At first glance, the roughage market seems calm. But in the background, a lot is happening that should not be missed. Strikes at Heineken could shake up the brewers' grain price a bit, besides the fact that it currently fits well in the ration. The new silage maize harvest is nearing the end, but every now and then something still comes.
Supply and demand do not fully match in the by-products. Products such as pressed pulp and brewers' grains are in high demand, but the supply is certainly not unlimited. Yields of sugar beets are generally disappointing and the distributors of pressed pulp notice this. There is less available than was previously calculated.
Breweries are already working towards the planned winter breaks. Suppliers of brewers' grains are therefore trying to build up some stock during this period so that they will not run out later this month. However, strikes at Heineken are throwing a spanner in the works. In the meantime, the demand for brewers' grains is good. It fits well in the ration and, also not unimportant, brewers' grains are a product that almost all livestock farmers are familiar with. Due to the demanding market, the DCA Indicative Price for brewers' grains is increasing to €3,65 per percent dry matter.
According to several traders, it can be worthwhile to look at other by-products. It depends on who you ask what they have on offer, but corn gluten, wheat yeast concentrates or (solid) by-products from the potato processing industry can be a financially interesting alternative, depending on what is needed in the ration. Livestock farmers who can handle liquid residual flows can now take advantage of this.
Feed potatoes
There seems to be some movement in the supply of feed potatoes. Some forage traders report that quite a few potatoes are rejected and due to a low underwater weight, not everything is suitable for flakes, the first choice for rejected potatoes. Despite a somewhat increased supply, the DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes rises to €50 per tonne.
silage maize
The DCA Indicative Price for silage maize remains the same at €85 per ton. That is for maize from the pit. The maize chopped early in September has now been preserved, but there is also some maize available from the 2023 harvest. Incidentally, there is not much trade in maize, according to various traders. The harvest is as good as over and if anything is still chopped, you can question the quality of that maize.
Straw
The DCA Indicative price for straw remains the same at €175 per tonne. For those who are willing to pay the relatively high price, there is straw. The supply is sufficient, but arable farmers in France, for example, do not let it go easily. As insiders describe it, they do not feel the rush among the French sellers. They seem to think that the straw price could still take a step towards spring. The demand for straw remains, because it is hard to miss. There is a risk in that. High prices are an invitation to look for alternatives.
The DCA Indicative Price for grass seed hay remains the same at €180 per ton. There is not much trade in grass seed hay. It is quiet on both the demand and supply side. It is also not the busiest time of the year for silage. The DCA Indicative Price for silage grass remains the same at €80 per ton. According to an insider, there is supply. Little by little. The trade is also called quiet, or stable. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €195 per ton this week. The trade is said to continue normally, or quiet.