# Hay cost per ton in Mississippi

> Mississippi hay prices typically run $160-$220 per ton for large round bales of bermudagrass or mixed grass, with premium alfalfa (trucked in) reaching $280-$360 per ton delivered.

**Headline:** $160-$220 per ton for large round bales of grass hay in Mississippi

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Premium alfalfa (delivered) | $280-$340 per ton |
| Supreme alfalfa (dairy quality) | $320-$380 per ton |
| Grass hay (bermudagrass, bahiagrass) | $140-$200 per ton |
| Mixed grass/legume hay | $170-$230 per ton |
| Large round bale (4x5, ~1,000 lb) | $70-$110 per bale |

## Detail

Mississippi's hay market is dominated by warm-season grasses, primarily bermudagrass and bahiagrass, which thrive in the state's long growing season and 55-65 inches of annual rainfall. According to Mississippi State University Extension (Publication 2286, 2024), well-managed bermudagrass stands routinely yield 4-5 cuttings between May and October, producing 4-6 tons per acre annually under proper fertilization. This abundant local supply keeps grass hay pricing in the $140-$200 per ton range for large round bales at the farm gate.

Alfalfa and premium dairy-quality hay carry a significant premium in Mississippi because the humid Gulf Coast climate makes curing alfalfa reliably almost impossible - afternoon thunderstorms during the critical 3-4 day cure window cause leaf shatter and mold. Per USDA AMS hay market reports (2025), supreme alfalfa delivered into Mississippi from Oklahoma, Kansas, or Missouri commonly lists at $320-$380 per ton, with roughly $50-$80 of that being trucking cost over 500-800 miles.

For a rancher budgeting winter feed, a 1,200 lb beef cow consuming the standard 2.0-2.5% of body weight in dry matter works out to roughly 25 lb of hay per day (MSU Extension, 2024). Over a 120-day Mississippi winter feeding window (December through March), that single cow eats about 3,000 lb - or 1.5 tons - of hay. At a mid-range grass hay price of $180 per ton from the USDA AMS 2025 reports, the per-cow winter hay bill lands near $270, before accounting for 10-15% feeding waste on round bales fed without a ring feeder.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Why is alfalfa more expensive than grass hay in Mississippi?

Mississippi's humid climate and acidic soils make alfalfa difficult to cure and grow locally, so most alfalfa is trucked in from the Midwest or Plains states, adding $40-$80 per ton in freight.

### When are hay prices lowest in Mississippi?

Prices are typically lowest from June through August during peak first and second cutting, and highest from January through March when winter feeding depletes supply.

### How many cuttings do Mississippi hay producers get per year?

Bermudagrass producers in Mississippi commonly get 4-5 cuttings per season from May through October, depending on rainfall and fertilization.

## Sources

1. USDA AMS National Hay, Feed & Seed Weekly Summary (2025) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsbnhay.pdf
2. Mississippi State University Extension - Hay Production in Mississippi (Publication 2286) (2024) — http://extension.msstate.edu/publications/hay-production-mississippi
3. USDA AMS Mississippi Direct Hay Report (2025) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/market-news/hay-reports

---

Source: Vellum — https://vellum.app/hay-cost-per-ton/mississippi