Have the feed companies lost their minds? *Prices*

[Minimor]

So far our feed has been holding steady in price. Pellets (Frontrunner 14% is what I buy when I buy pellets) was down $1 a bag last time I bought some. Not sure where it's at in price this week--I'll have to look when I buy oats this week.

Lucky for us our horses are obliging about not liking pelleted feed much. The last bag I bought sits here unused because our weanlings this year don't like it. They are happy to have plain rolled oats, which is $7.50 for 20 kg or $8.70 for 25 kg (55 lbs)--it just depends which size bag the store has in stock. The mineral we use hasn't gone up in price--it is straight minerals, no protein, so isn't affected by grain prices at all--hopefully it won't go up, or at least not much, it's likely due for an increase of $1 for a 55 lb box as it's been at the same price for quite awhile now.

 

[vvf]

Another feed price that just shocked me was a bag of pig feed.

A couple weeks ago we bought 2 pot belly pigs as pets for the grandsons. Well we raised pot bellies many years ago and used to feed them a commercial feed. We would buy it in 50 lb bags. and back then we paid about $5/ bag.

Well we picked up a bag for these 2 babies and oh wow, sticker shock!! It was $31. I couldn't believe it, I don't know how anyone could afford to feed that if they were feeding several hogs this feed.

 

[wingnut]

I found this out a couple of weeks ago. My normally $30 in feed was almost $40. I was told it was because of the price of corn. Which is great for the farmers around me (including the one who rents our farm fields) but sucks for me! With only 4 to feed, it's still a manageable amount for us but it still stinks.

 

[Sue_C.]

I found this out a couple of weeks ago. My normally $30 in feed was almost $40. I was told it was because of the price of corn. Which is great for the farmers around me (including the one who rents our farm fields) but sucks for me! With only 4 to feed, it's still a manageable amount for us but it still stinks.

Problem is, it isn't the farmers getting the extra $$.

 

[Jill]

Ever since I've been feeding horses, I've seen that the prices go up this time of year and come back down in the spring. I've noticed a slight increase, as we always have, for the fall / winter but since I do this because I can afford something so completely unnecessary / just because I want to as horses, it hasn't really mattered nor come as any surprise..

 

[cretahillsgal]

Okay, I haven't ready many of the other posts. But them saying that the government is to blame because farmers are demanding a higher price for their grains is a load of BS!

I work for a farmers cooperative (we handle the farmer's grains) and the farmer gets whatever the nationwide prices are. Those prices are NOT set by the elevator. We are loosing as much $ right now as the farmers are. The nationwide market rice which operates off of the Kansas City Board of Trade and the Chicago Board of Trade, has been TERRIBLE this year for wheat and some other grains. Many of our farmers here are selling out and looking for different jobs to avoid bankruptcy. In most instances a farmer needs around $5 per bushel of wheat to break even. And at harvest time the average price was right around $3.20.

It seems to me like now that TSC is becoming more widely known and relied upon, they are upping their prices. Or someone else in the middle is making a killing!

 

[JMS Miniatures]

Ok so I'm at Joplin today and thought I would stop by the local TSC store to just compare prices and this is what I got:

Equine Sr. $17

Equine Jr. $17.50

Strategey $14

Omelene 100 $15

200 $16

300 $16.50

I didn't write down the Nutrena prices but they weren't much better

I also noticed the price of chicken feed also went up a little bit. Its now roughly around $13 a bag, and use to be around $12.

 

[~Lisa~]

Between the food he eats and the amount of bedding he goes though, that boy is gonna be expensive this winter!

LOL my Shetlands do seem to be bottomless pits sometimes too

 

[ruffian]

Russia's corn crop was a complete disaster this season. They are unable to meet their world wide contracts, which opens them up to anybody who can fill the contracts. The barracudas are racing to fill those contracts, which is driving the price of corn through the roof. It's not going to get any better this season. The farmers will get a very small percentage of an increase, but the biggest profit is going to go to the brokers. The farmers already have their contracts in place, so the brokers will take that corn, and sell it on the world market at a huge profit.

TSC here will match sales prices from others in the area. So I was able to get Strategy for $10.79. Plus I had a 10% discount coupon. I guess I better go get more to keep in stock.

 

[wingnut]

I wanted to add that I don't buy at TSC. We have two locally, but we buy at our locally owned mill. The TSC stores are further away and I like to buy things locally whenever possible.

I just dug out my last receipt. Dated 10/16/2010:

Strategy: $14.49

Omolene 300: $16.29

The Omolene was running around $13-14 over the summer.

