Hay and Feed
Reading edition
HAY PRICES REGISTER ADVANCE IN NEW YORK MARKET.
Prices in Most Markets Unchanged Under Continued Light Receipts—Demand for Top Grades Only.
A continued light movement of hay to market prevailed during the week ending Oct. 1 and with the exception of one or two markets prices were but little changed from the preceding week.
The average price of No. 1 timothy at the principal timothy markets is now about $23.50 per ton, with the alfalfa average price about $22.75. This is $10 less per ton for both kinds than the prevailing average price Oct. 1, 1920. There is a fair local demand in limited quantities for the better grades of hay but scarcely any shipping demand and the lower grades are neglected. Good pastures and large local supplies of forage are important factors and will probably curtail demand for some time.
Receipts at nine of the important hay markets were practically the same as for the preceding week and totaled only a little over 1,000 cars compared with over 2,000 cars in the same markets at the corresponding time last year. The following table gives receipts of hay in several important markets for the weeks ending Sept. 24 and Oct. 1, 1921, and Oct. 2, 1920.
Cities. 1921 1920
Oct. 1. Sept. 24. Oct. 2.
New York 73 164 359
Pittsburgh 50 55 186
Cincinnati 93 66 219
Chicago 184 195 207
Minneapolis-St. Paul 67 36 18
St. Louis 152 105 215
Kansas City 189 139 1,019
San Francisco 78 107 ...
Los Angeles 144 150 78
TIMOTHY UP $4 AT NEW YORK.
Timothy.—Very light receipts of timothy at New York and efforts on the part of dealers to replenish their light stocks from the small quantity of hay arriving caused prices to advance $4 per ton during the week in that market. Buying was restricted, however, by the higher prices. Other eastern markets were practically unchanged. Good hay is scarce but equal to the light demand.
Prices at both the Pittsburgh and Cincinnati markets advanced $1 during the week, but the advance at Cincinnati was lost on Saturday because of a lack of support from shippers. Light receipts were almost entirely responsible for the firm market tone both at Chicago and St. Louis, as the demand was not large and was confined principally to local needs. At Chicago cars of choice hay in small bales sold at premiums of $1 to $2 over current quotations. Receipts on the North side increased and those on the South side decreased, so that the premium at which hay sold on the North side tracks last week was reduced about $1 per ton.
There was very little activity in the southern markets during the week. Stocks are light, but buying is only for the light local demand. Richmond reports a good demand for No. 1 clover hay, of which very little is being offered.
Alfalfa.—The alfalfa market showed some advances during the week, but prices were not materially higher. A better demand from southern and southeastern consuming sections and from interior Kansas points, where supplies are relatively small, was reported at Kansas City. Los Angeles also reports an increased demand for good grades. Choice dairy and rabbit hay is selling at a good premium over No. 1 and standard alfalfa. A sharp demand for fertilizer alfalfa is also reported from southern California.
Further shipments of alfalfa from San Francisco to the New England States were made during the week, but local demand in that market is very light. The movement of alfalfa in other Western States is light, caused principally by the light feeding demand and high freight rates.
Prairie.—More favorable weather has resulted in larger receipts of prairie hay at Minneapolis. The market remained steady, however, because of buying by the local stockyard. Firm prices on timothy and light receipts of prairie totaling only six cars for the week caused a firm market at Chicago also. The light receipts were attributed to the low prices which prevailed a short time ago. Increased receipts at Kansas City, caused apparently by the recent high prices, are more than equal to the limited demand and the market for prairie is weak with prices somewhat lower than last week. There was a good local demand from the stockyards, but practically no shipping demand, which is required to absorb any materially increased receipts. But little change is expected until colder weather arrives.
Straw.—Light receipts of straw caused slight price advances in several markets. Demand is light, however, and would not absorb a large increase in receipts except at price concessions. The following quotations represent current prices: No. 1 wheat straw—Philadelphia $12, Pittsburgh $11.50, Richmond $13, Cincinnati $9, Chicago $11.50, Minneapolis and Kansas City $8; No. 1 oat straw—Philadelphia and Pittsburgh $12, Cincinnati $11, Chicago $12.50, Minneapolis $9, Kansas City $8; No. 1 rye straw (straight)—New York $22.50, Philadelphia $20; (tangled) Pittsburgh $12.50, Chicago $13.50, Cincinnati and Minneapolis $9.
