A really early spring is no longer possible. How far the grass has developed differs from area to area, but in general livestock farmers are not really thinking about spring yet. And that is noticeable in the feed market.
The supply of good roughage has not lasted all winter and that has not changed this week. Some traders have noticed that there is still a relatively high demand for silage at this time of year. Livestock farmers who are lean still provide some grass silage because they expect that the first cut will not be early this year. Availability remains difficult and this is also reflected in the price. The DCA Indicative Price for good silage has taken a step up this week to €115 per tonne.
In the by-products the mood is slowly starting to shift. Not much has changed in terms of supply, but things are calming down a bit on the demand side. The developments on the grain market (the decline in recent weeks) are also filtering through to the by-products. Suppliers are trying to achieve a new balance in the market where by-products continue to be included in the spring ration compared to other feed flows without enormously increasing demand. How the milk price will develop further is another uncertain factor that weighs heavily. In recent months it has been worthwhile to go for the last liter of milk. If the milk price continues to fall, this could also change. The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain takes a step back and this week amounts to €4 per percent dry matter. Feed potatoes are hardly available. The DCA Indicative Price remains the same at €60 per tonne.
Above average demand
The hay and straw trade continues steadily. As with silage grass, some traders note that demand is above average for this time of year. Prices remain the same at €145 per tonne for both wheat and barley straw, €190 per for meadow hay and €145 to €155 per tonne for grass seed hay, depending on the variety. The new hay and straw harvest is still a few months away and if demand remains at an above-average level, a price increase in the coming weeks cannot be ruled out.
There is currently more demand for silage maize than there is supply. Although it is certainly not yet late to sow corn, the weather reports here also seem to be in the minds of livestock farmers. The optimal sowing date is the end of April, is often used as a rule of thumb and it almost is. Whether you get the chance to sow remains to be seen with the current weather reports. This may play a role in the current demand for silage maize. The DCA Indication Price has risen slightly further this week to €115 per tonne.