I really can't complain *too* much. Feeding my dogs is *much* more expensive. One dog is on a very special non-grain fish kibble that cost me almost $40 for 28lb bag. It's either feed him this or spend a bigger fortune in allergy meds plus vet visits. The other two are on a Purina kibble that runs me $40 for a 35lb bag.

They like the horse feed (long story) and I sometime threaten to feed them the feed instead of their own food!

 

[Matt73]

LOL. I wish my feed was close to $19.99 a bag

 

[Katiean]

Did you check the size of the bag too? I bet it is 40lbs instead of 50lbs too. No we are not supposed to notice. My cat food went up $3 and has gone from a 20lb bag to an 18lb bag and now to a 12 or 14lb bag. All while the price creaps up. Do they think we are stupid?

 

[disneyhorse]

I've been paying $20 per bag of Purina Strategy for a few years now.

 

[Ashley]

I dont feed any of that stuff. That said where I get my feed a few days ago Senior was around $15. I freed Front Runner Summit which is equivilant to Stratagy. It is only $9 something a bad. I pay $7 something a 50 pound bag of alfalfa pellets.

 

[JMS Miniatures]

I've been paying $20 per bag of Purina Strategy for a few years now.

Gee whiz thats expensive. I really don't think Purina has gone up very much this year, maybe $1 more. Nutrena tho their prices have gone way up. I want to say their Sr. was more expensive being $18 a bag. I found one of my receipts and my Dynasty horse feed I'm only paying $13.25. So I was off by .50 cents. So its gone up just recently by only a quarter, I don't know why I was thinking .75 cents. I also think my chicken feed has gone up too but not by much. Now you talk about pet food, I only get the 40# bag of cat food and that hasn't gone up at all this year, and only paying $22 a bag and its a nice food by Kent.

So I really can't complain about my prices here is SW Missouri. I just keep shaking my head seeing what everyone else is paying.

 

[Frankie]

I manage a Rural King Store here in Tennessee. There are RK stores now in 7 states, IL, IN, MI, OH, KY, TN, and MS. We carry Nutrena, Cargill and a Rural King brand. We have been told there may be a small increase, it is coming from the feed companies. But, it still isn't anything major like a lot of you are saying. I feed safe choice, it is on sale a lot, for $10.49, plus an employee discount, makes it a wonderful cost. Most of ours went to 40 lb bags last year with no price increase like many others did. If you have a Rural King in your area, not as an employee but as a horse person, it will save you money. Believe me, we/I follow prices a lot, we are cheaper and the same quality.

 

[mizbeth]

Wow, I have noticed the prices too and wondered HOW ON EARTH can they do this when the economy is so bad and so many out of work? Why would Russia provide our corn in the first place? What has happened to the corn farmers in the midwest????? Has our government run them out of business or paid them NOT to produce? And yes, farmers are the LAST TO SEE a price increase in their products.

Sad, but the best thing to do is to write the companies and ask them why the high cost is such trying times? TSC originally when providing Purina products were to be cheaper than any other stores, but NOT SO, believe me. Maybe a letter to the USDA?

Strategy last week was still 12.89 at the local purina store and 14.29 at Tractor Supply. Acco products which are locally milled and produced are up a dollar or so a bag as well so around 8.5 for 12/8 feed. I feed Purina and doubt I will change that, since my horses are happy and healthy eating it. It IS one of the best feeds you can buy............BUT!

It sure would be nice to see the bottom line of these companies that produce and sell these products. Wonder if Purina still has their private Jets?

I could never afford 30-40 per bag for feed, gee.........................I hope it does not come to that.

 

[chandab]

Wow, I have noticed the prices too and wondered HOW ON EARTH can they do this when the economy is so bad and so many out of work? Why would Russia provide our corn in the first place? What has happened to the corn farmers in the midwest????? Has our government run them out of business or paid them NOT to produce? And yes, farmers are the LAST TO SEE a price increase in their products.

I don't think its a case of Russia providing our corn, but a matter of their failed crop means the US will sell to some of their usual "clients" for lack of a better word, so they'll try to get the best price they can, although the farmer won't see the extra money.

 

[maestoso]

I guess I just don't see why everyone is so surprised. I'm looking at apartments and rent is more expensive in general than it was a few years ago when I was looking. Stables are charging more board now than they have in the past. Items at stores are becoming higher priced, meals at restaurants are costing more, gas prices increase, and so on and so on and so on. Horse feed is no different than anything else in the world . . .

 

[mizbeth]

Yes, you are right Matt. Sure do wish salaries would increase to correspond with other high prices.

* Would be nice if we could take care of "our own" first. They do this with beet pulp too, (as well as other products), and we run out during the year as a result.