# Have the feed companies lost their minds? *Prices*



## Marty (Oct 31, 2010)

Two weeks ago at Tractor Supply I paid $14.99 for a bag of Purina Equine Sr. Last week I paid $16.99 for it. This should have given me a clue that something was going on with feed prices yet again.

So guess what I just paid for Equine Sr. this week? A whopping big $19.99!






That's correct folks. I have just paid $19.99 for a bag of Equine Sr.






Also, Strategy is now $17.99, up from the usual $13.49. And we are not supposed to notice? While still browsing prices I noticed that good ole sweet feed is included and Omolene 100 is also skyrocketed to $15.99 a bag and Safe Choice and the rest of them across the board have also been increased HUGE. They also carry some off-brand sweet feeds from local mills and they have gone up also by approx. $4.00 a bag. :arg!

The prices of Nutrena and TSC's other brand of Senior feed and it is exactly the same as Purina. $19.99 a bag.

I am here to testify that I do not want to participate!



But what other choice do we have?





The manager told me this has nothing to do with the feed companies. Her explanation of who to blame for this as was told to them in a TSC meeting is guess who? THE GOVERNMENT.






I was given a big explanation that I can't even begin to repeat it all correctly but it had to do with whatever the government has done to our farmers this time, so our farmers have no other choice then to increase the costs of their grains to the feed companies.

I also got Beet Pulp and Alfalfa Pellets for $8.99 but the bag has been shrunk down to a $20 lbs. bag

Seems whole oats are holding steady at $9.99 a bag which I also feed.

The manager told me to get prepared, that by January 2011 these prices are going to hit the roof like we have never seen before.









This has been a public service announcement.


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## sedeh (Oct 31, 2010)

Yikes...that's a huge increase!!! I haven't had to buy more Enrich 32 yet....wonder what it's up to?? I don't feed too many other supplements though...until I need the Omelene 300 for the mares and foals.


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## JMS Miniatures (Oct 31, 2010)

That is crazy. I don't feed Purina, one of the reasons was the prices. But my feed has also gone up just recently, I want to say it went up .75 cents. I don't yet pay over $14 but earlier this year it was $12. Still doesn't touch what you are paying, thats redicolous.


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## chandab (Oct 31, 2010)

Marty said:


> I was given a big explanation that I can't even begin to repeat it all correctly but it had to do with whatever the government has done to our farmers this time, so our farmers have no other choice then to increase the costs of their grains to the feed companies.
> 
> I also got Beet Pulp and Alfalfa Pellets for $8.99 but the bag has been shrunk down to a $20 lbs. bag
> 
> Seems whole oats are holding steady at $9.99 a bag which I also feed.


Sorry, but that's BS, farmers have little say in what they get for price on their products. Grain elevators (not sure if its the local elevators, or whomever dictates to them) and the government have more to say about what farmers get for their products than the farmers themselves. Same with cattle. If you hold out for higher prices, you likely won't be able to sell at all, or the floor might fall out from under you and you get a really low price.

So far, my feed is the same price, but we'll see in a couple weeks when its time to order again. I picked up a bag of crimped oats at Big R the other day and it was $10.99/bag. The last time I got beet pulp shreds at TSC they were $7.49/25#, pellets were $9.99/40# (might have been $10.99/40#). I have beet pulp pellets on order from my usual supplier, and he quoted me $9.50/50#; just waiting for them to get them in so I can go get them.


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## ohmt (Oct 31, 2010)

Oh wonderful, more price increases!

The usda site may shed some light as to why the manager may have been fed a bit of bull. My grandfather farms 2000 acres of corn, oats, and wheat and he said this year was a really good one-even with corn down a bit. There have been a couple of farm bills passed, but my grandfather seemed either pleased or uneffected. Maybe it's just him though...


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## vvf (Oct 31, 2010)

I just got back from TSC. I just paid $17.39 for Purina Senior. Which is less that you just paid Marty, but last week was right about $15 a bag.

And last week I had a rain check for some Strategy from 2 weeks ago, as they had ran a sale at $13/ bag, but ran out of the feed. I picked that feed up last week for that price and The manager told me that the price of feed would be going way up. (that was an understatement)

He said the price of corn that farmers were getting was $4.85/ bushel.... So, real good for the farmers, but not for consumers, as it was going to drive the feed prices up.

I seem to recall a couple years ago, when the Ethanol was being pushed and promoted, and that pushed up the corn prices, and the price of feed went real high, just like now.


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## ohmt (Oct 31, 2010)

Vvf-corn prices are way down this year


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## Jetiki (Oct 31, 2010)

Marty, You must have gotten the Manager they just fired from here because of the prices. Priced everything way more than they should have been and caused there sales to go elsewhere. There was a big sign here in TSC that said they'd match any competitors so find the nearest purina dealer thats not a TSC and call them and see their prices and then take them in if they are less than TSC.

