The first cut of grass is largely under plastic, and maize has been sown by many farmers. With that, things are calming down a bit. That is also somewhat the case in the roughage trade. Regular work continues, but it is certainly not very exciting. Read more about the roughage trade and price developments.
The weather cooperated nicely until just before the weekend to get the grass in properly, and many livestock farmers took advantage of this opportunity. Only in the north of the country does some work still need to be done, as growth got underway a bit later there.
The rain from last weekend is a welcome bonus for regrowth. Certainly, you won't hear those who have already applied fertilizer complaining. The only downside regarding the weather that you hear mentioned is that it could be warmer for the corn.
Good silage grass remains in demand
Meanwhile, the forage trade is quiet. Trade in silage is limited. Some traders report still having some supply of bales from the previous harvest. However, there is little demand for this, especially regarding late autumn grass. Good organic silage is in demand, but there is little supply. Good conventional silage remains in demand from regular, more intensive customers, but there is not much supply of this either. The DCA Indicative Price for silage remains stable at €80 per ton.
In silage maize, things are also ticking along a bit. Some livestock farmers who have little or no maize of their own are switching to other products, meaning demand this season is somewhat lower than is sometimes the case in other years. Nevertheless, something is happening every time. The DCA Indicative Price for maize comes in at €75 per ton.
Structure
The fact that livestock are out in the fields is somewhat noticeable in the demand for straw. Riding schools and livestock farmers who take their animals out (during the day) are drawing slightly less than in the winter. Customers such as goat farmers, of course, continue to order at the normal pace. There is also somewhat increased demand for feed straw to temper the effect of the vigorous spring grass. In addition to barley straw, hammered straw is also popular for this purpose. The DCA Indicative Price for wheat straw stands at €165 per ton this week, and for barley straw at €170 per ton.
Hay is not in very high demand. The DCA Indicative Price for meadow hay remains stable at €200 per ton. Grass seed hay ranges from €165 to €180 per ton depending on the variety.
The by-products market remains largely a buyer's market. Residual streams from grain processing and biofuels, in particular, are readily available. The DCA Indicative Price for brewers' spent grain stands at €3,15 per percent dry matter.
Potato products are somewhat less readily available. For example, for chips or steam peels, this is explainable by the slower processing rate. However, the fact that feed potatoes are not available in as large quantities as some traders could sell is quite remarkable, given the stocks that should be hanging over the market. The DCA Indicative Price for feed potatoes remains stable at €15 per ton this week.