Grass Hay Budgets
- Receipts: For the sample budgets, a yield of 1.5 tons of hay per acre is assumed in the year of establishment. In the production years, a yield of 2.5 tons of hay and 3.0 tons of haylage (equal to 4.0 tons of dry hay per acre) is used for orchardgrass and 3.0 tons of hay per acre for timothy. Orchardgrass hay is valued at $240 per ton, orchardgrass haylage at $100 per ton, and timothy hay at $240 per ton.
- Variable costs: The establishment budget assumes conventional tillage and a seeding rate of 12 pounds per acre. Labor is charged at $15.00 per hour. Off-road diesel fuel is budgeted at $3.50 per gallon. Fertilizer applied is 30-30-90 for establishment and 160-80- 240 for orchardgrass production and 100-60-180 for timothy production (you should adjust your costs to account for any manure applications in your own budgets). An application of 2 tons per acre of lime is assumed in the establishment budget.
The herbicide program consists of one annual application of 2,4-D amine in all three budgets. No insecticide costs are included in the grass hay budgets. The pesticides used for developing cost estimates are for example purposes only; see Part 2.6: Forages Pest Management for a complete listing of recommended materials.