WHEAT MILL FEED MARKET SHOWS VERY WEAK CONDITION.
General Inactivity in Feed Market Continues—Offerings of Cottonseed Meal Increasing.
The feed market throughout the country was very dull and weak for the week ending Oct. 1. There was practically no investment buying of any commodity and dealers were supplying their immediate needs only. Prices generally are weak and in some markets lower on several feeds.
Production of wheat and corn feeds remains fairly heavy. Cotton seed in some sections is moving more freely and meal mills are expected to increase their offerings. Feed shipments from Minneapolis mills were heavy and stocks in public warehouses at lake ports are increasing. Approximately 28,750 tons of wheat feeds were reported in these warehouses at the end of the week under review, compared with about 2,200 tons at the corresponding time last year.
Wheat mill feeds.—Continued heavy production of bran and middlings, together with a lack of sufficient demand to absorb the offerings, resulted in a very weak feed market during the week. The lower grain prices were also a bearish factor. Bran was especially dull. Both mills and jobbers were pressing sales in some markets. Some distress bran was in evidence at both Chicago and Cincinnati. Hard winter bran sold as low as $10 per ton on track at Kansas City.
CARLOAD PRICES OF HAY AND FEED AT IMPORTANT MARKETS, OCT. 1. [In dollars per ton.]
Commodity. New York. [1] Phila- del- phia. Rich- mond. At- lanta. Sa- van- nah. Mem- phis. [1] St. Louis. [1] Pitts- burgh. [1] Cin- cinnati. [1] Chi- cago. [1] Min- nea- polis. [1] Omaha. [1] Kan- sas City. [1] San Fran- cisco. [1] Los Angeles. [1]
HAY.
Timothy and clover:
No. 1 timothy 31.00 23.00 26.00 28.00 26.50 24.50 25.00 22.50 20.00 24.00 19.50 ... [2]14.50 ... ...
Standard timothy 30.50 22.00 25.00 26.00 25.50 22.00 23.00 21.50 ... 22.00 18.50 ... 13.50 ... ...
No. 2 timothy 29.50 20.00 24.00 24.50 24.50 20.00 20.00 19.50 18.50 20.00 18.00 ... 12.50 ... ...
No. 1 light clover, mixed 29.50 19.00 25.00 26.00 24.50 ... 22.00 20.00 18.50 [3]21.00 18.00 ... [2]13.50 ... ...
Alfalfa:
No. 1 alfalfa 28.00 ... ... 29.00 28.50 23.00 22.00 ... [2]21.00 22.00 [2]21.00 15.50 18.00 18.00 19.00
Standard alfalfa ... ... ... 27.00 ... 20.00 20.00 ... [2]19.00 20.00 [2]19.00 13.50 15.00 17.00 ...
Prairie:
No. 1 upland ... ... ... ... ... ... 17.00 ... ... 17.00 16.50 11.00 12.00 ... ...
No. 2 upland ... ... ... ... ... ... 15.00 ... ... 15.00 14.00 9.50 10.00 ... ...
No. 1 midland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 14.00 12.00 10.00 8.50 ... ...
Grain:
No. 1 wheat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 20.00 ...
No. 1 oat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 16.00 21.00
FEED (bagged).
Wheat bran:
Spring 21.25 20.75 21.50 22.00 ... ... ... 19.50 17.00 15.25 12.50 ... ... ... ...
Soft winter 21.50 22.50 25.00 22.00 23.50 16.00 14.50 20.50 17.50 ... ... ... 10.75 28.00 28.00
Hard winter 21.50 21.25 ... 22.00 ... ... 14.00 20.00 17.00 15.25 ... 10.50 10.50 ... 22.00
Wheat middlings:
Spring (standard) 22.25 21.75 24.00 27.00 ... ... ... 21.50 20.50 16.50 13.50 ... ... ... ...
Soft winter ... 28.00 ... 30.00 30.00 ... 22.50 27.50 24.00 ... ... ... 18.50 39.00 ...
Hard winter ... 27.00 ... 28.00 ... ... 21.50 27.50 20.50 ... ... ... 18.50 ... ...
