There are not many shifts in the forage market. Good maize and grass silage is hard to find even though there is a demand for it. The demand for by-products also remains good, but the hectic pace is over.
Several livestock farmers do not consume excessive amounts of roughage. There is therefore a relatively high demand for grass and corn, but also for by-products. Some traders note that demand is picking up further due to the approaching holidays. Several livestock farmers want to have a stock in case the availability of by-products decreases due to a stop by processors around Christmas and New Year's Eve. The DCA Indicative Price of spent grain remains stable compared to last week at €4,05 per percent dry matter. The supply of feed potatoes remains tight and the DCA Indication is €45 per tonne.
Good silage is and remains difficult to obtain. Farmers who would normally like to sell something now keep the grass themselves. The DCA Indicative Price for good silage has taken a step up to €85 per tonne. There are large differences in prices between different forage traders.
Because good silage is difficult to obtain, according to some traders there is slightly more interest in meadow hay. Not so much as feed for dairy cattle, but more for young cows to save on their own silage. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €190 per tonne. The trade in grass seed hay continues to grow steadily. Feed advisors like to include hammered straw in the ration, but several livestock farmers, partly due to the price, tend to use grass seed hay as a structural product in the ration. The DCA Indicative Price for grass seed hay ranges from €145 per tonne for English rye to €155 per tonne for red fescue. The straw market feels stuck. Sellers seem to assume that the price may increase in the near future and are somewhat reluctant to offer. In terms of demand, it is not overly busy, which is normal for this time of year. The DCA Indicative Price for both wheat and barley straw remains unchanged at €140 per tonne.
The demand for corn is cautiously increasing according to traders. We have to look for batches of good corn. "You have to be a bit lucky to find something that fits," according to a trader. The DCA Indicative Price is €100 per tonne.