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Hay Export Markets May Benefit All
Growers
Developing hay export markets in Vietnam and China
could improve hay prices and positively impact the U.S. economy,
according to Pete Moss, National Hay Association (NHA) consulting
nutritionist and export market specialist.
Moss works with NHA's International Market Development Committee to
create new markets for U.S. hay; recent efforts have been on the growing
Vietnamese dairy market.
"We could be exporting between 300,000 and 400,000 metric tons of U.S.
hay into Vietnam by 2010," he says. Past NHA marketing efforts, for
example, helped increase U.S. hay exports to Japan from 200 metric tons
in 1972, to 1.5 million metric tons in 2004, Moss adds.
The Vietnamese government wants to increase its country's dairy
production from the 2002 level of 40,000 dairy cows to 100,000 dairy
cows by 2010. The number of larger herds, made up of 200 to 1,200 cows,
is increasing.
"Milk production is low in Vietnamese dairies due to heat stress, poor
forage and inadequate management," Moss explains. "Poor forage is a
problem throughout the country. It is difficult to meet the needs of a
large herd when hauling hay with an oxen and a cart."
Wet, hot, humid conditions rule out alfalfa production. Vietnamese
producers can grow some grass hay, but only during the rainy season, and
the hay is hard to put up. There is very limited grazing. Green-chopped
forages are carried to cows by hand. Rice straw is often fed during the
dry season. Some poor-quality silage is available, but silo management
is poor.
Moss says imported U.S. alfalfa hay can economically compete with the
forage alternatives available to Vietnamese dairies. NHA has conducted
three years of research comparing U.S. hay to local forages. The studies
concluded that U.S. alfalfa hay kept well with no mold, musty odor or
other problems in the humid climate.
Numerous feeding studies were also conducted. Feeding U.S. alfalfa
increased milk production by 2-10 lbs/cow, increased feed intake and
body condition and showed positive economic outcomes. NHA then presented
research results at conferences in Vietnam. "The researchers and dairy
managers were enthused about feeding U.S. hay," Moss reports.
Similar market development activities have been undertaken in dairies in
southern provinces of China. Because Chinese dairies are more advanced
than Vietnamese dairies, a U.S. hay export market should develop more
rapidly. "There seem to be unlimited opportunities for selling U.S. hay
in China," Moss states.
Contact NHA at 800-707-0014 to learn more about its market development
efforts.
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NHA Elects Officers
The National Hay Association (NHA) elected E.J. Croll,
Oak Harbor, OH, as president of the 111-year-old organization during its
annual meeting in Jackson Hole, WY, last week. Croll succeeds Richard
Larsen, Dubois, ID. Ron Tombaugh, Streator, IL, will serve as first vice
president, while Gary Smith, Mission Hill, SD, was elected second vice
president.
For more on NHA, visit www.nationalhay.org/index.htm.
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Horse Slaughter Prevention Act Passes
House
Hay growers may have a few more horses to feed if the
U.S. Horse Slaughter Prevention Act becomes law. Last week the House of
Representatives passed H.R. 503, also known as "The American Horse
Slaughter Prevention Act," by a vote of 263 to 146. The legislation
prohibits the shipping, transporting, moving, delivering, receiving,
possessing, purchasing, selling or donation of horses and other equines
to be slaughtered for human consumption. The measure now moves on to the
Senate, where Sen. John Ensign (R-NV), who is a veterinarian, and Sen.
Mary Landrieu (D-LA) have reintroduced an identical measure (S. 1915).
If the act becomes law, it would shut down three foreign-owned plants
that annually process about 40 million pounds of horsemeat for human
consumption. The horsemeat is marketed largely to European and Japanese
customers. The three plants include Dallas Crown in Kaufman, TX; Beltex
Corp. in Fort Worth; and Cavel International in DeKalb, IL. According to
USDA, 65,976 horses were harvested in the U.S. in 2004, and 91,757 in
2005.
The bill was approved despite a recommendation from the House Ag
Committee that no action be taken on it, and despite the Energy and
Commerce Committee discharging the measure without a recommendation.
USDA also opposed the bill because it required the agency to take
possession of unwanted horses and could create a significant burden
without adequate funding to provide for their care. The bill also fails
to compensate horse owners for monetary losses resulting from the ban,
raising concerns at USDA.
Sources: BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly newsletter, the American
Association of Equine Practitioners, the National Cattlemen's Beef
Association and USDA.
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Oklahoma
Some Oklahoma hay growers started taking fifth cuttings
last week, says Delmar Allen, Allen Hay Company, Byron. He lives in
north-central Oklahoma and sells horse and dairy hay. He notes yields
have been around two-thirds of normal this year and precipitation has
been significantly below normal. Allen says southern Oklahoma has been
dry and producers there have been hit hard by wildfires. USDA reports
that southern Oklahoma finally benefited from some showers and cooler
temperatures during the last week. Hay continues to be brought into
Oklahoma from other states and many producers are still looking for hay
to buy.
According to USDA, premium-quality large square bales of alfalfa sold
for $150-170/ton in central and western Oklahoma last week. Small
squares brought $160-180/ton. Good-quality alfalfa sold for $140-150/ton
in large square bales, $140-160/ton in small squares and $120-140/ton in
large round bales. Fair-quality alfalfa went for $90-110/ton in large
square bales; $80-$100/ton in round bales.
