# Economy and your hay market



## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Is the economy affecting your hay market? I am loosing some sales,smaller accounts.One guy with meat goats sold 1/2 his herd,another in and out guy won't buy cattle when they are cheap and the stockcow guys are really hurting with the price for their calves.Feedlots are looking at red ink for cattle going out now but seem to be refilling lots.I shouldn't complain but I hate loosing a customer.


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## Production Acres (Jul 29, 2008)

we keep getting new customers every day, but, Nov. sales are typically the biggest month for us each year, and so far, it has been our 2nd worst month this year. It was almost like the day in Oct that they announced the bailout, people grabbed ahold of their wallet with both hands and the telephone stopped ringing. Some customers have called and placed an order, only to call back and say they will run out of hay in January, and they would like to wait until Jan. to reorder, instead of stocking up now.


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## deerrunhaycp (Oct 17, 2008)

We don't really seem to be any slower around here, hays still moving like crazy. But money is coming much slower from people. We used to get our money in a week or two, now some people are almost taking a month. Several people are on payment plans because they can't afford to pay it all at once. Our large landscape customers are holding out for almost 90 days before sending out a check.


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## Wrenchbender (Dec 4, 2008)

In my area I think last year's short crop and high prices may have shook out some who really couldn't afford to have the animals in the first place.

A new customer last year that has dairy goats needed to decide if they were going to keep all their herd when I called this year about hay. They ended up keeping them all, next year may be different! Another that raises show lambs told me they had considered getting out but decided to improve their herd and keep going. With both of these the husband and wife both have good jobs so they have an advantage when things get tight.

It seems there are new people calling all the time looking for hay, the ones that can afford their hobby probably won't sell their "pets". WB


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## Hayguy (Jun 4, 2008)

Well, I don't think we in the hay business can claim to be recession-proof like Walmart or McDonalds. I remember our old vet once told me that when the economy starts to go south, that the horse business was the first to feel the effects. This was well before the animal rights folks put an end to the option of butchering horses in the US. Now, their only recourse is to sell to another horse enthusiast, although we do hear of cases of animals being abanded in state parks etc. I've only heard from a couple of my customers who had sold some of their horses , and one of them turned around and bought another horse because the one left was "lonely". I did notice a big drop in our sales of mulch and straw to the landscaping business. New home building is almost at a standstill in our area. A year ago, we sold a lot of hay to southeast states when they were so dry. Only had one call from that area this year and didn't make a sale. I think the higher shipping costs due to the high fuel prices hurt the most.


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## JD4755 (Apr 17, 2008)

Its not a problem to sell hay here, dosent matter the quality either, it will sell, and you will get paid within 30 days. Theres enough large dairies and feedlots around here they are pretty good about buying and paying on time


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## kfarm_EC_IL (Aug 5, 2008)

We are closing in on our lasts sales for the 08 crop. I hope i have allowed plenty for our cattle.

When do you guys feel the need to clear out last years hay for the next years crop? Or do you hold? We have looked at these questions in row crops for years, but we are fairly new to the hay business.


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

kfarm_EC_IL said:


> We are closing in on our lasts sales for the 08 crop. I hope i have allowed plenty for our cattle.
> 
> When do you guys feel the need to clear out last years hay for the next years crop? Or do you hold? We have looked at these questions in row crops for years, but we are fairly new to the hay business.


I like to have hay to july so my regular customers can grind old hay while the new cures.Otherwise the new hay heats after grinding.


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## jd6400 (Jun 3, 2008)

The demand is still here with the horse crowd, getting the money is a little tougher.


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