Hay cost per ton in Alabama

Alabama's hay market is dominated by warm-season grasses, primarily bermudagrass and bahiagrass, which thrive in the state's long growing season and 50-60 inches of annual rainfall. Most producers harvest 4-5 cuttings of bermudagrass between May and October, yielding 5-7 tons per acre under good fertility, according to the Alabama Cooperative Extension System. Humid summers and frequent afternoon thunderstorms make curing hay without rain damage the single biggest challenge, which is why weather-damaged lots often trade $30-$50 per ton below premium.

Because alfalfa struggles in Alabama's heat and humidity, virtually all dairy-quality and premium alfalfa is trucked in from Missouri, Kentucky, and the upper Midwest. The USDA AMS Southeast Hay Report consistently shows delivered alfalfa landing at $280-$340 per ton for premium grades and $320-$380 for supreme dairy hay, with freight alone adding $40-$80 per ton. Local grass hay in large round bales (4x5, roughly 1,000 lb) trades $60-$110 per bale at the farm gate, equivalent to $120-$220 per ton.

For a 1,200 lb beef cow eating about 25 lb of hay per day through a 120-day Alabama winter feeding window (roughly December through March), total consumption is about 3,000 lb, or 1.5 tons per cow. At a mid-range grass hay price of $180 per ton from the USDA AMS National Hay Summary, that works out to roughly $270 per cow per winter in hay alone, before waste. Factoring in typical 15-20% feeding waste from round bale rings, the real delivered cost climbs closer to $310-$325 per cow, which is why Alabama extension agents push stockpiled fescue and bermudagrass grazing to trim the winter hay bill.