In central and eastern Oklahoma, premium-quality grass hay brought
$90-110/ton; good quality, $80-100/ton; and fair quality, $60-80/ton.
Visit the hay directory on the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture's Web
site at www.oda.state.ok.us or call the Oklahoma Department of
Agriculture Hay Hotline at 800-580-6543. Contact Allen at
580-474-2538.
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Tennessee
Hot and dry weather characterized the hay season for
Larry Jones, L&B Hay Company, Oakland, TN. "We have been 12" below
normal rainfall this year," he explains. "We had normal rainfall until
the middle of April, and spotty rain after that." Temperatures averaged
10-12 degrees above normal, with temperatures reaching around 102
degrees for many days this summer in southwestern Tennessee. "The hot
weather meant the hay color wasn't as good this year," he says. Jones
grows and sells grass hay for the horse market, in addition to mulch hay
and straw for construction markets. He also buys alfalfa hay for horse
customers.
Jones grows bermudagrass and mixed grass hays. Because of the weather,
he'll only get two rather than the usual three bermudagrass cuttings
this year. He sells primarily to hunter and jumper horse facilities --
90% of his customers are within 25 miles of his farm. "There are 60,000
horses within the Memphis area," he says. Jones sells mostly small
square bales. But he also sells some 3 x 3 x 8' bales, mostly of straw.
He runs a big baler in summer to make sure all the hay is harvested on
time and rebales in winter using a custom-made Hesston baler mounted on
the back of a gooseneck trailer.
Contact Jones at 901-465-9004.
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Marketing Strategies Offered At Oct. 24-25
Conference
Speakers at the upcoming Western Hay Business
Conference & Expo, sponsored by Hay & Forage Grower, are prepared
to share tips about how to successfully sell hay to key markets.
Scheduled for Oct. 24-25 at the Red Lion Hotel at the Park in Spokane,
WA, the conference will kick off with a panel of innovative hay growers
discussing ways to increase sales and profits. Other speakers will cover
hay export opportunities, producing hay for the horse market, organic
hay production and financial planning considerations for hay growers.
Come to the conference to learn tips on how to squeeze more profit from
your hay business. Learn more about how to maximize yields and profits
from timothy and orchardgrass. Visit a hay industry specific trade show
and take advantage of the chance to ask industry experts all about their
products and services.
Register for $150 per person and bring a second person from your
operation for $125. Learn more at www.hayconference.com.
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Calendar
**Sept. 12 -- Kentucky Forage And Grassland Council
Field Day, Dobbs Shady Meadow Farm, Campbell County. Learn more at
www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage.
**Sept. 21-24 -- World Beef Expo, Wisconsin State Fair Park near
Milwaukee. Learn more at www.worldbeefexpo.com, or call 414-266-7050.
**Oct. 3-7 -- World Dairy Expo, Alliant Energy Center, Madison,
WI. Learn more at www.worlddairyexpo.com.
**Oct. 17-19 -- Sunbelt Ag Exposition, Moultrie, GA. Visit www.sunbeltexpo.com
or call 229-985-1968.
**Oct. 20-21 -- 5th Annual Pennsylvania Statewide Project Grass
Conference, Williamsport. Featured speakers include Jim Gerrish and
Allen Williams, plus many more. Contact Kris Ribble at kris.ribble@pa.usda.gov or
570-784-4401, ext. 111.
**Oct. 24-25 -- Western Hay Business Conference & Expo, Red Lion
Hotel at the Park, Spokane, WA. Sponsored by Hay & Forage Grower.
Register at $150 per person and bring a second person from your
operation for $125. Learn more at www.hayconference.com.
**Nov. 14-15 -- 2006 BEEF Magazine's Quality Summit,
Clarion Hotel, Oklahoma City. Learn more and sign up at www.beef-mag.com.
**Nov. 21 -- Kentucky Grazing Conference, Fayette County
Extension Office, Lexington. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage.
**Dec. 11-13 -- Western Alfalfa & Forage Conference, Reno, NV.
Contact Dan Putnam at 530-752-8982 or dhputnam@ucdavis.edu, or Glenn
Shewmaker at 208-736-3608 or gshew@uidaho.edu.
**Jan. 18-19 -- Southwest Hay Conference, Ruidoso Convention
Center, Ruidoso, NM. Learn more at the New Mexico Hay Association Web
site at www.nmhay.com.
Contact Doug Whitney at dug@plateautel.net or call Gina
Sterrett at 505-626-5677.
**Jan. 24-25 -- Heart Of America Grazing Conference, Holiday Inn,
Mount Vernon, IL. Contact Garry Lacefield at 270-365-7541, ext. 202, or
glacefie@uky.edu.
**Feb. 6-7 -- Mid-America Alfalfa Expo, Buffalo County
Fairgrounds, Kearney, NE. Visit www.alfalfaexpo.com or call Barb Kinnan at
800-743-1649.
**Feb. 27 -- Kentucky Alfalfa Conference, Cave City Convention
Center. Learn more at www.uky.edu/Ag/Forage.
**Feb. 28-March 2 -- National Grassfed Beef Conference,
Grantville, PA. Contact John Comerford at 814-863-3661 or jxc555@gmail.com, or Dave Hartman at
570-784-6660, ext. 12, or dwh2@psu.edu.
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