California Weekly Hay Report

ML_GR311                                                                       
St Joseph, MO    Fri Apr 13, 2012    USDA Market News Service

Compared to last week:  Domestic Alfalfa traded steady in all regions with new 
crop hay slowly entering the marketplace, except Region 6 steady to 5.00 lower.  
Retail/Stable hay traded mostly steady on limited offerings.  Export hay traded 
steady to 5.00 lower, decline seen in Region 6 as that is bulk of export quality 
hay.  Demand moderate to good for all classes with moderate to active trade 
activity.  Regions 1 and 2 trading continues to be minimal as much of the hay is 
already spoken for.  Regions 3 and 5 movement has slowed as rain has accompanied 
the area much of the week with more expected in the next few days.  Recent 
moisture has delayed cutting for many of the producers with few new hay trading. 
Region 6 hay trade continues to trade at near same level with a slight decline 
witnessed this week.  Buyers resistance to price continues to be seen with dairy 
hay slow to move.  Dairy buyers continue to buy on a hand to mouth basis to 
combat declining milk prices.  All prices are reported FOB the stack or barn 
unless otherwise noted.

Tons:  33,340    Last Week:  20,005    Last Year:  17,794                      

Region 1: North Inter-Mountain:  Siskiyou, Modoc, Shasta, Lassen, and Plumas.  All 
prices reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted.              
                                              
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Supreme                 200  290.00-290.00  290.00     Organic           
      Premium                 275  280.00-290.00  282.73     Organic           
      Good                     50  230.00-230.00  230.00     Grassy            
                              200  270.00-270.00  270.00     Organic           
      Fair                    200  260.00-260.00  260.00     Organic           
  Alfalfa/Grass Mix                                                            
      Premium                  50  270.00-270.00  270.00     Retail/Stable     
  Alfalfa/Oat Mix                                                              
      Premium                 400  185.00-185.00  185.00                       
  Pasture Grass                                                                
      Premium                  50  210.00-210.00  210.00     Retail/Stable     
      Fair/Good                50  170.00-170.00  170.00     Retail/Stable     
  Beardless Wheat                                                              
      Good                    300  200.00-200.00  200.00     Organic           

Region 2: Sacramento Valley:  Tehama, Glenn, Butte, Colusa, Sutter, Yuba, Sierra, 
Nevada, Placer, Yolo, El Dorado, Solano, Sacramento, Amador, and Alpine.  All 
prices reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted.
                                                 
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Good                     25  240.00-240.00  240.00                       
                               50  260.00-260.00  260.00     Retail/Stable     
                              175  290.00-295.00  291.43 Del Retail/Stable     
      Fair                    125  270.00-270.00  270.00 Del Retail/Stable     
  Orchard Grass                                                                
      Good                    125  250.00-250.00  250.00     Retail/Stable     
  Wheat Straw                                                                  
      Premium                 650  100.00-110.00  105.00     Retail/Stable     
      Good                    375   85.00-85.00    85.00     Erosion Control   

Region 3: Northern San Joaquin Valley:  San Joaquin, Calaveras, Stanislaus, 
Tuolumne, Mono, Merced, Mariposa.  All prices reported FOB the stack or barn 
unless otherwise noted.                                         
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Supreme                 225  270.00-275.00  271.11                       
                               50  295.00-295.00  295.00 Del                   
      Premium                 500  245.00-250.00  247.50     Excessive Moisture
                              100  285.00-300.00  292.50 Del                   
                              500  265.00-270.00  267.50 Del Excessive Moisture
      Good                     50  240.00-240.00  240.00                       
                              300  200.00-200.00  200.00     Excessive Moisture
                              225  275.00-280.00  276.67 Del                   
      Fair/Good                50  260.00-260.00  260.00 Del                   
      Fair                    100  245.00-250.00  247.50 Del                   

