Hay - when and where you get yours?

[tygab]

Around here there is a ton of horse hay but not much alpaca hay. Last year, we got ours from a nearby beef farm who had some extra grass hay, and it lasted through the winter. The other alpaca owners I know have bigger places and get hay that's traveled a bit farther. I'm about to start sourcing my hay for the next year.

So, what kind of hay do you feed, how many bales do you get, and where do you find yours? Can you find what you need locally?

 

[Bil]

We're pretty lucky here in Oregon with our hay. We can get Eastern Oregon 2nd or 3rd cut Orchardgrass hay that is just WONDERFUL!! The alpacas love it and it doesn't have to travel that far to get to us. We have a hay broker that lives here in town that gets it for us and delivers and stacks it for about $250/ton. I wish we could find it cheaper but that is about it.

We were just getting ready to call her to put in our order for this year and then she'll have it delivered in late July or early August.

Bil

 

[Chirpy]

We have had a difficult time finding any good hay (especially alfalfa - not for llamas/alpacas but goats) this entire winter. I've actually been concerned about my llamas through the winter because the quality of the grass hay wasn't what I've always had in the past and several of them are pregnant.

 

[Farmer Kitty]

We grown our own hay for the cows but, my recommendation to those who have to buy is look when it's haying time in your area. Try to get it right off the field. A lot of farmers will charge less off the field due to less labor and storage for them.

Good luck to all those looking for hay!

 

[mylilchix]

I was lucky to find a local woman who ended up with extra hay. She went from 5 horses to 2, so she had plenty. It was a very nice fine grass hay. Our llamas love it!! I plan on ordering with her this summer for next winter.

Sonja

 

[wynedot55]

yes as kitty said look an see when they are baling hay.because its cheaper to buy hay out of the field before it gets in the barn.same deal with round bales.