Quality is decisive in the demand for roughage

Delivery times for various by-products and residual products are increasing, several traders warn. This is the case, for example, with potato press fibre, which is used as a covering for the corn silage. Seasonal demand is at its peak for such products. This does not only apply to highly seasonal products. Traders are also noticing that delivery times are increasing for other by-products. Calling today and delivering tomorrow or the day after tomorrow is not possible with most products.

Search for supplements to the ration
Beer spent grain remains very popular according to suppliers. On average, the protein levels in the grass silages are not that bad and several livestock farmers see spent grains as a good addition to the ration. The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain remains the same as last week at €2,85 per percent dry matter.

Feed potatoes are currently not or hardly available. "Almost everything that still resembles a potato disappears into the flakes or starch," said a trader. What is offered are consignments of very poor quality that are not actually suitable for feed or small consignments from arable farmers who, for example, sort pre-sales or small customers themselves. There is very little availability of sorted seed potatoes. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes is €40 per tonne.

The trade in silage maize is going quite well. At the moment, buyers are mainly in the market for a few loads to get a few weeks ahead. The DCA Indicative Price for old harvest silage maize is €70 per tonne.

What does the new corn do?
Corn from the new harvest is not yet on the market. Several traders expect to chop the first silage maize next week. Traders are still very cautious when quoting prices for the new harvest. Prices of €55 per ton delivered on the silage plate and the shovel for the recipient are floating around, but hardly anyone can confirm that any business has actually been done.

According to some traders, it is almost impossible to give a price per hectare for corn. Especially in the north of the Netherlands, the differences between the plots are too great for this. The prices quoted by traders for standing maize therefore vary considerably. This ranges from approximately €1.600 per hectare to €2.500 or even slightly more depending on the location, the state of the crop and demand in the region.

Big differences in quality
There is not much trade in silage. Demand mainly comes from goat farming, which places high demands on quality. Silage grass is also not offered much at the moment, top quality grass is especially difficult to obtain. The DCA Indicative Price for silage grass is €65 per tonne.

Not much is being done in grass seed hay and straw at the moment. Most livestock farmers stocked up during the harvest and are now away from the market. Several traders have some doubts about some batches of grass seed hay and straw in storage. The quality is disappointing here and there due to the changeable weather last summer. The DCA Indicative Price for wheat and barley straw is €120 per tonne. For red fescue this is €150, tall fescue and field meadow €140 and perennial ryegrass €130 per tonne.

The meadow hay trade is also quiet. Demand from agriculture is limited, it is mainly horse farmers who buy hay. The DCA Indicative Price remains the same as last week at €180 per tonne.