Source: USDA Market News – Hay Reports | May 10, 2019
Compared to last report alfalfa sold steady to $5 lower as producers are in the process of cleaning out barns to make room for new crop that is about 2 to 3 weeks away. Other hay classes remained unchanged. Trade activity was light to moderate on moderate demand depending on the types of hay coming onto the market. Wheat hay is being cut and baled in the Panhandle around thunderstorms. In East and North Texas Coastal Bermuda producers are still being delayed due to fields being too wet to access; most have not been able to fertilize yet. South Texas Coastal Bermuda producers have gotten through their first cutting and selling as fast as they can bale. Prices for hay and pellets quoted per ton except where noted.
Panhandle/High Plains
Alfalfa: Large Squares: Delivered: Premium to Supreme 265.00- 275.00; Good to Premium 250.00-265.00. Small bales: Delivered: Premium to Supreme 297.00-330.00, 9.00- 10.00 per bale.
Ground Alfalfa: Delivered to feedlots: Avg 215.00-225.00. Calf 230.00-235.00.
Coastal Bermuda: Large Bales: Delivered: Good to Premium 205.00- 240.00. Small Bales: Delivered: Good to Premium 360.00, 11.00 per bale.
Wheat: Large Bales: Delivered: 145.00-160.00.
Rye: Large Bales: Delivered: 150.00. CRP: Ground: Delivered: 85.00-90.00.
Far West Texas/Trans Pecos
Alfalfa: Small Squares: Delivered local or FOB: Premium to Supreme 330.00-360.00, 10.00-11.00 per bale. Large Squares: FOB: Premium to Supreme 275.00-280.00.
North, Central, and East Texas
Alfalfa: Large Squares: Delivered: Premium to Supreme 290.00- 310.00. Coastal Bermuda: Small Squares: FOB: Good to Premium 297.00-330.00, 9.00-10.00 per bale. Large Rounds: FOB: Good to Premium 140.00-200.00, 70.00-100.00 per roll; Fair to Good 120.00-140.00, 60.00-70.00 per bale.
South Texas
Coastal Bermuda: Small Squares: FOB: Good to Premium 264.00-297.00, 8.00-9.00 per bale; Fair to Good 165.00-264.00 5.00-8.00 per bale. Large Rounds: FOB and delivered locally: Good to Premium 100.00- 120.00, 50.00-60.00 per roll.

Hay Quality Designation’s physical descriptions
-Supreme: Very early maturity, pre bloom, soft fine stemmed, extra leafy. Factors indicative of very high nutritive content. Hay is excellent color and free of damage.
-Premium: Early maturity, i.e., pre-bloom in legumes and pre head in grass hays, extra leafy and fine stemmed-factors indicative of a high nutritive content. Hay is green and free of damage.
-Good: Early to average maturity, i.e., early to mid-bloom in legumes and early head in grass hays, leafy, fine to medium stemmed, free of damage other than slight discoloration.
-Fair: Late maturity, i.e., mid to late-bloom in legumes, head-in grass hays, moderate or below leaf content, and generally coarse stemmed. Hay may show light damage.
-Utility: Hay in very late maturity, such as mature seed pods in legumes or mature head in grass hays, coarse stemmed. This category could include hay discounted due to excessive damage and heavy weed content or mold. Defects will be identified in market reports when using this category. T