Bale Of Hay Cost
Last Updated on December 18, 2022 | Written by CPA Alec Pow
First Published on June 18, 2022 | Content Reviewed by 
CFA Alexander Popivker
As a farmer who takes care of livestock such as sheep, horses, goats, or cattle, you will need large amounts of hay for their daily diet. Also, if you have a pet like a hamster, guinea pig, or rabbit you will have to provide it with hay as well. In this article we are going to talk about the costs of different types of hay, to give you an idea of how much you should budget for this animal feed.
How Much Does A Bale Of Hay Cost?
The price of a bale of hay changes a lot and very fast through time. There are different types of hay you can choose from and their prices vary significantly. For example, according to the Internet Hay Exchange website, the price of hay is around $124 per ton, while for the Alfalfa hay you will have to pay around $211 per ton.
The cost of a bale of hay will depend on the size of the bale, shape, quantity, and location. If you would like to buy square bales of hay, expect to pay around $8 for an average grass bale of hay with no alfalfa, while for the alfalfa hay you will have to pay around $11, depending on the weight and size of the square hay bale.
You might also like our articles on the cost of a bale of cotton, a pole barn, or a donkey.
There are people that need to purchase smaller quantities of hay for their beloved pets. The daily diet of some animals like rabbits, hamsters, or guinea pigs includes hay. Expect to pay around $45 for a 25-lb. bag of hay from an online pet shop, including shipping. This means that one pound of hay would cost around $1.8.
Cost of hay by location
The cost of hay is greatly influenced by your location. In the table below you will find the average costs per ton for grass hay and alfalfa hay in different states of America, according to the USDA.
| State | Grass Hay | Alfalfa |
| Wyoming | $190 to $200 | $95 to $205 |
| Wisconsin | $80 to $120 | $105 to $190 |
| Washington | $230 to $240 | $175 to $230 |
| Texas | $50 to $330 | $200 to $280 |
| South Dakota | $63 to $185 | $88 to $225 |
| Pennsylvania | $100 to $370 | $205 to $365 |
| Oregon | $230 to $275 | $175 to $250 |
| Oklahoma | N/A | $140 to $150 |
| New Mexico | N/A | $190 to $300 |
| Nebraska | $70 to $150 | $90 to $180 |
| Montana | $75 to $85 | $90 to $180 |
| Missouri | $60 to $120 | $100 to $225 |
| Minnesota | $45 to $145 | $93 to $235 |
| Kansas | $75 to $125 | $95 to $375 |
| Iowa | $75 to $185 | $93 to $300 |
| Idaho | $150 | $165 to $195 |
| Colorado | $140 | $180 to $260 |
| California | $300 | $175 to $320 |
| Alabama | $80 to $320 | $100 to $350 |
As you can see, there are some states with no prices listed. Though, here are some prices offered by the suppliers from some of these locations.
We also found one company in Florida that has hay for sale. Below you will find the prices per ton charged by this company.
Martin’s Larsen Farms – 270 W County Road 466, Oxford, FL
Conventional Bales
- 2 String Orchard/ALF – $610
- 2 String Alfalfa – $580
- 3 string Orchard – $690
- 3 String Alfalfa – $590
- 2 String Orchard – $650
Field Bales
- 3x3x8 Alfalfa – $540
- Compressed Alfalfa or Grass Mix 1/2 bale – $450
- Compressed Alfalfa Bale – $430
If you are living in Utah, here are two suppliers you can choose from.
Laub’s Feeding & Cubing – 4016 N Beryl Hwy, Beryl, UT 84714
- Grade A Hay Cubes (Ton) – $340 bagged, $330 in you were to buy in bulk
- Hay Mini Cubes (Ton) – $250 to $270
- 3-String Hay Bale – $21
Harward Farms – 1988 West Center Street, Springville, UT 84663
Large (3×3) Bales
- Straight Grass – $95
- 100% Alfalfa – $150
- Grass/Alfalfa Mix – $150
- Small Bales
- Straw hay – $9
- 100% Alfalfa hay – $16
- Alfalfa/Oat Mix – $14
- Grass Hay – $12
- Grass/Alfalfa Hay – $17
There are two suppliers in Arizona, Harward Farm and Conway Feed & Supply that listed their prices per a bale of hay on their websites.
Triple L Feed & Supply – 13700 N. Sandario Rd., Marana, AZ 85653
- Alfalfa Cow Hay – $14
- Alfalfa hay – $19 to $21
- Bermuda cow hay – $12
- Bermuda grass hay – $20 to $23
- Rhodes grass hay – $23
Conway Feed & Supply – 1520 E Storey Rd, Casa Grande, AZ, 85194
- Beardless wheat hay – $12
- Alfalfa hay – $15
- Premium Teff grass hay – $22.50
- Bermuda grass hay – $22.50
- Teff grass hay – $17
- Premium Alfalfa hay – $21
Important things to consider
The hay prices are often affected by drought in states such as Colorado, Arizona, and California.
Farmers tend to plant hay on their lands instead of potatoes, corn, or cotton because they expect higher profits from this type of crop. As they have e decent amount of buyers, they have the power to dictate the costs.
The hay cost is greatly influenced by quality. Expect to pay a higher price for a premium, good or fair bale of hay.
Hay prices are also affected by the cost of fuel. Hay growers and those who deliver this product to wholesalers and sellers need to recover the fuel costs somehow.
Hay pricing in the USA is also impacted by the high demand for both alfalfa and grass hays in UAE, Japan, and China. Tons of hay and bales are used to feed the domesticated livestock.
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When was this article written/posted? I’m in Northern California & today is 12/24/2022. We are paying $27 to $30 per 3 string bale (100lb) of Alfalfa.