Current cattle market conditions, along with the price and short availability of hay, have created a scenario where the growing winter wheat crop may have more value for producers for grazing or as a hay crop this spring than to harvest it for grain. The current market value of good quality prairie hay and alfalfa ranges from $180 to $270 per ton. Hay stocks are short. Harvested feed costs at current hay prices range from $3 to $4 per cow-calf pair daily.
For some producers, the option to graze out wheat or harvest it as hay may net more value per acre than harvesting it for grain,…
