Purina stores closing down, more farms liquidated

[Danielle_E.]

We have two feeds stores basically across the street from each other and both are doing well in sales BUT in my area EVERYONE owns horses and multiples. On my county rd alone and it's loooooong road, I count perhaps 3 properties that don't own horses. Everyone else owns a minimum of 3 full size horses, one has 10. I live in mega horse country, Jill Henselwood (Olympic Canadian Team) lives the street over. Hay prices are what they were last year $4 a bale for mixed/alfalfa and 50lb bales. Round bales (horse quality) are anywhere from $35 to $40 and approximately 600lbs. The grain is up in price (Purina) and all the others as well and that has to do with gas prices. I don't see prices coming down anytime soon. As a matter of fact if the price of gas goes up, as the "speculators" are saying feed prices will go up again and again. I wish these so called "speculators" would knock it off because THEY are the ones that started the rise... and the greedy oil companies decided to go along, what the heck since people had been warned, and line their coffers with excessive profits. Shortage of gas my rearend. Even the Saudis said they weren't the one driving up the prices and that the supply was there, no shortage. Every time their is rumour of war the "speculators" start their chant that their will be a shortage, blah, blah, blah and tell everyone to expect a rise and we of course buy into the lie and get led around like the Pied Piper.

 

[Hosscrazy]

Well, as I've said on the other threads, I guess the economy is different according to region. The feedstores around me are THRIVING!! No shortage of business in my area - not at all! Prices are high, but they always have been - that's nothing new.

Liz R.

 

[Kitty]

Missiour extension office horse feed

This is the link to the feed I use. It is alot cheaper than Purina or whatever and works well. NO supplements in it but a good basic custom mix with different levels of proteins. And not a overly wet mixture. All the horses love it. And I just add vitamins. My babies look really good on it. And my pregnant mares in the last term I just add beet pulp and good alfalfa hay and they are nice and fat.

Nope on the grain prices going down. If you have room to stock up I would. I understand they will go up considerably again this winter.

I am working with the ADM also. I just purchased 13 bags to trial it and see if I like it for the show horses. Jeanette from Colorado loves it and Yooper looks awesome. They have a big mill in Madison, WI and I go thru there alot. So to save on the transportation I can pick it up at the Mill and they actually asked if I would be willing to haul extra up North for a discount. Like I would say no. Heck whatever you can do to save a buck is a good thing these days.

 

[ropenride]

I think the price of grain will drop a little bit. Cattle feeders are finding that Dried Distillers Grain, a byproduct of ethanol production, is really good for the cattle, so that will help drop the price. Overall tho...it's all going to stay pretty pricey IMO. The cost of fuel will keep it there. Most of the grains in my mix are grown locally, hauled into the elevator at harvest and used as customers request. In my June grain mix, Patriot 36 was $34/100 lb, oats was $15.80/100 lb and corn was "only" $12.50/100 lb. And beet pulp is $29/100 lb. I am paying $65/ton for brome big bales and $60/ton for prairie hay big round bales (down $15 each from last year)...these bales average 1200 lb and are in the field so we have to go pick them up, and they have been rained on. We get 60+ bales/year.... A friend is getting $150/ton for his alfalfa...blister beetle free, horse and dairy quality. We live on 30 acres, which we plant in the fall (barley this year), graze in the winter, bale in the spring, graze until planting time. As for the feed mill being high on their Strategy...they can sell me Alliance Nutrition Sr for what they PAY WHOLESALE for Strategy. Read the label!!! Pay for the ingredients and the nutrition NOT the name on the bag. And yes, Lisa...I remember the first time I fed Omelene 200....4 years ago and under $9/bag...and I thought I was getting ripped off!! LOL By and large, prices for EVERYTHING seem to depend on where you live....makes me glad I'm in Central and not on the coasts!!

 

[AppleHillMinis]

That is very sad too see, but heck if the horse owners can't buy the brand food then go for the generic brand. Omolone 100 is over $14 here. I continue to feed the 200, 300 and the Platform feed. However the generic food is certaintly starting too look good. Only reason I don't switch over is because my horses look good, they feel good, and I have a controled number of horses that I feed. I just recently got some really nice alfalfa/orchard grass hay for $6 a square bale from an actual hay Co..
Right now the times are bad and everyone has to find a way to go along life normally, there will just have to be a few cut backs. I have a feeling once the right president comes into office it will get better.

Wow, why am I paying $17.xx a bale for orchard grass/alfalfa?

