It is not very busy on the roughage market. There is little that can be done, especially in silage grass, traders report. In the by-products, on the other hand, things continue to rumble. The market is becoming increasingly friendly to buyers.
A longer period of fixed weather is not in the weather forecasts. When we have a few nice spring days like now, livestock farmers are busier with agricultural work that needs to be done than with comparing feed prices. That is not entirely correct. The differences can be large, especially in the by-products. Not only between the different flows but also between the same product from other suppliers. Critically examining the ration, listing the options and calling suppliers can save serious money. This is certainly the case if savings can be made on concentrates. According to various suppliers, concentrate prices are holding up better than prices for by-products.
The DCA Indicative Price for spent grain has dropped compared to last week and amounts to €3,40 per percent dry matter. Feed potatoes remain the exception in by-products. The supply is scarce and, as far as they are available, the price does not or hardly move. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains stable at €60 per tonne.
Grass seed hay is running out
There are no unusual developments in hay and straw. Grass seed hay is becoming increasingly difficult to obtain. The DCA Indicative Price is €185 per tonne. As an alternative, several traders offer natural or dike hay or hammered straw. This is more readily available, but prices are higher than grass seed hay. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay remains stable at €200 per tonne. For straw we have to rely on supply from France. Partly because of this, the price differences between the North and South of the Netherlands remain large. The DCA Indicative Price for both wheat and barley straw is €140 per tonne.
With the mild weather the grass grows fast. This is clearly noticeable in the demand for silage. Many livestock farmers seem to have enough stock to last until the first cut. Apart from the more intensive companies that are always purchasing more, there was already little interest from buyers and that will no longer be the case. Supply is increasing somewhat, but that is generally bales of autumn grass. "If you want a good first or second cut of silage for a customer, you have to look carefully," says a forage trader. The DCA Indicative Price for good silage grass is €90 per tonne. With silage maize it is mainly the permanent work that continues. It is not busy, but there is always some trade. The DCA Indicative Price remains unchanged at €95 per tonne.