price of grazing - value of land

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 8:52 pm

hi folks we have had our cattle since the summer, and i must say how pleased i am we got them. im after some advice on prices of grazing and what i should be paying for hay and straw. we are trying to rent another 5 acres just behind us. its un fenced and has no water . the farmer cuts hay but the last 2 years has left it very late to do so. he has said he would want about £2000 to rent it on a yearly basis. that is just too expensive. i also buy my big bales in from another farmer bales are big sq 8ft long 2x2 . £10 per bale for straw and 35 for hay. im going bankrupt very quickly.lol. i know down here in essex prices cost more but am i paying way way over the top. maybe i should move . anyone got a farm to rent us lol

Saffy · Post by **Saffy** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:02 pm

Hello,

I believe farmland is averaging about £70 to £120 an acre to rent at the moment, dependent on the quality of the land . Only more if it is very tiny parcels for horse or large areas for very specialized stuff that is hard on the land and leaves it weakened.

However you are renting quite a small amount in quite an affluent area, I live in South Wales, near Abergavenny and don't know the prices near you but they can't be THAT much different surely!

Maybe your landlord wants the land back, or maybe he is just seeing how much you will pay? Have you thought of asking a local cattle/farm type auctioneer what the going rate is in your area? He may even know someone that would have a field.

Stephanie

Forgot to say we paid £2.50 for our hay, very heavy, very good quality but we picked them up for that and had several hundred, it would be more in your area, especially now at that quality. Straw we would expect to pay around £11 to £12 for big round bales and about £15 for big square ones.

Edited By Saffy on 1261426003

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:13 pm

thank you i think the problem here is we live right in the middle of arable farmers i guess we get our straw cheaper up here because theres no cartage. i get 5 big sq bales straw to the ton is that about right. interesting about the price to rent. i am prepared to pay up to £1000 for the bit behind us just because its convinent but cant be paying double. do you buy big round bales of hay if so what do you pay for them

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:15 pm

also i forgot to say we have 4 cows 2 younger and 2 calves at foot so 8 in total im getting through 1 big bale straw and 1 big bale hay per week they are in all time now. am i overfeeding and over strawing the bed

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:53 pm

littleacre - take what the farmer wants, divide by ten and you're somewhere nearer the market value. £500 a year for 5 acres of good, well fenced land is plenty enough. Hay is expensive this year, say £25-30 for a big square bale, divide by 8 for small bales? just guessing, depends on weight, small bales can be anything from 15kg to 40kg! Straw, if it's good stuff, dry, clean, £17 a big bale, divide by ten for small bales. All figures VERY orugh but a lot more accurate than £2000 for 5 acres :D :D :D. With all the money you save, you could buy him some new batteries for his calculator!

Edited By Broomcroft on 1261428904

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Mon Dec 21, 2009 9:57 pm

thank you yes i agree the farmer is taking the mickey. he may well get 2000in hay but he isnt deducting fert costs time in labour baleing etc. oh well ill have to try and rent somewhere else

Martin · Post by **Martin** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:04 pm

I am using Barley straw for bedding and use one large round bale a week. The day I put the bale in I do not feed any hay as the cows do tuck into the straw. I have 3 three year olds and 6 two year old Sussex in the same yard, I always like the bedding to be a bit dirty before I add more as too much straw in the muck heap takes to long to rot down.
I feed two bales of hay night and morning, some days only feeding three to give them the oportunity to clear up any they have decided is not as good as the rest.

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Tue Dec 22, 2009 5:26 pm

thanks martin im over feeding and over bedding then oops. its a learning curve

clacko · Post by **clacko** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 12:46 am

im paying £55 ton for good feed barley straw and £45 a ton for wheat in mini heestons collected from farm just up the road. they weigh in at 4 to the ton bar 50 kilos, i also feed some poor quality grass stalks that cost me in the region of £65 ton conventional bales 32 per ton. probably won't bother with stalks next year but with the summer we had and shortage of feed i thought id better have some in store. paul

108-1260406081 · Post by **108-1260406081** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 6:43 pm

my straw isnt too bad im paying £45 ton. big bales of hay will be £30 35 next year but our local farmer gave me 12 big bales this year free of charge it got baled a bit late and was not good enough for the horsey crowd. im happy with big bales so he said hell do me a few nxt year. if i cart them off the fields ill get them even cheaper. i have got the chance to buy a couple of hundred bales of oat staw £1 bale. is that better for feeding ? what is the best straw ie feed bedding etc.

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:28 pm

Just been on a farming forum where long-time farmers were discussing which was best straw for feed, and they all had different views. The one constant was that they all agreed it needed to be clean, dry and good quality. I was always told barley was best, but according to those guys.

£45 a tonne for good straw is a good price this year.

Edited By Broomcroft on 1261592967

Broomcroft · Post by **Broomcroft** » Wed Dec 23, 2009 7:45 pm

Sorry, mistake, can't edit, should say.....

"I was always told barley was best, but NOT according to those guys."