Hay cost per ton in Minnesota

Minnesota hay production centers on 3-cutting alfalfa systems in the southern and central parts of the state, with first cutting typically in late May to early June, second in early to mid July, and third in late August. According to USDA AMS Upper Midwest Hay Reports, large round bales of good-quality grass or mixed hay have traded in a $180-$240 per ton range through 2024-2025, while supreme dairy-quality alfalfa has pushed $260-$340 per ton at auctions like Sauk Centre and Pipestone.

Rainfall during cutting windows is the single biggest swing factor in Minnesota hay quality and price. Wet first cuttings downgrade hay from premium to good or fair, pushing dairies to source from drier western states and tightening supply of high-RFV alfalfa. University of Minnesota Extension notes that weather-stressed years routinely add $30-$60 per ton to premium alfalfa while leaving rained-on grass hay discounted.

For a cow-calf operator, the practical math matters more than the headline. A 1,200 lb beef cow eating about 25 lb of hay per day over a 150-day Minnesota winter consumes roughly 3,750 lb, or 1.875 tons per cow. At a midpoint large-round-bale price of $210 per ton from the USDA AMS Upper Midwest report, that works out to about $394 per cow for the winter feeding period, before waste. Accounting for 15-20% feeding waste common with round bales fed without rings, real-world cost per cow per winter in Minnesota is closer to $450-$475 at current prices.