Hard winter wheat shorts ... ... ... 30.00 ... 24.00 18.00 27.00 ... ... ... 18.00 [3]15.50 ... ...
Wheat millrun ... 23.50 ... ... ... ... ... 23.50 ... ... 30.00 ... 15.00 27.00 ...
Rye middlings ... 20.50 21.00 ... ... ... ... 19.00 17.00 ... 12.50 12.00 ... ... ...
High-protein meals:
Linseed 46.75 44.50 ... ... ... ... 40.75 [2]45.00 45.00 41.00 38.00 41.50 39.25 ... ...
Cottonseed (41%) ... 45.25 ... ... ... 36.00 40.00 44.50 41.25 42.00 ... ... 39.75 41.00 ...
Cottonseed (36%) 45.25 43.25 ... 41.00 40.50 35.00 38.50 42.00 38.50 40.00 ... ... ... ... 36.00
No. 1 alfalfa meal (medium) ... ... ... 29.00 ... 22.50 20.00 ... 23.50 21.50 ... 17.00 17.25 20.00 27.00
Gluten feed 35.34 34.93 ... ... ... ... 29.25 ... 32.45 28.65 ... ... 34.50 ... ...
White hominy feed 29.25 28.75 30.00 28.00 ... ... 21.00 ... 26.00 21.00 ... 19.00 20.00 ... ...
Yellow hominy feed 27.25 26.00 30.00 ... ... ... 19.00 ... 26.00 19.00 ... 18.50 19.00 ... ...
Ground barley ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ... 36.00 31.00 20.00 ... 24.50 ... [4]30.00
Dried beet pulp 29.25 28.00 ... 33.50 42.00 ... ... 25.80 25.90 ... 23.50 ... 21.00 ... 25.00
Commodity. New York. [1] Phila- del- phia. Rich- mond. At- lanta. Sa- van- nah. Mem- phis. [1] St. Louis. [1] Pitts- burgh. [1]
HAY.
Timothy and clover:
No. 1 timothy 31.00 23.00 26.00 28.00 26.50 24.50 25.00 22.50
Standard timothy 30.50 22.00 25.00 26.00 25.50 22.00 23.00 21.50
No. 2 timothy 29.50 20.00 24.00 24.50 24.50 20.00 20.00 19.50
No. 1 light clover, mixed 29.50 19.00 25.00 26.00 24.50 ... 22.00 20.00
No. 1 clover, mixed ... ... 24.00 ... ... ... 20.00 21.00
No. 1 clover ... ... 24.00 ... ... ... 21.00 20.00
Alfalfa:
No. 1 alfalfa 28.00 ... ... 29.00 28.50 23.00 22.00 ...
Standard alfalfa ... ... ... 27.00 ... 20.00 20.00 ...
No. 2 alfalfa ... ... ... 25.00 ... 17.00 18.00 ...
Prairie:
No. 1 upland ... ... ... ... ... ... 17.00 ...
No. 2 upland ... ... ... ... ... ... 15.00 ...
No. 1 midland ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Grain:
No. 1 wheat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
No. 1 oat ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
FEED (bagged).
Wheat bran:
Spring 21.25 20.75 21.50 22.00 ... ... ... 19.50
Soft winter 21.50 22.50 25.00 22.00 23.50 16.00 14.50 20.50
Hard winter 21.50 21.25 ... 22.00 ... ... 14.00 20.00
Wheat middlings:
Spring (standard) 22.25 21.75 24.00 27.00 ... ... ... 21.50
Soft winter ... 28.00 ... 30.00 30.00 ... 22.50 27.50
Hard winter ... 27.00 ... 28.00 ... ... 21.50 27.50
Hard winter wheat shorts ... ... ... 30.00 ... 24.00 18.00 27.00
Wheat millrun ... 23.50 ... ... ... ... ... 23.50
Rye middlings ... 20.50 21.00 ... ... ... ... 19.00
High-protein meals:
Linseed 46.75 44.50 ... ... ... ... 40.75 [2]45.00
Cottonseed (41%) ... 45.25 ... ... ... 36.00 40.00 44.50
Cottonseed (36%) 45.25 43.25 ... 41.00 40.50 35.00 38.50 42.00
No. 1 alfalfa meal (medium) ... ... ... 29.00 ... 22.50 20.00 ...