Karen


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## ~Lisa~ (Oct 31, 2010)

Our prices are holding but we pay alot

I pay 13 bucks for whole oats

25 bucks for Ultium

35 bucks for calf manna

35 bucks for rice bran

10 bucks for a now 40 lbs bag of beet pulp pellets

and the new strategy is about 16 bucks a bag

Thankfully the calf manna and the rice bran both last me 2 months-


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## vvf (Oct 31, 2010)

ohmt said:


> Vvf-corn prices are way down this year



I thought that $2 -$3 per bushel was a normal price


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## hunterridgefarm (Oct 31, 2010)

We also raise hogs for the meat. TSC price of their corn has jump up and the brand of their hog feed has jump too. but they allowed us to have Purina Hog and sow feed at their price.

We have to say that our local TSC has keep their prices down.


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## ClickMini (Oct 31, 2010)

I feed Allegra Cadence, and noticed the same thing this week. The prices are skyrocketing! I mentioned it to the clerk, and she said it was diesel prices. I just mentally rolled my eyes because, while the fuel prices aren't super low, it ain't what it was like last year (or the year before?) when they went so high. I call bull. INFLATION!!!! Combined with the fact that the feed supplier is setting us up to know that hay might be short this year (higher prices) and it is easy to see why people should be very judicious about breeding their horses. As indicated by the MANY online auctions going on at this time, and the LACK of competitive bidding, not to mention all of the dispersal sales, it's obvious that people are having a hard time even supporting their minis!


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## CZP1 (Oct 31, 2010)

I saw the prices at one particular feed store in town that carries Purina and his prices seemed kind of high to me, compared to what they were the last time I was in there.


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## ohmt (Oct 31, 2010)

vvf-my grandfather said prices on corn have dropped a lot. I believe in 2008 they skyrocketed though so this years dropping prices are probably getting them back down to where they are normally. I know prices on a lot of other things have gone up this year (like cotton-so next year will not be fun clothes shopping)


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## Margo_C-T (Oct 31, 2010)

I have been using TC Senior( for my 28 YO, who can no longer chew hay; she has teeth, they just aren't very good, despite regular tooth maintenance for all the 25 1/2 years I've had her)and TC Lite(for everyone else), for some time; both are currently at $19.95/50 lb. bag, which is the LOWEST they've been in a couple of years, because when the big push to add ethanol began, both went to right at $22-23/bag, and it was nearly a year before they came back down even this relatively small amount!

That said...I am not at all surprised. Let me say that, even though I am conservative in many ways, I do not and have never watched Fox News, or Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh, etc. I consider myself an independent thinker. The national network newscasts and shows such as "The Wall Street Journal Report" make clear, in various reports, that our national GOVERNMENT seems to believe that we 'need' some inflation, and are scared by the prospect of ANY deflation...i.e., the LOWERING of prices! Does that sound crazy, in a time when many don't have jobs or have had to severely 'cut back', and would really be HELPED by lower prices?? Of course, our GOVERNMENT likes to pretend that there is NO inflation; that's the 'reason' why COLA's have been denied to SS and other gov't. retirement plan recipients this year and already for next year...yet I'm sure I'm not alone in noticing that the costs of NUMEROUS items has been going up.I have NO DOUBT that it is some form of machination by our GOVERNMENT that is behind these price increases, and the worst is yet to come...if you wonder why, read up on the provisions of the new 'healthcare' bill; in particular: for anyone whose employer/former employer contributes to the cost of your healthcare plan, how that amount will be added into YOUR taxable income, so that you will be paying income tax on a possibly significantly HIGHER amount of 'income'that you will never lay your hands on...at the same time that the Bush-adminiatration tax breaks are being allowed to expire, meaning MANY citizens will already have received a larger--maybe MUCH larger--income tax 'hit'--when there could hardly BE a worse time for this to happen to taxpaying citizens!

Sorry to go somewhat OT--BUT, IMO, this is all 'tied together' in current national GOVERNMENTAL policies...and I suspect that an AWFUL LOT of U.S. citizens have NO IDEA what is about to happen to them! HUGE price increases in commodities and products are only part of it.(I do agree with those who think that it is not likely to be the farmers who are 'driving' these sizable feed price increases. I'd guess they would LIKE to have that kind of power, but don't...)

Margo


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## vvf (Oct 31, 2010)

ohmt said:


> vvf-my grandfather said prices on corn have dropped a lot. I believe in 2008 they skyrocketed though so this years dropping prices are probably getting them back down to where they are normally. I know prices on a lot of other things have gone up this year (like cotton-so next year will not be fun clothes shopping)



I am not a farmer, but all the farmer neighbors around us seem to be very pleased with the price of corn this year.

I also work with a man that his brother is a full time farmer.... this man also works with his brother during the planting/ harvesting.

This man is always talking farm "stuff" with me. He came into work a couple weeks ago and tells me " Have you seen the price of corn?" Wow" I took that to mean that the price must be up and must be a good price.


