Grass horse-hay prices are holding steady in central Oregon, reports Greg Mohnen, manager at the McGinnis Ranch near Bend.
Mohnen, president of the Central Oregon Hay Growers Association, puts up roughly 400 tons annually of a premium blend of orchardgrass, timothy, ryegrass, bromegrass and fescue on 80 acres. He also custom harvests another 350 acres (roughly 1,500 tons) each year. He packages the hay in 16 x 18 x 38”, two-tie bales weighing around 80 lbs each. The hay is marketed to horse owners all along the West Coast.
While a lot of grass hay in his area is currently bringing $220-230/ton in the barn, Mohnen has set his price at $275. That’s the same as last year. “We have all of our hay tested,” he says. “So when people buy from us, they know exactly what they’re feeding. A lot of people look at the color of hay and say ‘That’s great.’ But it doesn’t really mean anything. You have to test to know for sure.”
Cool weather so far this season has delayed first-crop harvest until mid-July. “We’re probably a week or so behind schedule,” he says. “But the crop is looking pretty good overall. We usually aim to get 4 tons to the acre over the course of the season. And, as of now, it’s looking like we’ll have that this year.”
To contact Mohnen, call 541-419-5339 or email greg@themcginnisranch.com.