Hi looking for a little insight. We are planning on moving out the OKC area this spring. I have been doing reseach on types of hay, prices, and etc. We live in IL and feed alfalfa and grass hay. Typically paying around $5 a bale for good alfalfa and $4 for good grass. How are you guys affording hay in Oklahoma? I'm seeing $10 or more for bales of alfalfa, 2 string around 60 lbs.

Durant Ok area ...  Home grown alfalfa almost nonexistant any more .. older producers passed away .. farms split up into small acreages or they started growing corn for ethanol with government assistance $$$ ...  NM, WY, ID, SD, ND 3 STRING 105# BALES $25+ 

If you find alfalfa grown in Ok .. make sure you buy cuttings prior to May 15th ... baby grasshoppers are being hatched and blister beatles show up in alfalfa fields for a grasshopper buffet ... If baled their poison blisters horses mouth, throat and can burn holes in their stomachs ... bad news .. some horses die from blister bug poisoning ...  bugs equal a big vet bill .. 

COASTAL BERMUDA .. 30 / 65 lb two string bales makes a ton of hay .. same problem as above on fewer producers ..  round bales were 6x5 depending on weather $25-35/1200# bale... Producers have bought expensive new (Kabota) equipment which are 2 string 45# bales are now $10 in the field $12 in their barn ...  round bales 4x5 $35-60/800-900# bale ...  The other problem in this area is Bahia grass is taking over the hay fields .. it is a tuff chewing tuff mowing short grass with tall seed pods with low protein 6-7% .. no one wants to buy it for horses so it goes to waste or cows.

In the Ok City area .. too cold for coastal bermuda or it is shipped in.. there are some more hardy types of bermuda grown in that area >>>>  so you will find predominately native blue stem type grass hay ... you can't fertilize this grass or it will burn the roots and kill the grass .. 

Lots of barrel racers .. look at their hay in their trailer and get contact info on their hay producer .. feed stores also sell hay with a profit margin ... lol 

GOOD LUCK .. you will like Okla ..  having our first snow fall tonight .. 1-2 inches .. we are more known for ice storms and black ice .. so don't trust your eyes and end up in a ditch.. lol 

I'm in Kansas but everyone wants to put their hay up in round bales anymore.  Last summer I gave $7.50 a bale for brome delivered to my barn.  At least $5.00 a bale for prairie hay.  

Vets don't want to come to your house anymore and same with shoers.  They want you to haul to them.  Ah, for the good ole days. 

Thanks for the responses. I have heard about blister beettles and definitely want to stay far away from any of that. I understand people wanting to get round bales but I can't bring them with me to a show. I hope when we get down there we figure out how to get this hay figured out. There is no way we can afford $10 a bale and I really like my horses getting alfalfa. Hoping to get some land so they can graze and just need some alfalfa for nutrition. We aren't big grain feeders. Are there hay exchanges or auctions? 

Im in henryetta ok and I feed Chaffehay for the alfalfa bc alfafa bale is 23.00 from arizona.  Chaffehay is 14.40 for 50 pounds plus has probiotics in it and it is in a bag and I have been feeding it for bout 3-4 months and horses doing great on it and its easy to weigh.  Prairie square bale is 5-7 bale.  Im going to do our own on our new place this year but have to have so many square bales bc he wont get out square baler for just a few.  No one hardly square bales anymore.