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## Sandee (Oct 31, 2010)

TSC is definitely not alone in the pricing. At our co-op the "generic" sweet feed (which don't get me started but I was told to feed my Shetland) went from $8.55 for 50# to $9.55 in two weeks time. Between the food he eats and the amount of bedding he goes though, that boy is gonna be expensive this winter!


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## garyo (Oct 31, 2010)

Ruth and I meet with the manager of our local feed store this past week because we felt our feed prices were going up so quickly that we might need to change to a different brand. We do feed Purina products. The store manager said that he had a meeting with his Purina rep last week and was told that because of high grain prices that we would continue to see price increases. We looked into changing to a different brand but could not find comparable feed that would save us any money. According to him the price increases will continue across the board with all brands.

If the prices get too high we will have to cut back on the quality of feed that the horses get. At least the local feed stores prices are still cheaper then TSC.


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## TMR (Oct 31, 2010)

Being a farmer and trading commodities, I can give a small insight on feed prices. One of the reasons feed prices are up are because Corn prices are up. Anyone can go to the Chicago Board of Trade website and see what corn prices are doing and have done in the past. For those that don't know the Chicago Board of Trade is where commodities are traded, which is what corn is a commodity (that is in very laymans terms). Corn prices are varied by many different factors such as current yield, export sales, weather, fight for acres, futures, etc. (again very basic explanation) So your feed prices are going to trend with corn prices, along with fuel prices, goverment, etc. If you ever listen to grain reports it can be frustrating and entertaining all at the same time. However, trading corn on the board the past few months I can say corn is up and we have done well.

Donna


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## ohmt (Oct 31, 2010)

Vvf-you are right. I just talked to my grandpa and he said price for corn has gone up a lot since the beginning of october. He said while it's not yet up to 2008 prices, it's still pretty darn high. I guess the last time I talked to him was a while ago!


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## Minimor (Oct 31, 2010)

So far our feed has been holding steady in price. Pellets (Frontrunner 14% is what I buy when I buy pellets) was down $1 a bag last time I bought some. Not sure where it's at in price this week--I'll have to look when I buy oats this week.

Lucky for us our horses are obliging about not liking pelleted feed much. The last bag I bought sits here unused because our weanlings this year don't like it. They are happy to have plain rolled oats, which is $7.50 for 20 kg or $8.70 for 25 kg (55 lbs)--it just depends which size bag the store has in stock. The mineral we use hasn't gone up in price--it is straight minerals, no protein, so isn't affected by grain prices at all--hopefully it won't go up, or at least not much, it's likely due for an increase of $1 for a 55 lb box as it's been at the same price for quite awhile now.


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## vvf (Oct 31, 2010)

Another feed price that just shocked me was a bag of pig feed.

A couple weeks ago we bought 2 pot belly pigs as pets for the grandsons. Well we raised pot bellies many years ago and used to feed them a commercial feed. We would buy it in 50 lb bags. and back then we paid about $5/ bag.

Well we picked up a bag for these 2 babies and oh wow, sticker shock!! It was $31. I couldn't believe it, I don't know how anyone could afford to feed that if they were feeding several hogs this feed.


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## wingnut (Oct 31, 2010)

I found this out a couple of weeks ago. My normally $30 in feed was almost $40. I was told it was because of the price of corn. Which is great for the farmers around me (including the one who rents our farm fields) but sucks for me! With only 4 to feed, it's still a manageable amount for us but it still stinks.


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## Sue_C. (Oct 31, 2010)

wingnut said:


> I found this out a couple of weeks ago. My normally $30 in feed was almost $40. I was told it was because of the price of corn. Which is great for the farmers around me (including the one who rents our farm fields) but sucks for me! With only 4 to feed, it's still a manageable amount for us but it still stinks.


Problem is, it isn't the farmers getting the extra $$.


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## Jill (Oct 31, 2010)

Ever since I've been feeding horses, I've seen that the prices go up this time of year and come back down in the spring. I've noticed a slight increase, as we always have, for the fall / winter but since I do this because I can afford something so completely unnecessary / just because I want to as horses, it hasn't really mattered nor come as any surprise..


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## cretahillsgal (Oct 31, 2010)

Okay, I haven't ready many of the other posts. But them saying that the government is to blame because farmers are demanding a higher price for their grains is a load of BS!

I work for a farmers cooperative (we handle the farmer's grains) and the farmer gets whatever the nationwide prices are. Those prices are NOT set by the elevator. We are loosing as much $ right now as the farmers are. The nationwide market rice which operates off of the Kansas City Board of Trade and the Chicago Board of Trade, has been TERRIBLE this year for wheat and some other grains. Many of our farmers here are selling out and looking for different jobs to avoid bankruptcy. In most instances a farmer needs around $5 per bushel of wheat to break even. And at harvest time the average price was right around $3.20.

It seems to me like now that TSC is becoming more widely known and relied upon, they are upping their prices. Or someone else in the middle is making a killing!


