Tested Hay Auctions Summary

        This year’s tested hay auctions saw both a higher volume than normal and higher prices.  Given the short term situation of limited alfalfa supplies, the latter trend will likely continue through at least this year.  Results from the five tested auctions held at Equity Livestock in Lomira and sponsored by the Fond du Lac and Dodge County Forage Councils were as follows:

What to pay for standing hay?

        This question has been tackled in a multitude of ways by a multitude of people.  At the end of the day, it really comes down to market value, which is influenced greatly by supply and demand.  Sometimes market factors are very localized.  For example, where there is a high volume of cows in a relatively small geographic area.  Other times, demand becomes widespread because of environmental conditions such as drought or alfalfa winterkill.  Further, what a person pays for standing hay is impacted by what other people are paying or charging for a previously harvested and stored crop.  When posed with the question, “What’s standing hay worth?” here’s how I generally get to an answer. 

        First, you need to determine a reasonable dry matter yield estimate.  For a pure alfalfa stand in good condition I usually use a value of 4 tons of dry matter per acre per season.  Next comes an estimate of harvest cost per ton.  It’s probably going to be in the neighborhood of $25 to $30 per ton.  Now we can start looking at some different price scenarios.  If alfalfa is offered at $140 per acre for the season, this equates to an investment of $35 per ton as it stands in the field (140 divided by 4).  Next, add in the harvest cost of $30 per ton and that figures to a total of $65 per dry matter ton (or a little over $55 per ton on a baled hay equivalent).  This is a pretty reasonable investment given the current market.  However, there is also the question of fertilizer to consider, and it’s a bigger question this year than ever before with potash prices at record levels.  Each ton of alfalfa removes about $10 worth of potassium (K).  Sometimes the renter assumes this cost, other times it’s the landowner,  Finally, considerations such as location and convenience must be considered and may either add or subtract from the value. 

        The above numbers are offered as an example.  Every situation is a bit different, but taking a cost per ton approach and comparing it to the cost of other forage supply options seems to be a reasonable approach to address the question.
 

Corn Seed Survival:  Effect of Planting Date

        During the past five years, UW Corn Agronomist Joe Lauer has looked at the relationship between corn seeds planted and the number of plants present at the V6 stage of development.  Corn seeds developing into productive plants were as follows: 

        Not surprisingly, survival percentages increased with later planting dates.  However, April and May planting dates were quite variable depending upon the year.  Further, percentages may differ significantly for the same planting date from farm to farm or field to field depending upon soil type, tillage, and hybrid.  Knowing the actual seed survival rate for your farm is probably a good piece of information to obtain.  If done on an annual basis, planting rates can be fine tuned accordingly.  As a general rule, over seeding the target population by 10% is still a reasonable “catch all” recommendation.

Effects of wheel traffic on alfalfa

        Although we don't often like to talk about it, time and time again we see in alfalfa fields the detrimental effects of wheel traffic from harvesting equipment, manure spreaders, or pickup trucks.  Results from a UW study showed that total season yields were reduced from 13 to 37 percent in alfalfa field plots where tractor wheel traffic was imposed following harvest.  Percent yield reductions for some individual cuttings were even greater.  The most severe losses are incurred when alfalfa stands are driven-on five or more days after the forage has been cut.  The bottom line is to minimize unnecessary heavy wheel traffic to every extent possible (especially when soils are wet).