 

[Kathy2m]

Good hay has always been expensive down here. About 7 years ago I payed 6.00 for T/A, now I pay 12.50. My friend manages the local feed store where their main feed is Purina, she has told me business is very slow. People are switching to a cheaper feed in horses and dog food. I have always liked Purina feed, but lately I have noticed with the senior that one time it will be so heavy with molasses that its like a rock this last time its like powder. One of the pellets didnt holds its shape. Its one thing to charge a lot because the stuff is good quality, but when its like the last few bags its not. We pay 17.75 for senior. So far all the feed stores are still open here we have 4 in about a 15 mile radius. I wish I could get OBS (Ocala Breeders Sales) feed. They have GREAT feed but you have to drive to Ocala to get it, we used to have a local feed store that carried it but they closed up several years ago. Kathy

 

[HGFarm]

Yep, 3 wire bales of hay here are $14 for alfalfa and a riduculous $16 a bale or so for bermuda that I use for bedding for foaling mares. (it's not that great for feed). Timothy is running about $22 or so a bale. (all 3 wire bales) The Purina Equine pellets are running about $19.95 a bag- would have to look to see what the Omelene is. I have tried other grains and many times the horses will hardly eat it- the dont like it, so I guess it depends on who makes it...

We have NO pasture here- just rocks. LOL, so 100% of the feed bill has to be purchased.

I have noticed too, more and more farms closing down- very sad. This economy sucks.

 

[Carolyn R]

I think the price of grain will drop a little bit. Cattle feeders are finding that Dried Distillers Grain, a byproduct of ethanol production, is really good for the cattle, so that will help drop the price. Overall tho...it's all going to stay pretty pricey IMO.

While it seems like the costs to consumers tend to stay up once they are up, even if the production cost comes down, there is news about the ethanol production. There was a story out that they may have come across a more economical/efficient way to produce ethanol. It is a type of seaweed/algea, it grows quickly, can produce more ethanol pound for pound than corn can, and when it is harvested, what portions of the plant are left in the hydroponic vats will regrow for future harvesting. It is in the very early stages, but it is nice to see that it is being achknowledged what effect the grain prices will have on the economy and the need for anothor source of ethanol.

Carolyn

 

[Miniv]

I totally agree with the poster, Ropenride who said.......

"Read the label!!! Pay for the ingredients and the nutrition NOT the name on the bag."

Don't know about anyone else, but I do that when buying at the grocery store!

 

[LisaB Ozark]

I have never bought a bag of "Brand" grain since I have had minis (or QH's for that matter) - 18 years. Our feed store will mix whatever you want when you buy a minimum of 750 lbs. I have never paid over $11 for 100 lbs (2 bags). My mix has oats, bran pellets, alfalfa pellets, a little pulverized corn, minerals and wet molasses (less in the summer then in the winter). I feed very little and my minis and quarter horses stay in great shape. Ask at your feed store and see if they mix - if they do it will usually save you a lot of money and you get whatever you want in your feed.

I did use Senior Feed for my 32 year quartermare that passed this year.

Just because it is a brand name does not mean it is the best - check out your "generic" feeds some of them are really good. I know that all feed stores do not mix - call around. If you buy in bulk it might be worth your while to go a short distance to get "your" mix.

Just my two cents,

Lisa - Ozark

 

[chandab]

I have never bought a bag of "Brand" grain since I have had minis (or QH's for that matter) - 18 years. Our feed store will mix whatever you want when you buy a minimum of 750 lbs. I have never paid over $11 for 100 lbs (2 bags). My mix has oats, bran pellets, alfalfa pellets, a little pulverized corn, minerals and wet molasses (less in the summer then in the winter). I feed very little and my minis and quarter horses stay in great shape. Ask at your feed store and see if they mix - if they do it will usually save you a lot of money and you get whatever you want in your feed.I did use Senior Feed for my 32 year quartermare that passed this year.

Just because it is a brand name does not mean it is the best - check out your "generic" feeds some of them are really good. I know that all feed stores do not mix - call around. If you buy in bulk it might be worth your while to go a short distance to get "your" mix.

Just my two cents,

Lisa - Ozark

I would love to mix my own grains for my horses, but I barely have a place to buy feed, let alone some place that would mix it. I miss two of my former "homes', as I could get just about anything I wanted for my horses or have it mixed without too much trouble. Now, I'm lucky that I can get senior feed and a ration balancer. I can't get plain oats at the elevator, all they have is COB. I'd love to be able to get 1/2-1/2 rolled oats and barley again, it was a great feed and the main grain fed at the Arabian ranch I worked for in college; the horses loved it and did well on it.