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## JMS Miniatures (Oct 31, 2010)

Ok so I'm at Joplin today and thought I would stop by the local TSC store to just compare prices and this is what I got:

Equine Sr. $17

Equine Jr. $17.50

Strategey $14

Omelene 100 $15

200 $16

300 $16.50

I didn't write down the Nutrena prices but they weren't much better

I also noticed the price of chicken feed also went up a little bit. Its now roughly around $13 a bag, and use to be around $12.


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## ~Lisa~ (Oct 31, 2010)

Sandee said:


> Between the food he eats and the amount of bedding he goes though, that boy is gonna be expensive this winter!


LOL my Shetlands do seem to be bottomless pits sometimes too


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## ruffian (Oct 31, 2010)

Russia's corn crop was a complete disaster this season. They are unable to meet their world wide contracts, which opens them up to anybody who can fill the contracts. The barracudas are racing to fill those contracts, which is driving the price of corn through the roof. It's not going to get any better this season. The farmers will get a very small percentage of an increase, but the biggest profit is going to go to the brokers. The farmers already have their contracts in place, so the brokers will take that corn, and sell it on the world market at a huge profit.

TSC here will match sales prices from others in the area. So I was able to get Strategy for $10.79. Plus I had a 10% discount coupon. I guess I better go get more to keep in stock.


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## wingnut (Oct 31, 2010)

I wanted to add that I don't buy at TSC. We have two locally, but we buy at our locally owned mill. The TSC stores are further away and I like to buy things locally whenever possible.

I just dug out my last receipt. Dated 10/16/2010:

Strategy: $14.49

Omolene 300: $16.29

The Omolene was running around $13-14 over the summer.

I really can't complain *too* much. Feeding my dogs is *much* more expensive. One dog is on a very special non-grain fish kibble that cost me almost $40 for 28lb bag. It's either feed him this or spend a bigger fortune in allergy meds plus vet visits. The other two are on a Purina kibble that runs me $40 for a 35lb bag.

They like the horse feed (long story) and I sometime threaten to feed them the feed instead of their own food!


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## Matt73 (Oct 31, 2010)

LOL. I wish _my_ feed was close to $19.99 a bag


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## Katiean (Oct 31, 2010)

Did you check the size of the bag too? I bet it is 40lbs instead of 50lbs too. No we are not supposed to notice. My cat food went up $3 and has gone from a 20lb bag to an 18lb bag and now to a 12 or 14lb bag. All while the price creaps up. Do they think we are stupid?


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## disneyhorse (Oct 31, 2010)

I've been paying $20 per bag of Purina Strategy for a few years now.


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## Ashley (Oct 31, 2010)

I dont feed any of that stuff. That said where I get my feed a few days ago Senior was around $15. I freed Front Runner Summit which is equivilant to Stratagy. It is only $9 something a bad. I pay $7 something a 50 pound bag of alfalfa pellets.


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## JMS Miniatures (Oct 31, 2010)

disneyhorse said:


> I've been paying $20 per bag of Purina Strategy for a few years now.


Gee whiz thats expensive. I really don't think Purina has gone up very much this year, maybe $1 more. Nutrena tho their prices have gone way up. I want to say their Sr. was more expensive being $18 a bag. I found one of my receipts and my Dynasty horse feed I'm only paying $13.25. So I was off by .50 cents. So its gone up just recently by only a quarter, I don't know why I was thinking .75 cents. I also think my chicken feed has gone up too but not by much. Now you talk about pet food, I only get the 40# bag of cat food and that hasn't gone up at all this year, and only paying $22 a bag and its a nice food by Kent.

So I really can't complain about my prices here is SW Missouri. I just keep shaking my head seeing what everyone else is paying.


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## Frankie (Oct 31, 2010)

I manage a Rural King Store here in Tennessee. There are RK stores now in 7 states, IL, IN, MI, OH, KY, TN, and MS. We carry Nutrena, Cargill and a Rural King brand. We have been told there may be a small increase, it is coming from the feed companies. But, it still isn't anything major like a lot of you are saying. I feed safe choice, it is on sale a lot, for $10.49, plus an employee discount, makes it a wonderful cost. Most of ours went to 40 lb bags last year with no price increase like many others did. If you have a Rural King in your area, not as an employee but as a horse person, it will save you money. Believe me, we/I follow prices a lot, we are cheaper and the same quality.


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## mizbeth (Nov 1, 2010)

Wow, I have noticed the prices too and wondered HOW ON EARTH can they do this when the economy is so bad and so many out of work? Why would Russia provide our corn in the first place? What has happened to the corn farmers in the midwest????? Has our government run them out of business or paid them NOT to produce? And yes, farmers are the LAST TO SEE a price increase in their products.

Sad, but the best thing to do is to write the companies and ask them why the high cost is such trying times? TSC originally when providing Purina products were to be cheaper than any other stores, but NOT SO, believe me. Maybe a letter to the USDA?

Strategy last week was still 12.89 at the local purina store and 14.29 at Tractor Supply. Acco products which are locally milled and produced are up a dollar or so a bag as well so around 8.5 for 12/8 feed. I feed Purina and doubt I will change that, since my horses are happy and healthy eating it. It IS one of the best feeds you can buy............BUT!

