Hay is a product made out of grass, legumes, or other herbaceous plants that are cut, dried, and stored. Hay is one of the in-demand commodities today which are needed to feed herbivores if you are into livestock business. Some farmers or businessmen have left livestock or farm business because the cost of hay is way beyond their income. The cost of hay depends on several factors like:

Location
If you’re raising your animals in the rural city and have kept them in stock or barn, and hay-producing localities are somewhat far in your town, then the price of hay might be higher. You could save your expenses when you can graze your animals outdoor as possible. This affects the price of hay because some hay is shipped from one town to the other.

Season
Hay grew or matured during spring or summer season. You can buy during these seasons with a few lower value compared when buying during fall or winter. Hay is more expensive during winter because there is a high demand of hay in many areas and hay-growers have already harvests all their grass. During fall, you can’t guarantee to purchase lower price because during these time, hay producers have already set aside hay and began storing them in preparation for winter.

Quantity
You can save a few extra bucks when you buy hay in tons rather in bale. It is important that you are aware that there are different sizes of bale; it comes in small and large. Small bale of hay are packed in square form. Large bale of hay are rolled hay which are more moisture-resistant because it is quite tightly packed especially in the middle. It’s gathered by machine. Large bale of hay sometimes cost quadruple the price of size or depending on the weight of the hay itself.

Type of Grass
The cost of hay also depends on what type of grass is the hay made out of. A mix type of orchard grass is much cheaper than purchasing alfalfa grass. Alfalfa grass or a mix of its grass is more expensive but feeding your herbivore animals with alfalfa is suggested because they could get more nutrients from them.

Look through your nearest hay supplier and grab for the best offer. Usually, a small bale of cost costs from $2 to $15. A ton would run from $100 to $200. Some supplier offer delivery depending on the quantity you are purchasing.

With a bale of hay, the time of the season, the market and more are all going to play factors when you want to purchase a bale. What you’re going to find out is that you’re going to want to compare a few farms as they are all going to vary. Sure, while you can use the Internet as a resource, it isn’t always going to work. Instead, you may want to call up some local farms to see what they can do for you. By doing so, you can hopefully get a good rate for your hay.

Author Bio: Find the cost of hay and more all at HowMuchIsIt.

Category: Advice
Keywords: cost of hay, hay