By Leigh Ballard
If you’ve traveled the interstate recently, especially in Arkansas, you’ve probably seen tractor-trailer trucks loaded with hay heading to parched Texas and Oklahoma where they have essentially no hay crop this year. The hay crop in the mid-south was considered by most producers to be good in the early part of the season due to good rains in spring and fairly regular rains throughout June and July, but weather conditions were variable from county to county. In August and September, however, a serious lack of rain caused a slowdown in production for most producers without irrigation. The army worm problems of 2010 did not reappear this year to disrupt Bermuda production in any appreciable manner.
Pitchfork Farms, a large hay producer in Dancyville, Tennessee, reports that their season was somewhat short this year. Fields under irrigation produced as anticipated, but fields without water were finished earlier than expected or produced less hay per acre than desired. The early season fields of orchard grass produced two cuttings, the first cutting being ready before any irrigation was required. The hay was sold out as soon as it was cut, and Pitchfork’s orchard grass season was finished in May. The fields were then replanted with Bermuda, and depending on the field, one or two cuts were harvested from the new plantings. The first cutting of established Bermuda hay was cut at the end of May and was selling well by early June. The irrigated Bermuda fields produced five cuttings through the season, the last being cut in mid-October. Non-irrigated fields produced four cuttings.
Pitchfork cuts their hay approximately every twenty-one days. This year the farm produced in excess of 35,000 bales. Fortunately, Pitchfork had ample supply of hay to ship to desperate drought-stricken Texas and Oklahoma horse and cattle operations. Because of the extreme fire and drought situation in those states, folks there are in dire need of hay for their livestock, and many mid-south hay producers have been contacted to supply them. As people in those states search for hay wherever they can find it, it should not come as a surprise if our area eventually experiences a shortage this winter. Mid-south area horse-owners may want to be proactive in their hay buying for the upcoming winter. With an increased customer base, and the bleak prospects for drought recovery in the west, Pitchfork plans to meet the demand by expanding hay production into another hundred acres with irrigation for next year.
Other area hay producers report hay sales to the west also. One medium producer contacted in Hardeman County said he still had an ample supply of hay for sale. However, the day before being contacted, he had sold $10,000 worth of hay to a Texas buyer.
Another small producer in Fayette County who sells round bales for cattle, said that hay could be bought from one field but not another because the hay in the second field was sold to Texas.
Area feed stores are voicing some concern about the availability of hay throughout the winter. At Russell’s Feed in Collierville, TN, where customers regularly stop in for a few bales each week, there is some concern that their supplier can maintain supply for the entire winter. Hall’s Feed and Seed, in Collierville, has been assured by their supplier that there is ample hay. However, if supply runs low, Hall’s will institute a limit on purchases so all customers can have at least some hay.
Ginger Kemp, at R and J Feed in Jackson, TN, reports that both the availability and quality of locally grown alfalfa was especially affected by this year’s wet spring. She has already used up her local supplier’s crop, and is well ahead of normal in buying from a secondary supplier out of state. The out-of-state supplier is also running low, ahead of normal, due to weather problems and early sales. R and J Feed grows some of their grass hay, and they buy extensively from local growers and their own customers when possible. Some of their hay is sold in large quantities from the field, but the majority of their customers don’t have storage space for much hay. These customers buy ten to twenty bales at a time throughout the winter, and Ginger is making every effort to be able to supply them.
Harvest Feed in Red Banks and Como, MS has seen no difference in the high quality of the hay from their suppliers. They have experienced some price increases, however, due to perceived upcoming shortages. Blaine Lanier has started limiting purchases to 25 square bales per week and 2 round bales per week in an effort to stretch the supply. Buyers from Texas have called seeking to buy all of his hay, but Blaine’s goal is to supply his local customers first. “They are loyal to me, and I will be loyal to them,” he says. His hay sales go hand in hand with his feed sales, since customers often stop in for both at the same time, so maintaining his hay supply through the winter is important.
Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on the northeast with heavy rains and flooding at the time that second cutting hay crops would have been coming in. This further strain on hay supply has not been noticed much here in the mid-south, but it adds to the overall worrisome picture of feeding this winter. Humane societies and rescue and adoption groups are also likely to experience a financial dilemma when hay supply dwindles.
Be sure to check with the hay producers advertising in the Business Card and Classifieds sections of the Mid-South Horse Review for information on current hay inventories.
