# Hay cost per ton in South Dakota

> South Dakota hay prices in 2025 generally run $160-$240 per ton for large round bales, with premium alfalfa reaching $210-$260 and grass hay averaging $140-$180 per ton delivered.

**Headline:** $160-$240 per ton, large round bales (premium alfalfa trending $210-$260)

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Premium alfalfa, large square | $210-$260/ton |
| Supreme alfalfa (dairy quality) | $240-$300/ton |
| Grass hay, large round | $140-$180/ton |
| Mixed alfalfa-grass | $170-$220/ton |
| Large round bale (1,200 lb avg) | $95-$145/bale |

## Detail

South Dakota hay production runs on two to three cuttings per year in the east and one to two cuttings in the drier west, where annual rainfall drops from roughly 24 inches near Sioux Falls to about 16 inches along the Wyoming border. That moisture gradient is the single biggest driver of both yield and price: eastern alfalfa fields routinely push 4-5 tons per acre while western grass hay meadows deliver closer to 1.5-2 tons, which is why USDA AMS Corsica auction reports consistently show premium alfalfa $40-$80 per ton above western grass hay.

According to 2025 USDA AMS weekly hay reports for Corsica and the Northern Plains region, large round bales of grass hay have traded in a $140-$180 per ton band, mixed alfalfa-grass at $170-$220, and premium alfalfa at $210-$260, with supreme dairy-quality alfalfa occasionally clearing $300. SDSU Extension's 2024 forage outlook notes that carryover stocks and drought conditions in the western half of the state are the two variables that move the market most, with a dry summer historically adding $30-$50 per ton by January.

For a typical 1,200 lb beef cow consuming about 25 lb of hay per day through a 150-day South Dakota winter, that works out to 3,750 lb, or roughly 1.875 tons per cow per winter. At the midpoint grass hay price of $160 per ton from 2025 USDA AMS data, the raw hay bill lands near $300 per cow; using premium alfalfa at $235 per ton pushes it to about $440 per cow, before accounting for 10-15% feeding waste with round-bale feeders, which SDSU Extension suggests producers add to any budget estimate.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### Where are the main South Dakota hay auctions?

Corsica, Rock Valley (just across the Iowa line and heavily used by SD buyers), and Philip are the primary hay auction points referenced in USDA AMS weekly reports for SD and the Northern Plains.

### Why do western SD hay prices differ from eastern SD?

Western SD leans on grass and mixed hay from rangeland with lower annual rainfall (~16 in), while eastern SD produces more alfalfa under 20-24 in of rainfall, creating a $30-$60/ton spread between regions.

### When is South Dakota hay cheapest?

Prices typically soften in late July and August after second cutting, then climb through winter as feeders draw down inventories, peaking February through early April before new-crop hay arrives.

## Sources

1. USDA AMS Corsica, SD Hay Auction Report (2025) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2816.pdf
2. SDSU Extension: Hay Market and Forage Outlook (2024) — https://extension.sdstate.edu/hay-market-forage-outlook
3. USDA AMS National Hay, Feed & Seed Weekly Summary (2025) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/lsbnhay.pdf

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