Inside Feed
Buyer is cautious on the feed market
The mood on the forage market remains stable. Supply and demand are reasonably balanced. As a result, prices remain stable. According to various traders, it has sometimes been busier during this period. Livestock farmers hope to be able to mow or take the cows outside soon.
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It is quiet in the forage trade, but there is still plenty to do. The relatively high prices on the world market for soy and wheat, among other things, means that livestock farmers are looking for alternatives. This is only available in limited quantities and is therefore quite expensive.
Small parties
There is not much trade in silage maize at the moment. Livestock farmers are careful when purchasing and keep a close eye on liquidity. When corn is purchased, it often concerns a few loads. When that runs out and the ration cannot yet be supplemented with fresh grass, they prefer to buy more later. The price of silage maize increases by €2,50 to €70 per tonne. This is mainly because suppliers do not let the corn go cheaper.
Feed potatoes have become €2,50 more expensive per tonne and amount to €42,50 per tonne. But there is little supply at the moment. Several traders have noticed that there is more supply of organic potatoes. There is also good demand for this from organic dairy farming. But with prices around €65 to €70 per tonne, this is too expensive for conventional livestock farming.
Other potato by-products such as steam peels are also less available than in other years. Beer spent grain remains a stable factor and, as in recent weeks, costs €2,90 per percent dry matter.
Foreign straw
Wheat straw currently mainly comes from abroad. There is little available in the Netherlands, so a lot of straw now comes from Denmark, Germany and France. Hammered straw from Spain is also quite popular. Wheat straw costs an average of €145 per tonne.
More silage grass is currently coming onto the market. Good quality silage is fairly easy to sell and costs an average of €70 per tonne. However, much of the grass silage that is now offered is wetter and of lower quality. There is little demand for this and it is not easy to find a destination.
The price for meadow hay remains the same as last week at €200 per tonne. There is reasonable demand from horse owners, especially for the coarser hay. There is not a lot of trade in grass seed hay, but the price remains stable at €150 per tonne.