Region 4: Central San Joaquin Valley:  Madera, Fresno, Kings, Tulare, and Inyo.  
All prices reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted. 
                                        
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Premium                 175  255.00-255.00  255.00                       
                              100  270.00-270.00  270.00     Retail/Stable     
                              175  290.00-290.00  290.00 Del                   
      Good                          65.00-65.00    65.00     Haylage           

Region 5: Southern California:  Kern, Northeast Los Angeles, and Western San 
Bernardino.  All prices reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted.   
                                               
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Premium                 700  255.00-260.00  259.29                       
                              100  230.00-230.00  230.00     Excessive Moisture
                              525  299.00-305.00  299.86     Retail/Stable     
                              100  310.00-310.00  310.00 Del Retail/Stable     
      Good                    100  230.00-230.00  230.00     Excessive Moisture
                               25  250.00-250.00  250.00     Retail/Stable     
  Barley Silage                                                                
      Good                          40.00-45.00    42.50                       
  Corn Silage                                                                  
      Good                          45.00-45.00    45.00                       
  Wheat Silage                                                                 
      Good                          40.00-45.00    42.50                       

Region 6: Southeast California:  Eastern San Bernardino, Riverside, and Imperial.  
All prices reported FOB the stack or barn unless otherwise noted.          
                                              
                             Tons   Price Range   Wtd Avg    Comments          
  Alfalfa                                                                      
      Supreme                1200  260.00-260.00  260.00                       
      Premium                8840  240.00-245.00  240.96                       
                              800  230.00-230.00  230.00     Excessive Moisture
                             2530  240.00-255.00  240.92     Export            
                              475  275.00-280.00  279.21     Retail/Stable     
                              200  310.00-315.00  311.25 Del Retail/Stable     
      Good/Premium           3805  232.00-235.00  234.81                       
                              655  220.00-225.00  222.71     Excessive Moisture
                             1400  224.00-230.00  227.09     Weedy             
      Good                   2100  210.00-220.00  214.29     Excessive Moisture
                             2710  235.00-235.00  235.00     Export            
                              495  240.00-260.00  252.42     Retail/Stable     
                              200  300.00-310.00  302.50 Del Retail/Stable     
  Orchard Grass                                                                
      Premium                  25  340.00-340.00  340.00 Del Retail/Stable     
  Bermuda Grass                                                                
      Premium                 175  270.00-290.00  280.71     Retail/Stable     
                               50  310.00-310.00  310.00 Del Retail/Stable     
      Good                    100  240.00-265.00  252.50     Retail/Stable     
  Forage Mix-Three Way                                                         
      Premium                 150  320.00-320.00  320.00 Del Retail/Stable    

Alfalfa hay test guidelines, (for domestic livestock use and not more than 
10% grass), used with visual appearance and intent of sale Quantitative 
factors are approximate and many factors can affect feeding value.         
                                                                          
             ADF     NDF     RFV     TDN-100%    TDN-90%   CP-100%                 
 Supreme     <27     <34     >185      >62       >55.9       >22                   
 Premium    27-29   34-36   170-185   60.5-62   54.5-55.9   20-22                  
 Good       29-32   36-40   150-170    58-60    52.5-54.5   18-20                  
 Fair       32-35   40-44   130-150    56-58    50.5-52.5   16-18                  
 Utility     >35     >44     <130      <56       <50.5       <16                   
                                                                                   
   ADF = Acid Detergent Fiber; NDF = Neutral Detergent Fiber; RFV = Relative 
Feed Value; TDN = Total Digestible nutrients. RFV calculated using the 
Wis/Minn formula.  TDN calculated using the western formula. Values based on 
100% dry matter, TDN both 90% and 100%.           

Source - USDA Market News Service, St Joseph, MO                               
         Kinley Hartman; Jeff Pendleton, and Charlie Potts 816-238-0678                         
         http://www.ams.usda.gov/mnsreportsML_GR311                            
                                                                               
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