should i feed this at my feeders,cut it up or leave it whole

I pretty sure the deer will not turn it down. I would leave it whole.

whats a good price on alfala hay..

how much should i get

Going for between $10 and $12 a square bale right now. You don't need to flake it, just cut the bale wires where you plan to feed it.

How much depends on how quick the deer polish it off. Typically takes them a week or so to find it and get used to eating it.

Tried it a couple of times in years past and I never could get my deer to eat it, but this year who knows?

We put out a few bales of alphalpha about 2 years ago. Its still sitting there. We even dumped some corn on it trying to get the deer to at least taste it. Didn't work.

However, I have friends who hunt sounth texas and they claim that the deer love it. I guess it just depends on where you are.

Im in central Texas

I put some alfalfa out this year because of the dry conditions. The square bales are being wiped out in two days. I am in the hill country.

I think that they dont eat ours because we are in the farmlands of east williamson county. I guess they would rather go to the corn fields.

I wish I could get it for that. $14.00 is the price here now.

I bust one strand on small bales two on big ones.

I stopped busting any strands, deer still eat it fast and helps protect it if we ever get rain.

works great hear i put out bout half a bale at a time it's been goin in less than a week

I would be very careful and not leave any wires or strands on rounds, squares, or big square. Put hay in a bale feeder on a well drain area and cut all wire or strings. Landowner is not going to be happy when he find a bunch of wire or string scattered around, or wrapped around an infected bloody hoof or antlers. Or game & stock dead from FOI. They also ruins a lot of farm & tillage equipment axle, seal, bearing, = down time and expense for owner.

Or go this way if you have to :
Livestock Feeders several pages:
http://www.tractorsupply.com/livestock/livestock-equipment/livestock-feeders/?currentPage=3

The deer LOVE it in Rocksprings. I feed alfalfa year round. I buy the packaged bails from USAlfalfa (my feed store has them and regular bails)USAlfalfa garantees at least 17% protein when a regular square bail is generally only 15% or less.

I am going to put out a couple of bales where the axis hang out on our place this year. I am beginning to wonder if I can even find any at any price. We have no farm equipment so I am thinking I am not going to bust the strands.

$12-$15 is about the going rate for good quality hay. By that I mean hay with pencil lead size stalk or smaller and lots of green leaf. If your just feeding your whitetails free range, any of it is probably better than nothing. The deer will just pick out the leaf and leave the bigger, heavier stalk part behind.

You can build you a wooden trough for it or just buy a small cattle trough and set it in that. That way you will not lose the leaf to waste on the ground.

I put a bale out in June in Palo Pinto...... the crows used it for nest material. Had one picture of a doe smelling it and it's still there.

Bought an old hay feeder and made a few modifications - raised the rack and put a on roof it. Generally keeps it off the ground and offers some shade to keep alfalfa from drying out so fast. Been feeding a little over a bale of week since April. J&B Feed in South Austin selling alfalfa for $13 bale.

nice now lets see what its doing to your bucks

Not to rub it in but I bought 30 bales for my horses last week at $6 each, but i went direct to the source and picked them out of the field my self, we ended with 100 bales on a 16ft trailer. with 3 loaders and a driver it took about an hour and a half. but feed stores have the 2 string bales for $13 and 3 string for $22

Ouch, that hurts.

Would you care to reveal your source of $6 alfalfa? I have acess to a big truck and will travel.

Nice job Ranger

X2- my source is charging over 200 a ton