MADISON, Wis. – A new University of Wisconsin-Extension Web site on buying and selling hay and straw is a pool of useful information for farmers when completing feed inventories before the winter season.
It also helps in formulating strategies for buying and selling hay efficiently in the coming months.
The site at www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/haybuying.html contains valuable tips for calculating feed inventories for the winter and spring seasons.
Inventory. It answers many common questions that arise during the inventory process like:
“How long will my feed last?”
“Will feed need to be purchased?”
“When is the best time to do a feed inventory?”
In addition to providing mathematical examples for projecting the time feed will last or the amount of feed to purchase at a given consumption rate, the site also has links to examples of feed management techniques and supplemental information through the UW-Extension, Michigan State University and Iowa State University Extension affiliates.
Information on calculating and entering feed data into spreadsheets is available through a UW-Extension link.
Finding feed. Should farmers find themselves needing additional feed, “the Web site will help farmers and horse owners who are short on hay to determine a fair price and locate sources of hay,” said Dan Undersander, extension dairy scientist and founder of the site.
Established in part due to the recent drought and potential need for hay, the Web site also has information on how to stretch hay supplies during exceptional weather conditions.
Randy Shaver, extension dairy scientist, discusses feeding strategies when alfalfa supplies are short due to exceptional weather conditions like limited snow cover and very cold winters.
Have some for sale? For farmers who have hay to sell, the Web site provides an in-depth look at how “bringing factors other than price into the market such as forage quality, consideration of customer needs, prompt delivery, steady supply, and appreciation of business,” can significantly increase the value and salability of your product, said Undersander.
“Additionally, this Web site will help individuals who have hay to sell by providing an indication of going price and how to sell.”
Horse hay. A link to buying hay for horses describes the importance of buying high quality hay for horses, how much hay you’ll need, and a detailed checklist guide to use when contacting hay sellers.
Pricing. Finally, for those curious about current prices for hay and straw, or where to buy hay or straw, the Web site contains helpful links to sites like the Weekly Hay Market Demand and Price Report for Upper Midwest, Morgan Hay Price Reports, Midwest Haylist and the Internet Hay Exchange.
“The hay price information is updated weekly by an individual who is familiar with the industry who checks hay markets across the Midwest and summarizes the pricing information,” adds Undersander.
For more information about the Web site, please visit http://uwex.edu/ces/ag/haybuying.html, or contact Dan Undersander by e-mail at djunders@facstaff.wisc.edu or by telephone at 608-263-5070.
Get the details
* Buying, selling hay and straw Web site
www.uwex.edu/ces/ag/haybuying.html
* Dan Undersander
djunders@facstaff.wisc.edu
608-263-5070
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