Hay and Forages

Harvest a crop of resources for wholesale hay purchase or production
By Joanne K. McPortland The days are long gone when feeding horses hay meant growing, harvesting and drying hay yourself. The Internet makes finding sources of wholesale hay for sale and getting it delivered easier than ever. And online resources can provide you with the best alfalfa seed for horse hay should you want to grow it the old-fashioned way.

Hay is not just for horses. Breeders and owners of small animals such as rabbits and hamsters need sources of alfalfa nuggets and hay for sale. Dairy cattle consume large quantities of alfalfa forage, and the trend toward organic, grass-fed beef cattle means a growing demand for grass hay for sale. New varieties of alfalfa seed for sale make growing hay and forages a lucrative agricultural sector. Whether you're buying hay or entering into hay production, Internet solution providers can help you:

1. Connect hay and forages customers with sources of hay for sale online.

2. Benefit from the latest agricultural research into alfalfa seed varieties.

3. Locate hay delivery services and equipment.

Find hay for sale online

Contract with a seller of hay and forages through a nationwide online auction, or choose a supplier of wholesale hay in your local area. In addition to feeding horses hay, you may need to find a supplier of hay and forages for small animals.
Try:  Register to list your needs for hay for sale at the Internet Hay Exchange Online Hay Auction; wholesalers with alfalfa hay for sale or grass hay for sale will contact you. Sign in to explore hay delivery options. PoloCenter.com lists dealers with hay bales for sale alphabetically by state, city and county. Colorado's Esty Ranch, Inc. has timothy and native mountain grass hay for sale; they'll deliver to the West Coast and containerize hay for sale outside the US. For organic, farm-fresh small animal hay and forages, contact jojo'sBEST.

Get the best alfalfa seed varieties to boost your hay production

Whether you're growing your own crop of horse hay for your commercial stables or moving into mass production of hay and forages for livestock, you'll want to choose the best alfalfa seed for horse hay available on the market. Alfalfa seed companies offer options tailored to your needs.
Try:  Target Seed LLC offers four specialized varieties of alfalfa seed for sale, each rated for different salt tolerances and growing seasons. Dairyland Seed Co., Inc. is a seller of the popular patented Roundup Ready alfalfa seed varieties for guaranteed high yields. Producers Hybrids features A 30-06, an alfalfa seed especially suited to quick rooting in wet conditions and heavy soil. Contact the National Alfalfa and Forage Alliance for a variety of helpful publications on producing alfalfa hay for sale.

Arrange hay delivery for yourself or deliver hay for sale to customers

If your hay company doesn't offer transport, you can contract with a hay delivery service. You may also want to look into transporting hay yourself, or finding hay delivery equipment to make feeding horses hay on a large property more efficient.
Try:  List your agricultural shipping needs on uShip, and get bids from hay delivery companies. Look for hay transport and mobile hay feeding stations, including carriers for large round hay bales for sale, from Te Slaa Mfg. Machine Finder lists used hay transport and other hay and forages equipment from leading agricultural machinery manufacturer John Deere.

• Hay production takes place between the months of August and November. Arrange to buy a year's supply of farm fresh hay during those production months. You'll save by making a one-time purchase, and hay for sale at other times of the year won't be any fresher. Store hay where it is protected from dampness, rodents and insects.