Gluten feed 35.34 34.93 ... ... ... ... 29.25 ...
White hominy feed 29.25 28.75 30.00 28.00 ... ... 21.00 ...
Yellow hominy feed 27.25 26.00 30.00 ... ... ... 19.00 ...
Ground barley ... ... ... ... ... ... ... ...
Dried beet pulp 29.25 28.00 ... 33.50 42.00 ... ... 25.80
Commodity. Cin- cinnati. [1] Chi- cago. [1] Min- nea- polis. [1] Omaha. [1] Kan- sas City. [1] San Fran- cisco. [1] Los Angeles. [1]
HAY.
Timothy and clover:
No. 1 timothy 20.00 24.00 19.50 ... [2]14.50 ... ...
Standard timothy ... 22.00 18.50 ... 13.50 ... ...
No. 2 timothy 18.50 20.00 18.00 ... 12.50 ... ...
Alfalfa:
Prairie:
No. 1 upland ... 17.00 16.50 11.00 12.00 ... ...
No. 2 upland ... 15.00 14.00 9.50 10.00 ... ...
No. 1 midland ... 14.00 12.00 10.00 8.50 ... ...
Grain:
No. 1 wheat ... ... ... ... ... 20.00 ...
No. 1 oat ... ... ... ... ... 16.00 21.00
FEED (bagged).
Wheat bran:
Spring 17.00 15.25 12.50 ... ... ... ...
Soft winter 17.50 ... ... ... 10.75 28.00 28.00
Hard winter 17.00 15.25 ... 10.50 10.50 ... 22.00
Wheat middlings:
Spring (standard) 20.50 16.50 13.50 ... ... ... ...
Soft winter 24.00 ... ... ... 18.50 39.00 ...
Hard winter 20.50 ... ... ... 18.50 ... ...
Hard winter wheat shorts ... ... ... 18.00 [3]15.50 ... ...
Wheat millrun ... ... 30.00 ... 15.00 27.00 ...
Rye middlings 17.00 ... 12.50 12.00 ... ... ...
High-protein meals:
Linseed 45.00 41.00 38.00 41.50 39.25 ... ...
Cottonseed (41%) 41.25 42.00 ... ... 39.75 41.00 ...
Cottonseed (36%) 38.50 40.00 ... ... ... ... 36.00
No. 1 alfalfa meal (medium) 23.50 21.50 ... 17.00 17.25 20.00 27.00
Gluten feed 32.45 28.65 ... ... 34.50 ... ...
White hominy feed 26.00 21.00 ... 19.00 20.00 ... ...
Yellow hominy feed 26.00 19.00 ... 18.50 19.00 ... ...
Ground barley 36.00 31.00 20.00 ... 24.50 ... [4]30.00
Dried beet pulp 25.90 ... 23.50 ... 21.00 ... 25.00
MIDDLINGS ACTIVE.
Middlings were more active than bran and in several western markets, including Kansas City and St. Louis, there was a good demand for middlings and shorts from both local buyers and shippers. The shipping demand was rather broad, mostly in single car orders, from the Central West, South, and Southeast. The higher prices asked for middlings in the southern markets, however, are causing consumers to buy bran instead. Although prices are low some dealers are inclined to think that still lower prices will prevail if an attempt is made to market the feed stored at lake ports before navigation closes. However, Minneapolis mills are holding firm at present quotations.
Cottonseed meal.—The cottonseed meal market has lost much of the strength displayed during the past few weeks. New seed is now moving to mills in larger quantities and the available supply of meal is increasing. There is practically no consumptive demand and dealers are therefore holding off buying as they expect lower prices. Offerings from mills are still limited and in some sections only for October delivery. Lack of demand rather than heavy offerings is probably the cause of the present weakness in meal prices. Some exports of meal are reported at New Orleans. The demand for meal for fertilizer purposes is light because other ammoniates are cheaper at the present time.
Linseed meal.—Northwestern linseed meal mills reduced their prices somewhat during the week, but the decline was not reflected in all the markets. Philadelphia reports a slight advance in prices, but quotations at Buffalo and Chicago were lower. Stocks are rather heavy and jobbers are pressing sales. There is only a very light demand and resellers are offering meal at $2 to $3 under mill prices in an effort to stimulate sales.
