Demand and Sales Activity
Overall the market wa s steady this week. Markets are back to normal following the December holiday season. This week small square bale hay influenced the top of the market while a large supply o f lo wer quality hay has produce a wi de spread in prices from prime hay to grade 3 hay
For Nebraska , demand is picking up; prices were steady this week as ranchers are purchasing hay instead of range cubes for freshened cows . Dairy quality hay is slow to mov e .
For Iowa , supply is adequate while d emand was slow with poor weather , but prices have remained steady. In South Dakota , all classes of hay sol d $20.00 weak er with m oderate d emand and few r eported sales . Bedding material was in demand with the weather conditions .
In I llinois , the trade was active with moderate to poor demand on large offerings of hay . For Missouri, very little hay moving this week as fence rows are full of hay bales . There is a s upply of hay with lig h t demand and steady prices.
In Southwest Minnesota, g rade 1 or lower quality was available and low quality hay was discounted. In Wisconsin , hay p rice s were steady with little demand and lower quality hay discounted with large supplies . The straw market was steady with little movement in prices .
Small square bale straw price increase d about $0.30 per bale a veraging $ 2 . 8 0 a bale this week (range of $ 1 . 0 0 to $ 6.00 ) . Large square bale price declined $6.00 per bale with an ave rag e price of $ 3 0 . 0 0 per bale (range of $ 1 0 . 00 to $ 5 0 .00) . L arge round bale s were $ 1 .00 higher the last report at $ 3 3 .00 per bale (range of $ 2 0 .00 to $ 5 5 .00) . Some m arkets did men tion a demand for bedding material s this week . T he next Hay Market Demand and Price Report for the Upper Midwest will be posted on Monday , February 13 , 201 7 .
Source:uwex.edu