It sure would be nice to see the bottom line of these companies that produce and sell these products. Wonder if Purina still has their private Jets?

I could never afford 30-40 per bag for feed, gee.........................I hope it does not come to that.


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## chandab (Nov 1, 2010)

mizbeth said:


> Wow, I have noticed the prices too and wondered HOW ON EARTH can they do this when the economy is so bad and so many out of work? Why would Russia provide our corn in the first place? What has happened to the corn farmers in the midwest????? Has our government run them out of business or paid them NOT to produce? And yes, farmers are the LAST TO SEE a price increase in their products.


I don't think its a case of Russia providing our corn, but a matter of their failed crop means the US will sell to some of their usual "clients" for lack of a better word, so they'll try to get the best price they can, although the farmer won't see the extra money.


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## maestoso (Nov 1, 2010)

I guess I just don't see why everyone is so surprised. I'm looking at apartments and rent is more expensive in general than it was a few years ago when I was looking. Stables are charging more board now than they have in the past. Items at stores are becoming higher priced, meals at restaurants are costing more, gas prices increase, and so on and so on and so on. Horse feed is no different than anything else in the world . . .


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## mizbeth (Nov 1, 2010)

Yes, you are right Matt. Sure do wish salaries would increase to correspond with other high prices.

* Would be nice if we could take care of "our own" first. They do this with beet pulp too, (as well as other products), and we run out during the year as a result.


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## muffntuf (Nov 1, 2010)

I just spoke to my feed rep. because I wanted to know how much my feed is going but, but the feed I use does not use corn, so... Nationally the yield for corn was down 5.4% per acre and it is thought we will run short. It was Russia's wheat crop that tanked this year, they cancelled all their export contracts to export out to the US. But corn is not the issue. Speculators are causing some issues though.

So my advice - just keep in touch with your feed rep. to keep ahead of your prices.


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## Joanne (Nov 1, 2010)

Out in the west the hay crop was bad this year. It is estimated we will be back at 2008 prices this year again.

By Jan 2008 the price for one bale of hay was $21.00






We had unseasonably cold weather and unexpected rain at critical times for growing and baling, with a lot of hay lost. As always, stock up when it is on sale!


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## Reble (Nov 1, 2010)

Here they say to fertilize their crops have increased terrible.

So prices have increased ...


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## chandab (Nov 1, 2010)

Joanne said:


> Out in the west the hay crop was bad this year. It is estimated we will be back at 2008 prices this year again.
> 
> By Jan 2008 the price for one bale of hay was $21.00
> 
> ...


Our weather sucked for putting up hay; the fields grew like crazy with all the moisture, but no decent days for actual harvesting and baling. We have tons of cow hay (green, but musty and dusty), but very little is clean enough for horses; hopefully I'll have enough for the year, but may have to stretch it with hay pellets or complete feeds (not much selection on bagged feeds around here).


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## Carriage (Nov 1, 2010)

Are feed prices an indicator of a larger picture? What else is going up in price in unison with this.

With the massive printing of the "dollar" going on and the fed buying back its own debt, could an inflationary period be coming or even here? The non Keynsian economist are saying yes emphatically!

Credible predictions of between moderate to hyper inflation have been posited for many months now and we are starting to see numerous visible signs of same. Its actually been there for some time but kept just below the surface. At some point it can't be contained or hidden any longer. We have just exited a deflationary period that are many times attendant to such downturns. This is when one wants to take advantages of the prices, especially in a "set-up" like this.

Hope I'm wrong, but prepared if I'm right,

Just sayin,

Bb


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## Thinking small (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm not in the US but we haven't seen any increases in the feed costs. We don't use pellets so possibly they have and we wouldn't know.


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## ruffian (Nov 1, 2010)

"Are feed prices an indicator of a larger picture? What else is going up in price in unison with this."

Everything is going to go up. Corn is the basis for numerous groceries, including pet feeds. It's also being used to burn for heat.

Our news said it was the Russian corn crop that tanked, but they could have it wrong - wouldn't be the first time. If it was their wheat crop, that's even worse, as wheat is used in more foodstock than corn.

Either way it's not the farmer or the consumer that will come out ahead, but the middleman.


