We sell to both dealers and to end-users. The dealers always call us for 2nd cut and usually clear it all out in a matter of days during September. They often come back for 1st cut later in the year. Not this year. We've had several calls from dealers urgent for 1st cut and looking for good quality hay. Much of their usual supply has apparently either been rained on after cutting and then dried for baling, lessening the nutrient quality or has been cut as silage and not baled as the weather was not favorable for dry baling.
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| Has the sun set on top quality hay? |
The key player in the haymaking scenario is always Mother Nature. She can be kind and gracious with her sunshine ~ the very best method for proper curing of hay. Dry down agents are becoming increasingly prevalent in hay supplies across the country and this 'preservative' fast drying method of haymaking may come with consequences to the health of your horse. Modern farm equipment comes fitted with reservoirs to receive these widely untested 'agents' and it is not truly known what adverse affect they may have on the health of their equine recipient. Some tests have shown respiratory inflammation in youngstock as a result of their use and their increased use is of concern.
For the farmer less drying time on the field for their hay crop means saving money on diesel and labor with a lesser chance of hay getting wet and less chance of it dusting when baled. Moisture levels in a bale of less than 14% reduce the chances of spontaneous combustion when stored, and mitigation of fire risk is certainly a valuable factor in the equation.
As many of you know small square bales are fast disappearing, and finding small squares that have been produced without dry-down agents or preservatives becomes increasingly difficult.
The hands on nature of small squares comes with a myriad of advantages. Not only are the smaller bales easier to stack and to handle around the farm and barn, they also provide an opportunity for full investigation for any foreign matter within a bale (usually given away by a bad smell), and are easy to apportion for our equines. Moisture levels can be readily checked with the aid of a hay wand to help ensure they are safe to store inside.
What will barns that utilize malls for hay storage and properties with tight access to hay storage space do when the small squares disappear altogether?
Farming top quality hay is a lot of hard work and expensive to accomplish. Sometimes hay will be lost to wet weather, and all those diesel costs and machine time are for naught. The labor for stacking small squares is costly, and that is if you can find folks that are willing to do it. For larger bales both round and square, the equipment needed to move the bales from A to B is expensive.
The best way to save money on hay when feeding outside is to use a feeder. Studies show 30-40% savings on hay costs by the simple addition of a hayfeeder to the distribution process. That's pretty cool.
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| Hayfeeders Come In All Shapes and Sizes |
Think about how much work and worry goes into the crop. Most farmers truly care about the quality of the hay they put up, and do their very best to outwit Mother Nature and bring their clients healthy hay for their horses. Where some farmers shortcut others will step in and maintain their integrity so if you search hard you will always find good quality hay somewhere. Be persistent but expect to pay a reasonable sum for it.
When machines breakdown, and they do, they are expensive to fix. A rebuilt gear box on our discbine cost $3000 a few years back, and that is just one repair. A new tractor tire can easily cost another $3000. Twine, servicing equipment, new knives for cutters, oil/hydraulic oil, hose repairs etc. all cost money.
Farming is also one of the most dangerous jobs in the world. Death, amputations, minor and major injuries are common.
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| Are Small Squares Going To Be Around In A Few Years Time? |
Haymaking is not for the faint of heart. Next time you look at a bale of hay, think about all the effort that has gone in to making it and don't complain about the price. Hay is still woefully underpriced in the North East market when you consider the true expenses of the haymaking process!
