Staff who have days off, transport that is limitedly available these days, livestock farmers who have not always anticipated the holidays well and suppliers who do or do not continue to operate. It is important to pay close attention to ensure that everything continues to run, according to several forage traders. This is particularly the case with by-products. It is not so exciting with roughage.
The fact that things are not going so smoothly in the by-products is also noticeable in brewers' grains. The supply is very tight. Calling and delivering the same week is quite a challenge according to suppliers. This is partly because builders have a stop and partly because the demand for brewers' grains is good. The DCA Indicative Price for brewers' grains is increasing this week to €3,75 per percent dry matter. There is not much trade in feed potatoes. Among other things, some potatoes are coming onto the market that processors do not want and there is some supply of sorted seed potatoes. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains unchanged at €50 per tonne.
Hay and straw are not particularly busy. Straw is easy to get, but mainly from Germany and France and at reasonable prices. Dutch arable farmers in Oldambt and the southwest are not yet making much of an effort to sell, given the prices they are asking according to forage traders. A not too critical buyer in the south of the Netherlands might be able to get by for €165, while in the north the price for long, white straw is approaching €200. The price range is therefore quite wide. The DCA Indicative Price for both wheat and barley straw remains the same at €175 per tonne.
Alternatives to grass seed hay
There is little trade in grass seed hay. There is simply not much good grass seed hay this season. In addition, the price difference with barley straw is not very big. Price-conscious buyers therefore easily choose straw instead of grass seed hay for rumen stimulant. Spanish hammered straw also remains popular with livestock farmers, despite being somewhat more expensive. The DCA Indicative Price for grass seed hay is €180 per tonne. Meadow hay is traded, but that mainly goes to horse farmers. Livestock farmers are not or hardly on the market. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay is €195 per tonne.
There is plenty of silage available, but demand is and remains limited. Good silage does go to dairy goats or intensive dairy farmers, for example. Farmers like to keep the best grass for themselves. Bales of autumn grass are widely available, but there is little demand for them. The indicative price for silage grass has taken a step back this week to €80 per tonne. Silage maize is also not traded much. The late-chopped maize has barely been preserved. The DCA indicative price for silage maize is €85 per tonne.