Mixed trade for fodder

A harsher winter, combined with the huge increase in concentrate feed costs has led to many farmers eating deeper into valuable home-grown forage supplies with the result being that the vast majority are only now considering putting any crop they have spare, on the market.

With all fodder having cost so much more to produce last year as a result of soaring fertiliser, plastic, fuel and machinery costs, many felt loathed to sell at the start of the season when prices are traditionally at their lowest.

Instead, most opted to maximise returns by waiting until nearer the end of the season, according to those in the know.

“Trade and the amount of fodder forward for sale has been slowly rising over the past few weeks for good quality straw and hay mainly because farmers have withheld crop over the winter and are only now starting to trade,” explained Harrison and Hetherington’s dairy and crop auctioneer, Andrew Templeton.

He added that this week’s fodder sale at Borderway Mart, Carlisle, saw mini hestons of hay sell to £33 per bale, which is a rise of £3 on the year. However, on the flip side, wheat straw values are down on the year, with mini hestons reaching £78 per tonne compared to £88/t

SOARING COSTS of production have left many producers loathed to sell fodder

at the same sale in January 2022.

“We are seeing large loads of straw coming forward which has driven prices down in recent weeks, however, I can see prices for both hay and straw levelling out from now on,” said Mr Templeton.

He added that in comparison to concentrates, fodder is by far the cheaper alternative with many livestock producers using hay to bulk out silage rations in a bid to make supplies last longer.

It’s a similar story for

producers at the other end of the country in Aberdeenshire too, with prices for hay and straw up on the same sale last year, according to Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ trainee auctioneer, Harvey Stuart.

“Hay peaked at £27 per bale at our sale at Thainstone, last week, with the week previous seeing a top of £29 and trade levelling at £23. Looking back at last year’s sale the same product went under the hammer at £22.50.

“Everything has risen in price and farmers were needing more for their hay. There needs to be balance

for everyone in the chain to make it work,” he said.

However, Aberdeen and Northern Marts’ sale saw silage hit a top of £20 per bale, against £26 previous week.

Fodder is proving more difficult to shift for some of the country’s feed merchants too.

“There’s not a lot of finance in the country and producers are looking for a big price before they’ll consider selling any fodder this year. They’ve got to try and justify their costs of production when you think of huge increase in fertiliser prices last year while at the same time, the livestock guys can’t afford to pay what their looking for – it’s all about balance,” stated Kenny Johnston, Perth.

“Since last year, we’ve seen a reduced demand for fodder from customers, which we think has something to do with overall decline in cattle numbers throughout the country. Hay has been hard to shift and although the trade for fodder picked up at the turn of the year, we have found that there are fewer customers coming forward to buy.”