If you’ve traveled the interstate recently, especially in Arkansas, you’ve probably seen tractor-trailer trucks loaded with hay heading to parched Texas and Oklahoma where they have essentially no hay crop this year. The hay crop in the mid-south was considered by most producers to be good in the early part of the season due to good rains in spring and fairly regular rains throughout June and July, but weather conditions were variable from county to county. In August and September, however, a serious lack of rain caused a slowdown in production for most producers without irrigation. The army worm problems of 2010 did not reappear this year to disrupt Bermuda production in any appreciable manner.
Pitchfork Farms, a large hay producer in Dancyville, Tennessee, reports that their season was somewhat short this year. Fields under irrigation produced as anticipated, but fields without water were finished earlier than expected or produced less hay per acre than desired. The early season fields of orchard grass produced two cuttings, the first cutting being ready before any irrigation was required. The hay was sold out as soon as it was cut, and Pitchfork’s orchard grass season was finished in May. The fields were then replanted with Bermuda, and depending on the field, one or two cuts were harvested from the new plantings. The first cutting of established Bermuda hay was cut at the end of May and was selling well by early June. The irrigated Bermuda fields produced five cuttings through the season, the last being cut in mid-October. Non-irrigated fields produced four cuttings.
Pitchfork cuts their hay approximately every twenty-one days. This year the farm produced in excess of 35,000 bales. Fortunately, Pitchfork had ample supply of hay to ship to desperate drought-stricken Texas and Oklahoma horse and cattle operations. Because of the extreme fire and drought situation in those states, folks there are in dire need of hay for their livestock, and many mid-south hay producers have been contacted to supply them. As people in those states search for hay wherever they can find it, it should not come as a surprise if our area eventually experiences a shortage this winter. Mid-south area horse-owners may want to be proactive in their hay buying for the upcoming winter. With an increased customer base, and the bleak prospects for drought recovery in the west, Pitchfork plans to meet the demand by expanding hay production into another hundred acres with irrigation for next year.
Other area hay producers report hay sales to the west also. One medium producer contacted in Hardeman County said he still had an ample supply of hay for sale. However, the day before being contacted, he had sold $10,000 worth of hay to a Texas buyer.
Another small producer in Fayette County who sells round bales for cattle, said that hay could be bought from one field but not another because the hay in the second field was sold to Texas.
Area feed stores are voicing some concern about the availability of hay throughout the winter. At Russell’s Feed in Collierville, TN, where customers regularly stop in for a few bales each week, there is some concern that their supplier can maintain supply for the entire winter. Hall’s Feed and Seed, in Collierville, has been assured by their supplier that there is ample hay. However, if supply runs low, Hall’s will institute a limit on purchases so all customers can have at least some hay.
Ginger Kemp, at R and J Feed in Jackson, TN, reports that both the availability and quality of locally grown alfalfa was especially affected by this year’s wet spring. She has already used up her local supplier’s crop, and is well ahead of normal in buying from a secondary supplier out of state. The out-of-state supplier is also running low, ahead of normal, due to weather problems and early sales. R and J Feed grows some of their grass hay, and they buy extensively from local growers and their own customers when possible. Some of their hay is sold in large quantities from the field, but the majority of their customers don’t have storage space for much hay. These customers buy ten to twenty bales at a time throughout the winter, and Ginger is making every effort to be able to supply them.
Harvest Feed in Red Banks and Como, MS has seen no difference in the high quality of the hay from their suppliers. They have experienced some price increases, however, due to perceived upcoming shortages. Blaine Lanier has started limiting purchases to 25 square bales per week and 2 round bales per week in an effort to stretch the supply. Buyers from Texas have called seeking to buy all of his hay, but Blaine’s goal is to supply his local customers first. “They are loyal to me, and I will be loyal to them,” he says. His hay sales go hand in hand with his feed sales, since customers often stop in for both at the same time, so maintaining his hay supply through the winter is important.
Hurricane Irene wreaked havoc on the northeast with heavy rains and flooding at the time that second cutting hay crops would have been coming in. This further strain on hay supply has not been noticed much here in the mid-south, but it adds to the overall worrisome picture of feeding this winter. Humane societies and rescue and adoption groups are also likely to experience a financial dilemma when hay supply dwindles.
Be sure to check with the hay producers advertising in the Business Card and Classifieds sections of the Mid-South Horse Review for information on current hay inventories.
