Demand and Sales Activity
Compared to the previous week, small square bal e prices were up 1 %. Large square bale prices were up 7 % . Large roun d bale prices were steady . Sales activity was very light to moderate .
For Nebraska , hay prices were steady to $2.10 higher on limited alfalfa hay sales . Demand was mostly light from feedlots with moderate to good demand from dairies. Corn and soybean harvest is in full swing across the state. Some feedlots still chopping silage and grinding high moisture corn. Some high quality hay in small squares and large rounds is going to area feedlots to for starting rations on bawling calves. For Iowa , hay p rices were steady on very limited alfalfa hay sales . Rainy conditions are still hampering some areas of the state early in the week with warm and windy weather on the weeks close. Many producers are finishing fourth cutting and are busy with soybean and corn harvest. Demand is good for dairy hay with light demand on all other types of hay. But most know that will change when the first snow comes.
In South Dakota , hay prices were $ 14.50 low er . There was very good demand for high quality, high relativ e feed value alfalfa, with much less demand for rained on, lower quality hay. There was very good demand for high quality grass hay as the fall calf run is in full swing and calves are arriving in yards to be started on feed. Soybean harvest is nearing c ompletion, with corn harvest just getting started along and south of I - 90, meaning farmers are busy and haven’t really thought much about buying hay yet. Corn harvest north of the interstate is still very slow as the lack of heat in August and a cool Sept ember really hampered natural drying conditions. Very little corn stalk baling has occurred yet as corn harvest is so slow to start.
For Missouri , alfalfa hay prices were steady on very limited alfalfa hay sales . Hay supply is moderate to heavy and de mand is light . The lack of getting field work done is starting to become concerning to producers. Fall wheat planting and harvest of corn and bean crops is falling farther behind with each wet day that passes. Several combines leaving foot deep ruts as producers battle to get beans out before it is too late. Hay movement remains slow nearly all producers have quite sizeable hay piles with perhaps larger than usual amount of last year’s hay still setting. As usual high quality dairy hay is much harder to find as weather issues made production difficult this season.
In Southwest Minnesota , hay prices were $ 5.00 high er . The third cutting of alfalfa hay harvest is nearing completion and was 97 percent complete. Livestock in some areas of Minnesota conti nued to graze on pasture in spite of conditions decreasing slightly to 66 percent good to excellent.
Pasture con ditions were rated 3 % very poor; 8 % poor; 23 % fair; 56 % good; and 10 % excellent. There were no state hay reports this week for Illinois . Pa sture conditions were stable and ra ted at 1% v ery poor; 5% poor; 24% fair; 52% good; and 18 % excellent.
For Wisconsin, hay prices were $ 18.95 high er at a quality - tested hay auction in Fennimore . Much of the state received substantial rains early in the w eek. The fourth cutting was 86 percent complete. Pasture conditions were stable a nd rated at 1 % very poor ; 5 % poor; 33 % fair; 51 % good; and 10 % excellent. Straw pric es in the Midwest averaged $ 3. 26 per s mall square bale (range of $2 . 75 to $5. 00); $ 43.46 per large square bale (range of $ 28.13 to $ 56.00 ) ; and $ 34.83 per large round bale (range of $ 27.50 to $ 37 . 50 ).
Compared to the previous week, straw pric e s for small square bales were 3 % higher . For la rge sq uare bales, prices were 3 % high er . For large round bales, prices were 3 % lower .
Source:uwex.edu
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