How to Buy Hay

People buy hay for many reasons. It may be used to cover grass seed, enrich soil, bed livestock or feed animals. Before you buy hay there are several things you should consider. Follow these steps to learn how to buy hay.

Instructions

Difficulty: Easy

1. Buy hay in mid-summer if you want a coarse hay with a high stem-to-leaf ratio. Buy hay in late fall of you want a softer hay that has a higher leaf-to-stem ratio. Hay that is harvested in late fall is the leafiest hay that animals find more appetizing.
2. Decide what type of hay you would like to purchase. Alfalfa is the most nutritious hay and is used to feed cows, beef cattle, sheep, hogs and poultry. Clover is used to enrich soil and oats are used as bedding for livestock.
3. Order hay from a farm. Hay that is found in stores is usually dry and stale due to the plastic wrapping. This means that is has less nutritional value than that of fresh hay from a farm.
4. Purchase green hay from the store if you have to buy it there.
5. Consider ordering direct from the hay company. You can save a lot of money if you buy in bulk. After shipping costs you will still pay less than if you buy hay from the store.
6. Save a lot of money by purchasing a bale of hay from a farm. A bale of hay weighs 200 lbs. If you have the room to store it this is the cheapest way to buy hay.