oregon (Lake County)	165
South Dakota (east river)	130-150
South Dakota (western)	90-110
Texas (panhandle)	180-230	(D)
Texas (western)	190-215
Texas (eastern)	190-220	(D)
Utah	125-150
Wyoming (western)	110-125
Wyoming (eastern)	120-135
Good-quality alfalfa hay:	Price/ton
California (northern)	$245	(D)
California (central)	235
California (southern)	210-220	(D)
Colorado (large squares)	120-140
Idaho	140-145
Illinois (northern)	140-160
Illinois (southern)	150-200
Iowa (Rock Valley)	103
Kansas (northwestern)	120-140
Kansas (southwestern)	110-125
Minnesota (Sauk Centre)	160-220
Missouri	90-160
Montana	95-120
Nebraska (Platte Valley)	85-115
Nebraska (western)	90-125
Oklahoma	100-130
Oregon (Lake County)	160
South Dakota (east river)	105-120
South Dakota (western)	70-90
Texas (panhandle)	140-200	(D)
Texas (eastern)	150-190	(D)
Utah	100-125
Washington (Columbia Basin)	155
Wyoming (eastern)	110-125
Wyoming (western)	100-110
Fair-quality alfalfa hay:	Price/ton
California (northern)	$215-235	(D)
California (central)	215
California (southern)	190	(D)
Colorado (large squares)	100-125
Idaho	135
Illinois (northern)	120-150
Illinois (southern)	140-160
Kansas (southwestern)	100-120
Nebraska (western)	90-125
Oklahoma	65-85
South Dakota (western)	60-70
Texas (panhandle)	120-135	(D)
Wyoming	95-110
Bromegrass hay:	Price/ton
Missouri	$60-130
Kansas	90-120
Timothy hay:	Price/ton
Colorado	$200-215
Montana	150
Nevada (premium)	280
Washington (Columbia Basin)	210-245
Straw:	Price/ton
Colorado (large squares)	$60-70
Illinois (northern)	80-100
Iowa (Rock Valley)	68-75
Kansas	35-60
Montana	35-80
Nebraska (western)	50
17% Dehy alfalfa pellets:	Price/ton
Kansas	$205
Nebraska	195-200
Wyoming	179	(D)
15% Suncured alfalfa pellets:	Price/ton
Kansas	$150-160
South Dakota	160
Alfalfa cubes:	Price/ton
Utah (premium export)	$150-180
Wyoming	130