Having livestock around the house is a huge responsibility especially during the dry season. Many peoples prefers to have hay and straw in advance so it can be used later in the winter and off-season.
Many recommended the season of summer to be the best time to get some straw bales. One of the reasons why this time period is said to be the best is the affordable price of the bay compared to the cost of the bay in the months of winter.
The demand for straw bales always remains high all around the year.
The price of the bale will not remain the same all year round. You will encounter different prices due to inflation and other factors.
How much does a Bale of Straw Cost? The purchasing cost for a bale of straw depend on the size that you will decide to buy, the average cost for a small square bale is $4.6, large bale of straw will cost you $64 on average.
The price is always fluctuating and never will be at a consistent rate. When it comes to figuring out the price of a bale of straw it requires you to know a tiny bit of information about how much these bales go for in the market. Here is the price breakdown for different sizes of a bale of straw and how much they are going to cost.
Table of Contents
Small Square Straw Bale Cost
If you are not looking to get a large amount of straw for feeding and bedding, then you should switch to a small square straw bale.
If you do not want to spend too much then this amount of straw bale is for you. The average price of a small square bale will be $4.6. The price will start from $2 and it will go up to $6.
Large square straw bale Cost
A large square bale is much heavier in weight and lasts longer than a small bale. Most farmers prefer to have large square bales as they are a good deal. It starts from $40.00 and it can go upwards of $90. The average price of a large square bale will cost around $64.
Large round square bale Cost
A large round square is preferred for easier handling. The average price of a large round straw bale will be $58 to $60. But you might see them start from $40 and go upwards of $80 in many cases.
These are the options you have in the market. Either you can go for the small variant or the large one. If you don’t have large livestock in your landmark, then it is better to shoot for the small square straw bale.
As it will provide enough straw to feed the animals. Having too many animals will require a large square or round straw bale to fulfill the requirement of these animals.
It is much better to track the price of the straw in the area than to pay a heavier amount in a demanding time.
The straws are higher in demand, as they are an affordable option to many people who don’t want to switch to hay.
Hay is a far more expensive option than straw. In the market, you can find a small square straw bale for less money, but the same price will not even be close to the price of hay.
Straw is seen as a regular diet without any nutritional benefits. Hay on the other hand is seen as a nutritious source, hence the price point of hay is much higher than that of a straw bale.
The demand for straw bales is what raises the price in some seasons. Summer is said to be the best month to get some straw bales without paying too much in return. Plenty of farmers and the people who own livestock get bales of straw during this season and save it for winter. So they do not have to pay absurd amounts of prices for a straw bale.
What affects the price Of Straw bale ?
There are plenty of factors that affect the price of straw bale.
Knowing about them will help you make an educated decision on the purchase, which will save you money and at the same time not blow up the budget doing it.
The straw bale cost will not be the same in any location, it will differ from others. This is due of many factors, that some buyers may not have idea.
This section will cover all the affected factors that change the price of straw bale.
Size
Going for the smaller variant will save you plenty of money. But if you need straw all year round for other purposes, then you should think about switching to a larger variant or getting a bulk deal on the bale of straw.
Type
There are multiple types of straw bale that exist, some of them are barley straw, wheat straw, and rape straw.
Prices are also different from one to another. So, the type of straw matters a lot in deciding the asking price for them.
Make sure to do some research on what type of straw you want for your livestock before you decide to purchase one because it is affordable. Normally, farmers will tell you which one of them is good for your livestock.
Weight
The price will also diff based on the weight of the bale. Even the same size bales will weigh differently. So always check the weight of the bale, it might be the same size but the weight will tip the price too high or low.
Location
In some states where the demand for straw bales is low or light, you will get far better prices in these states compared to others.
The data is available for anybody to look through about the pricing details of the straw bale in every state of the US.
If the demand is strong in your area, then you can expect to face a higher price tag for the bale of straw. If the information says the demand is light, then vice versa.
Generally, straw bale prices have a lower price range compared to hay. They are not seeing an as sole food source that is why you have a higher chance of encouraging a lower price tag of the bale of straw than on hay. But it is better to do some digging around to get an affordable price for the straw bale.
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Does location matter on the price?
Yes in some states, you will have to deal with higher amounts of straw prices compared to others. For example, In Nebraska, the demand for hay is light compared to Wisconsin, where the demand for hay is high and strong over the years.
States such as Nebraska, South Dakota, Missouri, and many more where the means of straw and hay is light.
In these states, you might get a bale of straw at a much lower price compared to others. In short, yes where you live does matter and it might have a negative or positive influence on the price you will pay for the straw.
Make sure to browse around different sources before fixing with one. You will find different prices on the bale of straw if you shop around, then you will have an idea of what the average price of straw is in your location.
Is there any way to save money?
Even though straw bale is the cheap variant compared to hay, if you want to save money then you can follow the steps below. Following these practices will surely help you out in getting the best deal in the market.
Always go for a bulk deal
When you buy the straw in bulk then you are going to save plenty of money. If you need straw for different tasks besides feeding the livestock, then switching to a bulk straw deal will prove to be a money-saving idea.
You need to store the straw in a safe and worry-free environment so it will last longer without any issue. Straw bales are low moisture content, so you do not have to worry about them getting molded or spoiled.
Contacting farmers
If you know any farmer selling straw bales, then you are going to get the best price than any other source. Since there are no middlemen involved between you and the farmer, you are going to save plenty of money on your straw purchase. The rates that you will see from farmers are far more affordable compared to the prices of straw bales in local stores.
Conclusion
The price of the bale of straw is lower compared to other variants. But there are ways you can make the price even lower if you follow the steps above. Generally, you need to have some information about the straw prices in your location to make a smart decision on the purchase. You can check the prices of the straw bale on the internet and find every tiny detail about them in an instant. Knowing the information will help you make better decisions on the purchase and save a lot of money from it.
