Good roughage and by-products remain in demand. The prices are at a decent level. It is not really busy with most traders, but that also fits the time of the year.
The demand for spent grain remains good and is increasing rather than decreasing for several suppliers. This is partly because the supply of campaign products is moving towards the end of the season. The supply of spent grains occasionally falters, for example due to unplanned stops at breweries. As a result, waiting times for spent grains are increasing slightly at various suppliers. Ordering now and delivering in four or five weeks is the rule rather than the exception. The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain nevertheless remains unchanged compared to last week at €4,05 per percent dry matter. The supply of feed potatoes remains tight. Occasionally, batches are offered that are barely suitable as animal feed. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes is €50 per tonne.
Corn is in high demand. Good corn is not in abundance this season and sellers realize that. Prices are therefore at a high level. The DCA Indicative Price for good silage maize has taken a small step up to €102,50 per tonne. There is a considerable spread between prices. Some traders are still just under €100 while others are already going over €105.
Think outside the box
There is sufficient silage grass, but the good grass on which the cows want to give milk is scarce. For some traders who do a lot of grass silage, it is quite a challenge to keep regular customers satisfied. Silage of slightly lower quality supplemented in the ration with other products may not be preferable for livestock farmers, but from the point of view of availability and price, it may be the best solution in several cases, according to insiders. The DCA Indicative Price for silage remains at €90 per tonne.
With hay and straw it is mainly the permanent work that continues. The DCA Indicative Price for both wheat and barley straw this week amounts to €140 per tonne. For grass seed hay the price ranges from €145 to €155 per tonne depending on the variety. Partly due to the limited availability of grass silage, there is also a relatively high interest in meadow hay from livestock farming. No extra mountains of hay are being purchased, but some traders report that they are purchasing several loads more than last year. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €190 per tonne.