How Much Does A Bale Of Hay Cost

If you are taking care of livestock, particularly horses, cattle, goats, and sheep, you need ample amounts of hay on a daily basis. Most of the time, you’d like to buy in bulk to save on costs, like buying at a wholesale price and one-time shipping. But how much does a bale of hay cost these days?

Average Cost of Hay Per Ton

The typical cost of a bale of hay changes a lot, even within a year. According to the Internet Hay Exchange, the current average price of a bale of hay is around $109, and Alfalfa hay costs around $143.

Both prices are per ton, depending on the quantity, location, shape, and size of the bales, as well as, whether they contain alfalfa or not. Also, there are several types of hay to choose from, all of which can vary in price significantly.

But if you specifically want to purchase small square bales of hay, the average grass hay price is around $6 with no alfalfa, and $9 with alfalfa hay, depending on the square hay bale size and weight.

Smaller animals like guinea pigs, hamsters, and rabbits also eat hay, and this has been included in their daily diet. With this, you’ll be needing hay in small quantities. But how much does hay cost per pound?

At some online pet shops, you can get a 25-lb. bag for $40, including shipping. That would be around $1.60 per pound of hay.

Costs of Hay According to Location

How much does a round bale of hay cost in different areas of the US? Apparently, hay costs depend on where you are in the state. Below are the current prices per ton according to the USDA:

State	Alfalfa	Grass Hay
Alabama	N/A	$70 to $300
California	$150 to $280	$250
Colorado	$160 to $240	N/A
Idaho	$145 to $170	N/A
Iowa	$93 to $300	$75 to $185
Kansas	$95 to $375	$75 to $125
Minnesota	$93 to $235	$45 to $145
Missouri	$100 to $225	$60 to $120
Montana	$90 to $180	$75 to $85
Nebraska	$90 to $180	$70 to $150
New Mexico	$190 to $300	N/A
Oklahoma	$140 to $150	N/A
Oregon	$175 to $250	$230 to $275
Pennsylvania	$205 to $365	$100 to $370
South Dakota	$88 to $225	$63 to $185
Texas	$200 to $280	$50 to $330
Washington	$175 to $230	$230 to $240
Wisconsin	$105 to $190	$80 to $120
Wyoming	$95 to $205	$190 to $200

As you can see, some states have no listed pricing. However, provided below are some of the prices from suppliers found from some of these areas:

If you are from Arizona, here are two suppliers and their respective hay prices per bale, including alfalfa hay prices:

• Conway Feed & Supply – 1520 E Storey Rd, Casa Grande, AZ, 85194

Alfalfa hay – $8.00 to $9.00

Bermuda grass hay – $14.00

Premium Alfalfa hay – $12.50

Teff grass hay – $12.50

Premium Teff grass hay – $16

Beardless wheat hay – $9.50

• Triple L Feed & Supply – 13700 N. Sandario Rd., Marana, AZ 85653

Alfalfa hay – $9.00 to $10.00

Alfalfa Cow hay – $8.00

Bermuda grass hay – $13.50

Rhodes grass hay – $13.50

Bermuda cow hay – $7.00

How much does hay cost per bale if you are living in Utah? Here are a couple of sources with their respective hay prices.

• Harward Farms – 1988 West Center Street, Springville, UT  84663

Small Bales

100% Alfalfa hay – $10

Grass Hay – $10

Alfalfa/Grass Mix hay – $10

Oat/Alfalfa Mix – $8

Straw hay – $6

Large (3×3) Bales

100% Alfalfa – $90

Alfalfa/Grass Mix – $85

Straight Grass – $85

• Laub’s Feeding & Cubing – 4016 N Beryl Hwy, Beryl, UT 84714

3-String Hay Bale – $17

Grade A Hay Cubes (Ton) – $235 to $245

Hay Mini Cubes (Ton) – $280

If you are somewhere in Florida, this is the current hay prices from one company. Please take note that the costs are in tons.

• Martin’s Larsen Farms – 270 W County Road 466, Oxford, FL

Field Bales

Compressed Alfalfa Bale – $410.00

Compressed Alfalfa or Grass Mix 1/2 bale – $435.00

3x3x8 Alfalfa – $510.00

Conventional Bales

2 String Alfalfa – $560.00

3 String Alfalfa – $565.00

2 String Orchard – $635.00

3 string Orchard – $665.00

2 String Orchard/ALF – $595.00

Additional Factors Affecting Hay Costs

How much does a roll of hay cost depends on many factors; a lot have already been mentioned above.

Below are some additional considerations:

• Quality plays a crucial role in pricing. The cost depends on whether you are buying fair, good, or premium quality.
• Drought affects the horse hay prices, especially in the states of Arizona, California, and Colorado to name a few.
• High demand for both grass and alfalfa hays in China, Japan, and UAE where bales and tons of hay are used to feed their domesticated livestock also has an impact on the pricing in the US.
• The cost of fuel greatly affects the hay growers and those who are tasked to deliver the product to the sellers and wholesalers.
• Farmers are expecting higher profits using their lands to plant and grow hay instead of other profitable crops such as corn, cotton, potatoes, among others. Having other options gives them the power to dictate pricing.