The roughage market is between the old and the new harvest. The first new winter barley straw comes onto the market, as well as meadow hay and grass silage from the new harvest, which have been available for some time. But there is also still trade in these products from the previous harvest year. That means that there is a fairly wide price range.
There was some rain last week, but apart from an occasional downpour - which is more of a nuisance than a comfort - it did not make any difference in getting the grass and corn to grow. The high temperatures of around 30 degrees do not exactly help. This means that livestock farmers who normally have plenty of roughage still have to check whether a decent cut of grass has emerged before they want to sell. This does not mean that there is no trade in silage at all, but quality is a point of attention. What is mainly offered are a few loads to empty the silo or some leftover foil bales. Good silage for goats or on which cows actually produce milk is difficult to obtain. The DCA Indicative Price for silage remains at a relatively high level at €105 per tonne.
Grass seed hay has come a long way
With meadow hay, the difference between old and new harvest is relatively small. For hay from storage that can be fed directly, the average price is €190 per tonne for both old and new harvest. If you, as a buyer, have your own storage and are flexible with delivery, traders quote prices of around €170 for meadow hay delivered directly from the field, free of charge. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €180 per tonne. Grass seed hay is becoming scarce and not all forage traders can still supply grass seed hay. The new harvest won't be long in coming, but it will still take a few weeks before there is new supply on a large scale. The DCA Indicative Price nevertheless takes a small step back to €150 per tonne and there are hardly any price differences by variety. It's just what's left in the shed.
The first winter barley straw of the new harvest is now trickling in from France. In the Netherlands, the winter barley harvest has also started, but it is not the large volumes of straw that make the difference on the market. The DCA Indicative Price for barley straw from the new harvest of winter barley starts at €125 per tonne. For wheat straw, the price remains stable at €145 per tonne.
The demand for by-products remains good, partly because livestock farmers are keen to supplement the ration to compensate for the moderate grass growth. However, the offer does not last. Potato products such as steam peels, chips and feed potatoes are particularly difficult to obtain. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains at €60 per tonne. The indicative price of spent grain is also unchanged at €3,80 per percent dry matter.
Various traders also report that silage maize remains in high demand. Good corn is easier to find than grass silage, but it is certainly not the case that buyers can choose the corn silage, especially if you are critical of the quality. The DCA Indicative Price for good maize is €110 per tonne.