There is a demand for roughage, but the supply side is tight. Silage grass has been difficult to obtain all season long and various traders have noticed that, for example, silage maize and various by-products are more difficult to obtain.
Cows do not produce enough milk on grass alone, which is why livestock farmers are looking for supplements in their rations, according to insiders. However, pellets are quite expensive and that is why alternatives are being sought, for example in single raw materials, or, for example, some extra corn is fed.
However, the supply of by-products does not stop there. The potato processing industry has already used up the old harvest and it is still a bit too early for the new potatoes. With products such as steam peels or chips, it is a challenge for suppliers to keep the regular feeds going and there is little or no room for additional buyers. Feed potatoes are practically no longer available. The DCA Indicative Price remains at €60 per tonne. But an insider did indicate that you may question what you are bringing in if you can get feed potatoes at all. Waiting times for spent grain are also increasing at various suppliers. The DCA Indicative Price nevertheless remains the same at €3,80 per percent dry matter.
Search for corn
Maize remains in demand, but the supply in the Netherlands is very limited. Livestock farmers who still have corn that they want to get rid of are waiting a while because they think the price could rise somewhat. Opinions differ as to whether this is entirely justified. It depends very much on the region, but there are quite a few areas where the corn is in very good condition and if we still get rain, the price can drop again as the harvest approaches. Some traders get corn from Germany, but that is also an expensive hobby, partly due to transport. The DCA Indicative Price for corn this week is €110 per tonne.
Barley straw from the new harvest is becoming increasingly available. The DCA Indicative Price for this is €125 per tonne. Wheat straw from the old harvest is priced at €145 per tonne, but the differences between traders are quite large. Grass seed hay from the new harvest is hardly available yet. A cautious start is being made in grass seed in the southwest, but it will take some time before there is a large-scale supply. For the old harvest, the DCA Indication Price is €150 for all varieties. But supplies have almost run out and several traders have already stopped supplying grass seed hay.
The weather isn't cooperating
There is no longer period of permanent dry weather for the harvest of meadow hay. The necessary hay was recently extracted, but now things have calmed down a bit, according to traders. And what doesn't help is that the grass does not grow equally well everywhere. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay remains at €190 per tonne. Low supply due to poor grass growth also affects the silage trade. Livestock farmers who would normally like to sell something now keep it for themselves. You can always sell, let's first see what we can mow, that seems to be the reasoning. There is very little trade in loose silage grass and the grass that is sold is often not of top quality. More is being done in silage bales, but in terms of price it is difficult to compare it with a riding pit.