By GINA KINSLOW
PARK CITY — The cost to produce hay has gone up drastically for south-central Kentucky farmers compared to what they paid last year.
“It’s gone up twice as much,” said Kenneth Haines Jr., who raises registered beef cattle near Park City. “The fertilizer has doubled and the seed has gone way up. It’s not a good time.”
Although Haines is paying more to produce hay to feed his cattle, he says he’s not doing anything different from what he has done in the past.
“I just have to purchase hay,” he said. “I can’t raise enough to make it.”
Dry weather is the primary reason why Haines and other south-central Kentucky cattle farmers are having problems growing enough hay to feed their herds.
“Last summer’s drought affected a lot of the pastures,” Haines said.
Because it was so dry last summer, the pastures this year are not as thick and therefore there isn’t enough hay to go around.
Haines has reseeded his pastures, but the month of June was dry so he says his efforts are probably not going to pay off.
“We’re looking at another year before we can come out of it,” he said. “It’s just one of those things we have to deal with.”
Gary Tilghman, agriculture Extension agent for Barren County, says hay producers are saying it is costing them anywhere from $15 to $20 to produce one roll of hay.
The things that are driving up the cost, aside from dry weather, he said, is the cost of farm equipment and fuel to run it, among other input costs, such as fertilizer.
“The fertilizer costs have skyrocketed,” Tilghman said. “It requires fertilizer in the right amounts to raise any type of plant, in this case forages, but those costs have gotten higher. If you don’t put it on, you’re going to suffer a yield with a lot of it.”
Tilghman works with farmers to teach them more efficient ways to use fertilizer.
“We recommend soil sampling and fertilizing according to the sample findings,” he said. “That’s one way to look at using fertilization at a more efficient way.”
He also works with farmers to find different ways to maintain livestock. Rather than feeding cattle rolls or bales of hay, Tilghman suggests farmers implement grazing practices.
“We talk about rotational grazing. We talk about stockpiling cool season grasses for use later in the fall, early winter,” he said.
Tilghman said he realizes some hay is needed for feeding, especially during the winter months, but implementing grazing practices is less expensive than producing hay.