GLUTEN FEED DEMAND DULL.
Gluten feed.—No further reductions in the price of gluten feed were reported during the week, but the demand was very dull and very little interest was shown by buyers. Large Chicago manufacturers reported a slight increase in buying orders toward the last of the week. Buffalo reported a light demand, but mills are not pressing sales as they were a few days ago.
Hominy feed.—Lower corn prices were reflected in the hominy feed market. Prices declined 50¢ to $1 in several markets and mills were urgent sellers. The demand for all other feeds is very light so that a surplus in the offerings, especially of yellow hominy feed, is noticeable.
Alfalfa meal.—Alfalfa meal at Kansas City was weak and lower, No. 1 meal being offered as low as $17.20 per ton and No. 2 at $14. The demand from both feeders and feed manufacturers is light. But little improvement in the market for this feed can be expected until some activity appears in the demand for other feeds.
Peanut meal.—No offerings of new crop peanut meal have been reported, and it is stated that probably none will be offered until about Nov. 1.
DEMAND FOR CUT HAY ALMOST A THING OF THE PAST.
General Use of Automobiles and Electric Street Cars Cuts Sales—Was Used Mostly in Cities.
The demand for cut, or chopped, hay has diminished to such an extent during the past decade that at present only an occasional car is bought by city dealers while only a few shippers prepare this commodity for market.
But back in the days when phaetons, surreys, and smart traps drawn by high-stepping trotters and easy-going “family” horses were seen upon the boulevards, and the heavy hauling was done by big draft horses rather than by gasoline-eating trucks, many city dealers operated plants for the preparation and baling of cut hay. Numerous plants also were situated in the producing sections of New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio. The advent of the automobile, however, has changed all this, aided materially by the substitution of electricity for mule power as the propelling force of street cars.
The kinds of hay usually chopped were timothy and clover mixed. While hay which had become slightly overripe or which contained a mixture of grasses frequently was used, only good, sound, and sweet feeding hay was considered fit for shipping.
FED MIXED WITH GRAIN.
Cut hay is generally fed mixed with grain and is considered an excellent feed, as it prevents the stock from eating the concentrated grain ration too rapidly. The hay is usually dampened when used in this manner. This is one of the disadvantages of feeding it for if more than enough is mixed for one feed and it is not fed within a short time it is likely to sour if the weather is warm, or possibly freeze if the weather is cold. This condition, together with the labor and bother of mixing, has caused feeders in many instances to turn to ready-mixed and molasses feeds.
However, for feeders who desire to prepare their own mixed feed ration the cut hay is probably the most convenient ingredient that can be used to produce the required bulk.
IMPORTS OF FORAGE-PLANT SEEDS.
The Seed Laboratory of the Bureau of Plant Industry reports the following imports of forage-plant seeds permitted entry into the United States under the seed importation Act.
Kind of seed. September— July 1- Sept. 30, 1921 July 1- Sept. 30, 1920
1921 1920
Pounds. Pounds. Pounds. Pounds.
Alfalfa 422,200 44,100 1,364,000 171,500
Canada bluegrass 5,200 ... 7,400 ...
Alsike clover 671,400 87,000 1,106,700 109,700
Crimson clover 879,500 998,100 1,581,600 1,958,800
Red clover 116,400 6,800 1,792,900 305,200
White clover 263,600 ... 538,600 ...
White and alsike clover mixtures 2,700 ... 8,100 ...
Red and alsike clover mixtures 2,100 ... 2,100 ...
Alsike clover and timothy mixtures 500 ... 1,100 ...
Broom-corn millet ... ... ... 1,100
Foxtail millet ... 14,700 ... 14,700
Grass mixtures ... ... 40,100 ...
Orchard grass 833,300 ... 959,100 ...
Rape 554,100 170,900 728,700 215,700
English rye grass ... 15,600 16,300 130,800
Italian rye grass ... 49,800 13,800 131,300
Timothy ... ... 95,100 ...
Hairy vetch 280,600 33,000 645,900 367,700
Spring vetch ... ... 8,800 ...
The cleaning, if any, that the average farmer gives his seed merely removes dirt, chaff, and weed and other foreign seeds that are much larger or smaller or much heavier or lighter than the kind of seed that is being cleaned.