California Barn Life: Feed Prices

10/27/2012

I would love to know what everyone else around the country is payng for feed. I stopped by the feed store last weekend to pick up next month's feed supplements. RM takes care of the hay, but anything else I want to feed I take care of myself.

I usually don't look too closely at the receipt as I've been buying the exact same thing for years. For this trip however, I picked up something for our barn owner so I needed to see which portion of the bill belonged to her.

Wow - was I surprised. When I first started feeding beet pulp, a 50 pound bag was just under $8.00. I paid $20.22 this weekend. The rice bran was no better. I seem to remember that running about ten bucks a bag. It's now $19.55 a bag.

As I write this, I am realizing that I first started buying these feeds at least fifteen years ago. Crap. I'm getting old. Back when candy bars were only a quarter and gas was less than two bucks a gallon ...

I use a small mom and pop feed store that's been around since the 1950s so their prices might be a tad higher than say, Tractor Supply Company. So what does everyone else pay? I'd really like to know.

Erica link

10/27/2012 03:27:36 am

Even though we're from the same area, I occasionally buy feed in San Luis Obispo. I go to Lemo's (central coast chain) for 50lb bags of beet pulp. It cost me a few cents over $19.
Back home in Bakersfield I go to CLS, because they're the cheapest I've found for beet pulp. I want to say it's like $18.36.
I sure miss that 10 buck beet pulp!!!

Karen

10/28/2012 01:46:16 am

I've used CLS, but Fred C. Gilbert is closer to me. A buck or two in the price difference isn't quite enough to drive farther. $5 - more likely to go out of my way! :0)

Calm, Forward, Straight link

10/27/2012 03:35:46 am

Since last fall - beet pulp has gone from $12 - $20 for 50#, and my ration balancer from $16 - $30 for 40#. As soon as hay prices jumped, so did the hay substitutes... good thing my horse is so cute! ;D

10/28/2012 01:47:32 am

CFS - I just haven't been paying attention. You may be right. I bet prices did take a hike when hay went up so high. Now that hay prices are nearly half what they were, I wonder if the rest of the horse feeds will come back down in price?

Val

10/27/2012 09:06:33 am

A 50 lb. bag of my horse's feed is $23. Ouch. Harley eats the most expensive feed that they offer, but he looks great, so it is worth it. I pay extra on my board bill to account for his feed bills.

I bought a 50 lb. bag of alfalfa cubes for $15 recently. I think beet pulp and rice bran are around the same price.

This is from a local feed store in southern New Jersey.

10/28/2012 01:50:38 am

I don't mind paying $20 - $25 a bag if it lasts a month. It's when you have to buy two or three bags a month that it starts to sting! Does Harley's feed last the month or do you have to buy a couple of them?

I am glad to here that your feed is comparable in price to ours. BTW, has your barn been in preparation mode for the approaching storm? I know you had some difficulties last year. If I know you at all, I am sure there's an upcoming blog post! :0) Be safe!

10/28/2012 10:58:16 am

This is going to sound crazy, but he goes through more than three bags a month. He eats more at a meal than any other horse on the farm, including the big draft! You would think he is galloping sprints or preparing for a 100! I remember that you said Montoya was similar with her caloric needs. At least his weight is looking great this fall. :)

We are in a holding pattern waiting for the storm. I did not want to scare people with an overly dramatic post, so I tried to keep it somewhat humorous. Only time will tell what Hurricane Sandy actually does. School is closed tomorrow and Tuesday. Maybe I will catch up on my grading.

10/28/2012 11:03:44 am

That's a lot of feed to buy, but you have to do what is necessary. Good thing Harley made it into your family and not someone with less compassion.

NJ must really think this storm is going to cause trouble if they're closing school already. I hope the storm passes with less hoopla than predicted. Better for it to fizzle out and be a dud than hit with force.

Again, be safe, and I hope Harley weathers it well.

hammerhorses link

10/28/2012 02:37:02 am

I only buy feed for my 2 every other month and I spend $25 on their vitamins and $18.99 for their grain. The grain is just to help them put the vitamins down as they are both so fat right now off of air and a flake of hay it's silly!

10/28/2012 11:19:01 am

Those prices sound about the same as what we pay. Thanks for sharing!

Kelly link

10/28/2012 02:46:44 am

I haven't fed beet pulp for about 5 years - but I remember it being pretty inexpensive. Our barn recently switched to Tribute - which I had been feeding Riva for several months - so it is included in my board fee now. When I was buying it - KALM by Tribute - is was about $19 for a 50 lb bag. It was creeping up though in price.

10/28/2012 11:20:10 am

Kelly - it sounds as though prices around the country are actually pretty similar. I would LOVE it if my extra feed were included in the board bill. That's nice!

Emily

10/28/2012 05:04:06 am

I am in Indiana
Grass mix hay $8 to $11 a bale this is up from last year when it was $4
Senior grain $20 a bag
Low starch grain $26 a bag

10/28/2012 11:22:00 am

Emily, thanks for sharing. I am actually surprised to hear so many people reporting prices similar to ours. I thought we might be paying more than every one else. This is California, land of high prices! I guess I can stop complaining as everyone else is in the same boat. And as Calm, Forward, Straight said, it's a good thing our horses are so cute!

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