# Hay cost per ton in Tennessee

> Tennessee hay prices in 2024-2025 generally run $180-$240 per ton for large round grass bales, with premium alfalfa reaching $280-$340 per ton. Drought years push prices 20-30% higher as supply from Kentucky and Missouri tightens.

**Headline:** $180-$240 per ton for large round bales, grass hay, delivered farm-gate in Tennessee

## Key Figures

| Metric | Value |
| --- | --- |
| Premium alfalfa (small square, 2nd cutting) | $280-$340 per ton |
| Supreme alfalfa (dairy quality, tested RFV 185+) | $320-$400 per ton |
| Grass hay (fescue/orchardgrass, good) | $160-$220 per ton |
| Mixed grass-legume hay | $200-$260 per ton |
| Large round bale (4x5, ~1000 lb, grass) | $55-$90 per bale ($110-$180/ton equivalent) |

## Detail

Tennessee's hay market is shaped by a humid subtropical climate that delivers 48-55 inches of annual rainfall, concentrated in spring and early summer. This creates excellent growing conditions for tall fescue, orchardgrass, and bermudagrass, but the same rainfall frequently delays first cutting and causes quality losses when hay is rained on in the windrow. According to UT Extension PB1724, most Tennessee producers target a first cutting in mid-to-late May, with subsequent cuttings every 30-45 days through September, yielding 3-5 tons per acre on well-managed cool-season stands.

Per the USDA AMS Tennessee Weekly Hay Report, large round bales of good-quality grass hay traded at $55-$90 per bale through 2024, equivalent to roughly $110-$180 per ton on a bale-weight basis, while premium small-square alfalfa pulled $280-$340 per ton for the horse market. Tested supreme dairy-quality alfalfa is scarce in-state and typically arrives by truck from Kentucky or the Midwest at $320-$400 per ton delivered. Drought conditions, like those seen across the Mid-South in prior years, compress regional supply and can push grass hay 20-30% above these baseline ranges.

For a 1200 lb beef cow consuming roughly 2% of body weight in dry matter, daily winter hay intake runs about 25-28 lbs as-fed. Over a typical 120-day Tennessee winter feeding period (late November through late March), that works out to roughly 1.5 tons of hay per cow. At a mid-range grass hay price of $180 per ton, the per-cow winter hay bill lands near $270, while a drought-year price of $240 per ton pushes that figure to about $360 per cow. USDA NASS Tennessee crop value data confirms hay remains one of the state's largest-acreage crops, with over 1.7 million acres harvested annually, underscoring why even modest per-ton price swings materially affect cow-calf operator margins.

## Frequently Asked Questions

### When is hay cheapest to buy in Tennessee?

Prices are typically lowest in June-July right after first cutting when barns are full. Buying in late winter (February-March) is the most expensive window as regional supply tightens.

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

Most TN producers get 3-4 cuttings of alfalfa and 2-3 cuttings of cool-season grasses like fescue and orchardgrass, depending on rainfall and latitude within the state.

### Is Tennessee a hay importer or exporter?

Tennessee is generally self-sufficient in grass hay but imports premium alfalfa from Kentucky, Missouri, and the Midwest, especially for horse and dairy markets.

## Sources

1. USDA AMS Tennessee Weekly Hay Report (2024) — https://www.ams.usda.gov/mnreports/ams_2297.pdf
2. University of Tennessee Extension - Hay Production in Tennessee (PB1724) (2023) — https://extension.tennessee.edu/publications/Documents/PB1724.pdf
3. USDA NASS Tennessee Crop Values - Hay (2024) — https://www.nass.usda.gov/Statistics_by_State/Tennessee/

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