Hay Being Rationed In North Florida

[SQUEAKS]

Just finished talking to several hay dealers that have hay in North Florida and all have doubled the price per bale and are limiting sales to 5 to 10 bales per customer.

One feed store went from $4.50 per bale to $8.99 a bale. And another from $4.50 to $12.00 per bale and nobody has coastal hay all ryegrass and peanut.

Don't see much difference in stores ripping off people after a hurricane and what some of these hay dealers are doing.
:(
Bob

[appyday]

Well they probably have more cost in the hay..not selling local hay but having to ship it in and with fuel costs you are paying for it..

[SQUEAKS]

You are probably right Appy because diesel fuel went to over $3.00 per gallon this morning :( :( :(

[Terry Wallace]

Hay has been ast those prices here for two years now.

Just wait... now that more vehicles run on ethanol, raising corn pays farmers better than raising hay does. It was on the news here Friday that ranchers in eastern Colorado who need feed-lot corn, have seen their feed costs more than double for that corn....now that feed corn competes with "fuel corn".

I just wonder how bad it will get...and how quick it will happen.
I walked through our shop here at "Dodge" and saw many new models featuring "flex-fuel" ethanol for them. I'm glad we are getting cleaner & alternate fuels...but I fear that in the end...fewer people will be able to afford horses because of it....

[Linda Y]

It is going to happen quick, I fear. Compounded by already rising fuel costs.
Not only is it hitting us, but it is going to be devastating for those who raise meat animals. The cost of beef, pork and chicken will go through the roof. As will any other foodstuff that is made with corn...even dog food. Then we will be reliant on overseas farmers to supply us with food, because we are more concerned with fueling our vehicles than making sure we have our own food suppliers.
If we have to depend on outside sources for feeding us, we will be in SERIOUS trouble. Sorry for the doom and gloom, but I see it coming soon.
And people like me and my husband who are on very fixed incomes...the prices keep rising but our bank account doesn't. :cry:

[Terry Wallace]

AND once again...Linda I agree with you 100% and have to ask once more....WHO will take all the unwanted horses when it all comes down?

[appyday]

Well when hay is not obtainable or too high for me..mine will get NO hay..I will switch everyone to beet pulp and vitamins and a flake of hay a day...one bale for 8 horses or so..

[Terry Wallace]

Hey Appy..we EXPECT with all the profit you are turning on your horse sales...that you will buy a lot of good bottom land and grow hay for ALL your friends!

[appyday]

Hey Appy..we EXPECT with all the profit you are turning on your horse sales...that you will buy a lot of good bottom land and grow hay for ALL your friends!

Yeah cuz there is deffently alot of money in horses :lol: This TWH is eatting to beat the band...and I have started him on his yearly vaccinations and all...Glad the mini sold though only had him 2 days..have not advertised the TWH yet as I need to take him on a trail and get some of my good trail riding pics...

[Jane Hurl]

There's an interesting thing that happens up here. We have really good hay land all over the province, but especially up north (go figure!). Up there, they have contracts with Japan. There are factories throughout Alberta that compress hay ... a normal small square bale compresses down to 6"x4"x4". Then it is shrink wrapped and shipped to Japan.

Because the Japanese don't have much of a land base, they take the shipping containers, shrink wrap THEM, and sink them to the bottom of the ocean for storage!

Then, when they need more hay, they dredge up a shipping container and -- POOF! -- with the cut of a knife, they have hay to feed to their cattle and horses. It doesn't come back to full size, but they just feed smaller "flakes".

(So now you know why Japanese race horses are not retired to the farm! There's no ROOM for them!)

[Terry Wallace]

Yep...most Japanese race horses are eaten by humans!

I feed a LOT of compressed hay Jane...but I get it out of Idaho...at Standlee hay co. The bales are 60-65 lbs...not big at all after they get compressed.

[appyday]

WOW Jane is that for real...awsome...can you post more on that.

[Jane Hurl]

I had a land man here the other day. (It's the damnedest thing! Ever since they put a gas well on our land, they keep finding new reasons to give me money! *grin*) But that's another story.

The land man was here and he and his father have land south of here (about 2 hours) and that's what they do -- full time. They raise nothing but hay and it is all compressed and shipped to Japan! Apparently there's a good living to be made doing that. (Boring, but hey! Or I should say, Hay!)

Dunno what else you'd like to know, Shelley, but I'll see if I can find something on the 'Net and drop a linkie.

[Terry Wallace]

We'd like to know what they get for that hay Jane....! Did he say?
Did he have a per-pound price?

[Jane Hurl]

You know, Terry, he DID say ... but I can't remember what he said because raising hay for a living doesn't seem like much of a life to me, so I wasn't paying a lot of attention to the price. Sorry.

[Pinto Paso]

They do a lot of Timothy for the Japan and other foreign markets out of Ontario - compressed hay is BIG business there... Premium hay goes for overseas market, less tahn premium gets sold local....

[Pinto Paso]

What they are doing in Florida doesnt sound like rationing, sounds like gouging!!! rationing would ensure that everyone has access to the same product at the same fair price... Wish I was coming your way Teevo I'd throw some in for you...

We are paying 35 - 40.00 for approx 1200lb round bales of vaughns bermuda hay...

[Monty]

:oops: We Just paid $2 a bale - about 50 lb ones - grass hay .