Savings Bump: Booting the hay habit

Keith Tuck said stockpiling and rotational grazing got him out of the hay business. Prior to 2014, Tuck hayed 120 acres every spring. If he had excess forage, he did it again in the fall. He found that putting up, and feeding less, hay translated into major savings — with costs going from $21,000 to $24,000 before the switch to $9,600 to $12,000 after. Now, all 250 acres of his pastures are grazed rather than part of it being set aside for making hay. He spends approximately $14,000 less on fertilizer for pasture and hay land, and not just because he quit making hay. -DTN/The Progressive Farmer Read more…