We’ve done this same kind of deal, before. In the long run, I think the way you’re doing it is ideal, for you. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to squeeze out every penny, you can certainly profit. The fella bailing your pasture wouldn’t bother with it if that wasn’t the case. I just don’t see there being enough financial incentive for you to go beyond that.

I pay $25 per bale, right now we are cutting close to 50 acres and i keep all the hay. I incur expenses for fertilizer and weed killer. Other option was to cut it on the halves and he would incur those expenses.

I put down straight liquid nitrogen last month and it was just under $500/ton

If you haven't fertilized it before I'd suggest getting your soil tested first to see what you need to add in.

Bottom line is if you are going to graze the 20 acres the min amount I'd put down is 200 lbs/acre. If you are going to cut and bale then 250-300 if it has not been fertilized lately.

Yup. I was going to estimate in the $1200-1400 range

Saw round bales off 205 between Rockwall and Terrell this past weekend for $50 a bale.

I thought that seemed cheap but hadn’t looked at prices in forever.

bar ditch bales come with free natty light cans

Bout $76.00 per acre

And Prussic acid

IMO to fertilize and cut it twice is going to cost him nearly $5000; he'll then have to stack/load/haul it, and in a wet year like this he might get $70/bale. So he's going to gross ~$2000-2500 before he moves it. I wouldn't say that's too much money for the deal. This is a good year-in a bad year he might not break even. I'm with Payne-stick with the deal.

200 lbs. per acre / straight nitrogen should be around $1300 plus the buggy rental and tax

It is very, very difficult to make money by growing and selling hay whether it is native grass or planted sudan or whatever else. Especially if you have to pay to have someone else do all the hay work!
Even with my own equipment on the round bales I make for myself I have pretty easily $30/bale in it with fertilizer, string, and just fuel. That is not counting the cost of any equipment or repairs to it when it breaks down.

It is much more cost in it for me when I square bale because I've not bothered to buy an older baler yet. One guy who does it for me charges me $1.25 when I cut & rake it and another guy is up to $1.50.
Then, when I do sell some bales of really good horse grade native coastal that is heavily fertilized and completely weed free I have people that want to come out and buy 10 friggin bales and bitch and moan about it being $7.50/bale. I tell them to go to the feed store 3 miles down the road and buy it for $11 then. I swear horse people are way more dumb than any of us that have hunting and fishing as a habit. lol

"I swear horse people are way more dumb than any of us that have hunting and fishing as a habit. lol"

Nope, most cranky I know are hay bailers.

He didn’t clear $5000.00 on 50 bales after fertilizer, labor, fuel, wrap and equipment cost. You have a good deal, leave it alone.if you try to renegotiate he will walk away. And it’s hard to find a true custom baler that does what he does.

I own a custom hay baling business, I don’t do it for fun. Fertilizer costs are terrible right now. It’s the highest expense I have.

Payne and a couple others are spot on with their information.

Just paid $80 for 5'x6' bales of Good Fertilized Coastal. Georgetown Tx. Texas. LLano Feed Store (Lyssy & Eckel) has them on for $110 for same.

Back in the 2011 drought (Ranchito out of La Grange area) when i was feeding about 35 momma Longhorns and crew, bought hay out of South Texas (semi loads) and found Battery case parts, License plates off cars and all kinds of rubber parts and plastic bottles, cans and such. A mess.

On this Grass topic, what do you spread , put down, for grass burrs. My Extention Agent ain't much Pumpkin on any questions I've got.

Are you asking about pre or post emergent for grass burs? Makes a difference.

Big difference.........and they are a sonofagun to get rid of all the way.
The best way to get rid of them is to get your coastal growing super thick.....it'll choke out almost every weed at that point.

This is on the turf side. I would have to re-read the labels if it's approved for Hay and calculate cost per acre for a blanket app. But Celsius WG and Imazaquin do a great job on it. Go with Dithiopyr pre-emergent at 3 month rates, 4 times a year or Prodiamine at 6 month rates. Same mode of action on those, but Prodiamine has a longer soil residual and not labeled for burrs where Dith is. Some will break the pre barrier as it's not fool proof, but will help a lot. That's when post herb apps come in. Local Nutrien should be help and offer advice as well.

Might also check with Ag Phd. I know they have a Sirius show. I like their weekly show on the farm channel and I'm not into Ag.