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## Riverdance (Nov 1, 2010)

Margo_C-T said:


> I have been using TC Senior( for my 28 YO, who can no longer chew hay; she has teeth, they just aren't very good, despite regular tooth maintenance for all the 25 1/2 years I've had her)and TC Lite(for everyone else), for some time; both are currently at $19.95/50 lb. bag, which is the LOWEST they've been in a couple of years, because when the big push to add ethanol began, both went to right at $22-23/bag, and it was nearly a year before they came back down even this relatively small amount!
> 
> That said...I am not at all surprised. Let me say that, even though I am conservative in many ways, I do not and have never watched Fox News, or Glenn Beck, or Rush Limbaugh, etc. I consider myself an independent thinker. The national network newscasts and shows such as "The Wall Street Journal Report" make clear, in various reports, that our national GOVERNMENT seems to believe that we 'need' some inflation, and are scared by the prospect of ANY deflation...i.e., the LOWERING of prices! Does that sound crazy, in a time when many don't have jobs or have had to severely 'cut back', and would really be HELPED by lower prices?? Of course, our GOVERNMENT likes to pretend that there is NO inflation; that's the 'reason' why COLA's have been denied to SS and other gov't. retirement plan recipients this year and already for next year...yet I'm sure I'm not alone in noticing that the costs of NUMEROUS items has been going up.I have NO DOUBT that it is some form of machination by our GOVERNMENT that is behind these price increases, and the worst is yet to come...if you wonder why, read up on the provisions of the new 'healthcare' bill; in particular: for anyone whose employer/former employer contributes to the cost of your healthcare plan, how that amount will be added into YOUR taxable income, so that you will be paying income tax on a possibly significantly HIGHER amount of 'income'that you will never lay your hands on...at the same time that the Bush-adminiatration tax breaks are being allowed to expire, meaning MANY citizens will already have received a larger--maybe MUCH larger--income tax 'hit'--when there could hardly BE a worse time for this to happen to taxpaying citizens!
> 
> ...


I agree with this statement. While the GOVERNMENT is trying to drive prices up to pay for the health care plan with all of these new taxes, reduce our Medicare coverage, no increase for Social Security, they are giving themselves raises.





Fortunately, i buy a new feed that is just being put out, it has been developed by Kentucky Equine Research. It is so new, and I must say, so fresh (from being put into the bag to my farm, the feed is less than 2 weeks old), that the prices are still really good. I have never purchases from Tractor Supply because their prices have always been way too high.


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## Carriage (Nov 1, 2010)

..and I suspect that an AWFUL LOT of U.S. citizens have NO IDEA what is about to happen to them! HUGE price increases in commodities and products are only part of it.

Miss Margo is spot on and Miss River is as well for giving credence. I also suspect that like me, they will be only to glad to say they are wrong if things "improve". Being prepared, if we (and some serious economic brainiacs) are correct is the gleaning one should take away.

Put up as much as you are able now in case the price is slated to go higher. It is not a gamble. It is a prudent and cogent response to the evidence at hand. Putting up for both your 4 legged and 2 legged critters is both prudent and sound money management. Besides it takes you out of your current status of buy high and sell low (think about it) and puts you on the much more preferable financial management footing of buy low sell high, which I might add is what "they" are doing to YOU dontchaknow

"Thou sluggard, Look to the ant.."

Bb


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## LaVern (Nov 1, 2010)

Oats---The farmers are getting $2.75- $2.80 for 32 lbs=(one bushel) when they sell it to elevator here. I just bought 16,000 lbs bulk at elevator for $3.00 per 32 lbs=(one bushel). I will have to buy at least that much again, when I can get it. Not many raising it anymore other crops more profitable, but there are other places that buy from elevator, put it in a bag and double the money.


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## Mominis (Nov 1, 2010)

I'm headed to the feed store on Tuesday and I hope that I don't see the increases that you guys are talking about, but I'm not holding my breath. That said, I have been avoiding TSC ever since they quit carrying TNT Chops because the TNT company couldn't keep up with the demand through TSC. I mean really...where is the support for the little guy in business? Sheesh...

Anyway, TSC hasn't been getting my business for several months now. I've been shopping at a local farm store and the prices, just a couple of weeks ago, were holding steady at just shy of $15 for Omelene 200.


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## Miniature217 (Nov 1, 2010)

I feed my mare Nutrena Stock and Stable 12% Sweet Feed it rings up $7.00 a bag but it is always on sale for $6.97 for a 50.lb a bag . At our Buchheit country store


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## iowa (Nov 1, 2010)

Sorry, but the government does not want food prices to INCREASE! They go to great lengths to keep food affordable which is why we have so many farm programs. Usually the cost of production is above what the farmers get for corn. This year, the price of corn is at near record levels for whatever reasons, but I would imagine that the government is not really happy about that. Think of all the disgruntled voters who do not want their food prices to increase. In an election year, (which is just about over thank goodness) I think that political leaders are hoping food prices don’t go sky high or they may have a rebellion!

Personally, I blame the wide fluctuation in prices to the Chicago Board of Trade and the speculators who never take possession of the grain they “buy”. It is really just a way to gamble with the country's commodities and gives a false impression of the true supply and demand.


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## mizbeth (Nov 2, 2010)

_"Sorry, but the government does not want food prices to INCREASE! They go to great lengths to keep food affordable which is why we have so many farm programs. Usually the cost of production is above what the farmers get for corn. This year, the price of corn is at near record levels for whatever reasons, but I would imagine that the government is not really happy about that. Think of all the disgruntled voters who do not want their food prices to increase. In an election year, (which is just about over thank goodness) I think that political leaders are hoping food prices dont go sky high or they may have a rebellion!"_

I take it you have not been to the grocery store to buy a steak lately? The prices are horrific! And yes, the government DOES want the prices to go up. Many hundreds of thousands of acres that were used last year to produce corn, were not used this year. Our corn production is down, while consumption/usuage is up. The government pays farmers NOT TO PLANT, sorry if that hurts your feelings. My family has been the farm business for a hundred years and we have been paid NOT TO PLANT certain crops by the government.

