Hay: What to Look for When Buying/Selling
by Jimmy Shane
from the March 2004 issue

Now, even though "hay season" is several months away, is a good time to start the planning process for this year's crop and all that goes into making some great hay. Veteran hay producer Jimmy Shane shares some thoughts.
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Remember when? Hay. It brings to mind, for those of us who have "made hay," images of warm (no.... hot!) summer days, sneezing, equipment that always needed "fixing", long sleeves or "chewed up" forearms (square balers only), and people always in a rush to finish before the threat of rain. It's not that much different today, with the exception of the "chewed up" forearms. Large round bales have, in many areas, taken over from the more labor-intensive practice of baling small square bales.

And, while the methods of planting, cutting, baling and storing have changed and been improved upon over the decades the marketing of hay has not. When producers are buying or selling hay there are some standard issues common to nearly every region.

What to Buy/Sell
When buying or selling hay one of the first considerations is; "What type of hay was planted." Obviously there are grades of hay to consider as well as types. Are you buying or selling to dairy operations, equine breeders, horse owners, feed lots or sheep operations. Each has their own special needs and some producers, without knowing, have their own pre-conceived notions about what hay they think' they need.

If you are selling hay, knowing the market you intend to sell into makes planting decisions pretty easy...as long as the soil cooperates. Depending on location, climate and the intended use here are some general thoughts: While alfalfa may be the best hay to grow in your particular region is there enough of a market to sustain a business? Sure, horse owners and breeders use plenty of alfalfa but it's a product that has to be fed to equines with care and, unlike some other hay material, alfalfa fields generally have to be reseeded every 5 to 7 years.

Often highly palatable and nutritious, Clover hay has some real potential. Clover is often planted in combination with grasses like brome, timothy or orchard. However red clover can have problems associated with slobbering in equines and drying issues unique to clover.

Grass hay makes excellent hay for most animals and in soils associated with the upper mid-west does exceptionally well. However, if you've got a hot dry summer expect timothy, orchard and brome to become brown and dormant. There are just about as many varieties of hay as there are appetites and the best source of knowledge regarding soil types and mixes should be your local extension agent. But, most important to the success in selling hay in a particular region is being able to answer the question of usage. "Will folks buy it after I plant it?" Be honest.

What About That Weather?
Weather plays such an important role in hay production from both the buyer and sellers point of view. Seller's want to make sure the hay has had three to five days of good dry weather prior to baling. Rain, can ruin a hay cutting if the moisture comes sometime in the middle of the drying cycle. However, there is little damage if it rains immediately following the cutting. But, no matter when it rains on a hay crop there can be some damage to the finished product if not in mold than in nutrition.

From the buyer's point of view most horse owner know that hay with mold...any mold...can be deadly to their horses. Not so with bovine species. However, buyers want and expect assurance that their hay purchases are as free of potential mold and rot as possible so timing, and a little praying, can mean the difference between getting a good price for your work or selling it quickly to a neighbor for cheep feed.

Is it Good?
Buyers need to know that the hay is good. But, save sending samples to a lab to check for appropriate nutrient and contaminate levels there is a simple rule of thumb: "If the hay 'smells good' and 'looks good' the hay is good." Hay that is brown may have been cut too late or dried too long. In any rate it is often lacking in vitamins and nutrients. Green hay, on the other hand, may be too wet to store in a barn or other structure. If "too green" hay is not fed right away it can rot in a barn or even start a fire. It's amazing how hot curing hay can get when compacted. If the hay is from the legume family make sure the stems are not too brittle and the leaves so dry that they fall away from the stems.

When it comes to smell, nothing beats a good nose for hay. If the hay smells like mildew, seems dusty or gives off an "over-ripe" scent the hay is, more than likely, not a good investment. In fact, feeding hay that smells bad can have disastrous effects on your livestock...take a pass. While cattle can take less than perfect hay horses can suffer greatly by eating bad hay.

If you are the buyer and you are fortunate enough to be able to buy your hay "from out of the field" take a few moments and check the windrows. Twist a bunch in your fingers. If the bunch breaks or snaps back to straight it may be too dry to be really good hay. If, however, the hay feels wet...it'll be too wet to bale.

If the purchase comes from an auction house some of the same rules apply. Ask who the producer is, check a couple of bales from "inside" the stack and visit with other buyers. As in any purchase the term "buyer beware" also fits here.

It's a Matter of Economics
No matter if you are the buyer or the seller pricing is an important part of the success of the transaction. It always seemed, for us anyway, that when we decided to bale hay for commercial sales everybody else in the county had also decided to sell hay. Prices fell off, so the next year not as many folks made hay to sell. The price then rose...of course we, like many didn't harvest as much hay that year or we were reseeding so we didn't enjoy a windfall profit. So, it's important to consider trends. Rumors that, "Hay is gonna be scarce this winter.", don't always pan out. The best advice is to consult with your local extension agent, check various Internet hay sites and exchanges for local pricing and then make an informed decision.

As with any commodity there is always a niche market. Consider the Itty-Bitty-Bale Company of Riverton, WY. Here's a producer who saw a marketing possibility and seized the moment. He's selling thirty to forty pound alfalfa square bales, wrapped in plastic ("Some folks don't want to get their SUVs dirty."), for $12.00 a bale, WHOLESALE! Retailers than add another $8.00 to $10.00 and sell to city folks who keep horses in the country. It's a matter of economics AND marketing.

Soon the snow will melt and it will once again be hay season, knowing your market today will allow you to reap rewards later. Here is to a good selling and/or buying year. And, don't forget the allergy medicine....