The forage trade is running fairly smoothly. There is a lot of demand for by-products in particular and good silage grass is also sought after. In hay and straw it is a bit quieter, but that is more common around this time of year.
According to several traders, it is a bit of a guess as to which direction the prices on the roughage market will take in the coming months. Farmers with hay and straw in the barn, for example in Germany or France, are starting to offer them carefully. However, livestock farmers in the Netherlands are not yet busy filling holes. What is necessary is being done, but we are still too early in the season to gain any insight into the new grazing season and where the gaps lie.
Wait and see attitude
The trade in hay and straw is relatively quiet at the moment, according to traders. There is interest from the livestock farming industry and some action is being taken, but livestock farmers who have sufficient stock are waiting patiently and watching how the market develops further. The DCA Indicative Price for wheat and barley straw remains the same as last week at €130 per tonne. For meadow hay, the DCA Indicative Price is €190 per tonne. Trade in grass seed hay is a bit more difficult. There is not much demand and the disappointing quality of various parties that come onto the market certainly does not help. For good grass seed hay, the DCA Indicative Price ranges from €130 to €150 per tonne depending on the variety.
There are buyers for good quality silage. That's just not easy to find. More than enough grass was harvested last season, but the quality is on average not up to scratch. The DCA Indicative Price for good silage grass suitable for dairy cows is €70 per tonne. Some people even charge a little more for top-quality grass that is suitable for goats. There is little demand for grass of lower quality.
Big differences in quality
The corn trade has yet to get off to a good start. Some traders do notice that there are significant differences in the quality of the silage maize. According to several insiders, some of the corn was chopped too early. This is reflected in the feed values in the pit. For good maize, the DCA Indicative Price takes a small step up to €72,50 per tonne.
The demand for by-products remains good. The market is a real demand market at the moment; everything that becomes available easily finds its way. According to some traders, the trick is even more to keep regular customers satisfied. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains the same at €45 per tonne. The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain has increased slightly to €3,15 per percent dry matter.