**

http://www.lvrj.com/opinion/25260459.html

This article explains it in simple terms.

Conservation Reserve Program


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## iowa (Nov 2, 2010)

mizbeth said:


> _"Sorry, but the government does not want food prices to INCREASE! They go to great lengths to keep food affordable which is why we have so many farm programs. Usually the cost of production is above what the farmers get for corn. This year, the price of corn is at near record levels for whatever reasons, but I would imagine that the government is not really happy about that. Think of all the disgruntled voters who do not want their food prices to increase. In an election year, (which is just about over thank goodness) I think that political leaders are hoping food prices dont go sky high or they may have a rebellion!"_
> 
> I take it you have not been to the grocery store to buy a steak lately? The prices are horrific! And yes, the government DOES want the prices to go up. Many hundreds of thousands of acres that were used last year to produce corn, were not used this year. Our corn production is down, while consumption/usuage is up. The government pays farmers NOT TO PLANT, sorry if that hurts your feelings. My family has been the farm business for a hundred years and we have been paid NOT TO PLANT certain crops by the government.
> 
> ...



Oh I have been to the store and am happy to pay the price. I own and live on a corn producing farm in Iowa and have for over 60 years. The government paid farmers Not to plant for many years, not just this year!!! It doesn't hurt my feelings that you have that opinion, why would it? I am glad that the farmer is finally getting prices above what they got in the 1920's and if the government is helping achieve that, then all the better. Why do you want the family farmer to go out of business? All other input expenses have gone up - land, fuel, seed prices, fertilizer,insurance and labor. Why can't the farmer make a profit with or without the government? I thank God the government was there when prices were so low as many family farmers could not have stayed on the farm. The Conservation Reserve Program, which I think you are referring to about NOT planting corn, has seen a reduction in acreage with more acres planted in corn. Planted acreage is UP, but so is demand. It's a simple law of SUPPLY and DEMAND and it is a worldwide market now, not just the U.S.


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## sdmini (Nov 2, 2010)

Not quite the article I would pick on the conservation program.



Like the name implies it is designed, yes to reward farmers by way of payment for keeping land out of production or conserving it. I believe it originated in the 30's but whether it was a product of the "Dirty Thirties" or not the goal was to preserve topsoil, prevent water erosion and create habitats. NCRS or FSA websites would have more information.

Grain prices have been better for quite some time and there are lots of pasture ground getting converted to farm ground. There are more acres going into corn and on top of that the technology involved in crops these days have increased the yields exponentially. Shortage of corn? Not that I've heard, as a matter of fact lots of elevators are having a hard time keeping the corn moving enough to be able to continue to buy corn. Why the rise in prices?  It's the people playing the markets. The coffee talk is that it's the oil companies that are behind the push, driving up corn prices so that ethanol is no longer a feasible option, but that may just be coffee talk.


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## Carriage (Nov 2, 2010)

Our corn production is down, while consumption/usuage is up. The government pays farmers NOT TO PLANT, sorry if that hurts your feelings. My family has been the farm business for a hundred years and we have been paid NOT TO PLANT certain crops by the government.

All true Mizbeth and well said! However the ever increasing price off corn also has another root that can't be forgotten and that is the lunacy of "Ethanol". Yes the wonderful gas "additive" that decreases performance and efficiency for a gas engine AND decreases mpg AND eats various and sundry soft parts of your fuel system over time and especially if stored. Hmmm seems like it was "gov" that forced that on us and as such IS responsible for the price increase ALONG with paying farmers not to plant. Lets see, food that could save millions from starvation, put in our gas tank by force of gov.....

So what we are talking about is a gov. created shortage, control and manipulation. Outside of big agri corporations there are VERY few "rich" farmers. The former has gov. capo's doing their bidding, the latter has to defend itself against gov in a decidedly adversarial situation because the gov. has done much to exterminate the traditional family farm. If we were talking physical casualty's it would be rightly termed government sponsored genocide!

To bring it back to the original question, No the feed companies have not lost their minds. Nor have the poor farmers. Due to generational apathy and inattentiveness on a national scale they are merely pawns and are only able to react in defense. They have no choice. They can either play the hand dealt them or fold. With the forces arrayed against them, refusal to fold is a temporary measure with an inevitable outcome UNLESS you change the dealer AND the game.

"We the people/dealers in order to form a more perfect union and secure the blessings of Liberty/game".....

Bb


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## mizbeth (Nov 2, 2010)

Yes Marlee,

This is not the article to select overall, but other articles were too detailed to put up here. Yes, corn production is down per USDA site with statistics on it, but again that is a complicated site to understand, plus the terminology. Conservation Reserve Program refers to many crops, not just corn and encompasses a number of things, not just the conservation of land alhtough called that. We were paid not to plant cotton for instance, and yes the program has been in effect for many many years. YES, the farmer should make a profit, I totally agree, since my family farms. However in the overall scheme of things, it is not the farmer who makes the money, with or without the governments help.

Anyway back to high feed costs.........horrific! I rarely get involved with politics (which this most certainly is), as no matter what, not much we say or do will make a difference. Lets hope we see a change for the good in the cost of feeds, and goods for that matter, since the economy in general is still not good.


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## Allure Ranch (Nov 2, 2010)

_I've personally utilized Strategy, Safe & Sound and many others over the years. _

_ _

_However, after all the increases in price I finally decided to located a comparable feed that my horses would still benefit from and therefore I switched to Caliber 12. As of last week I contacted the mill verses obtaining it through our vendor and negotiated the price of $7.57 per 50 lbs bag for a ton._ 

 

_So NO complaints from me right now.... and I've been using this particular feed over 7 months._


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## Mominis (Nov 3, 2010)

Went to the feed store yesterday and my feed price is still holding solid at $14.75/bag (Omelene 200). However, my hay (TNT Chops) went up from $9.95 to $10.50/40#bag. Corn would have nothing to do with that.


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## mizbeth (Nov 3, 2010)

Me too Kimberly,

I am mixing 12/8 Acco feed with my Strategy as it is 8.50 per bag. I have been fortunate up to this point however as I have been able to purchase my Strategy from my neigbor who works at the race track and supplies my Strategy for 10.00 per bag (Country Store 12.85 - TSC 14.29 per bag), he is leaving for Florida the first of December to play Polo. So I will be changing my feed although I sure do not want to, but when you have 40 horses to feed it simply is not cost effective to feed at todays prices. Mine are all FAT and healthy, so hope the new feed keeps them that way.

All in all times are tough and prices too high. Hay is still priced right and GOOD quality.


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## Margo_C-T (Nov 3, 2010)

Mizbeth--

You are in Texas, is that right? What ARE your hay prices? What kind of hay?

I ask because I've noted a WIDE range of hay prices mentioned in threads here in past; sure seems to be a HUGE variation in price around the country!I'm interested in what others feed are 'right' prices for hay!!

I was a LOT happier with the grass hay I bought this year than last; that said, the price held high, but at least didn't rise. Here, a mix of brome/orchard, sometimes w/ timothy also, is $9.25/bale--about 45-50 lb. bales--BEFORE the @7% sales tax. Of course, you don't have to pay sales tax if you can buy from the actual producer, but since most of the decent grass hay here comes from elsewhere, and I don't need enough anymore to justify a full delivered load from an out-of-state grower, I have to buy from one of my area feed stores.I do buy my alfalfa from the grower, and it was actually LOWER in price this year...but then, I get it from one of the state's best, most ethical, growers!Thank goodness! I feed generous amounts of hay, and REALLY want and need good quality for reasonable cost!

Anyone have any experience with 'dovey fescue' hay? I don't have broodmares, so feeding fescue is not an issue for me. A good friend found some area-grown dovey fescue this year, bought some and liked it, as do her horses, so was headed to get some more, last I spoke to her. It was 'only' $6/bale--about the same size bales as I mentioned above.She showed it to me; it looks good, and my horses liked it when offered some. I am hoping to be able to consider some next year, IF the crop comes off good.

Margo


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## chandab (Nov 3, 2010)

Margo_C-T said:


> Mizbeth--
> 
> You are in Texas, is that right? What ARE your hay prices? What kind of hay?
> 
> ...


We raise a lot of our own hay, as we have cattle, too; but this year we didn't get much horse quality hay put up, so I had to buy some. I could only get alfafa-grass mix as the straight grass wasn't good (bad weather), the mix was $90/ton, I got two ton (I think it comes out to a little over $3/bale; they are roughly 70# bales (some more, some less), so about 28 bales/ton). I'm also probably going to have to feed some complete pellets to stretch my hay supple.

I found an interesting hay feeder advertised in my Horse Illustrated magazine, so I ordered one to try on my chubby mare that I should really have on a diet, but always give her extra hay as I feel bad when she goes through it so fast. Here's a link to the feeder site (I ordered from Jeffers as I needed something else too, but I think the price would be the same w/ shipping): http://www.healthezhayfeeder.com/ It looks interesting, so I'm going to try it.


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## mizbeth (Nov 6, 2010)

I feed coastal and alfalfa hay. I have a new 10 acre pasture so am not feeding too much hay now, but our hay runs from 6.00 - 9.00 for coastal depending on where you get it 12.00+ for alfalfa. Either one of these hays are supreme quality as we have had a good hay growing year, rain at the right times and so on. Coastal is typically grown around here and the alfalfa comes from NM, very fine and leafy.

* Yes, southern Texas


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