Hay Farming

Hay is very much needed in our society as this will help us provide food for the livestock during the winter season. Hay farming, and doing the alternative art of baling hay is a very profitable business.

As the demand for hay grows, there is a great business opportunity in this field as long as you have all the needed equipments and the knowledge of growing hay.

Hay is a grass, cultivated, cut into desired shapes and sizes, dried under the sun and is keep for future use primarily as feed to livestock such as: cattle, horses, sheep, goats, and sometimes to pets like rabbits and guinea pigs etc. Hay is used to feed animals which are kept in the barn and in the stables. During the season when green pasture is not available, hay then becomes the primary feeds for the livestock. Another useful benefit from hay is for bedding purposes for the barn and stables, even in the garden as well.

First thing you should consider is, if you have a farm land wide enough to start your hay farming. If you don’t own a farm at this moment, try to plan how to avail one, either by buying an existing farm or buy a prospect area good for farming using your savings or by applying loan from bank or from other financial institutions.

Do you have the equipment needed in your hay farm? Make a checklist of the equipments you will need in the farm. Be sure to have it before engaging yourself in this field. Here are the equipments you will need:

  • Tractor
  • Seeder
  • Mower
  • Twine
  • Hay rake
  • Hay racks
  • Baler
  • Bale spear


Select the hay with good quality – High grade hay can be determined by its color. It should be green and must be composed of plant leaves and stems and legumes; however it should not be so coarsely. Another helpful tip in determining the quality of the hay is the leaf and seed materials in the hay.

When hay is intended for fodder, the hay should be taken from oat, barley and wheat as these are good source of protein. These plants are cut when they are yet green, then they are dried and form into hay to be stored for fodder.

However, if the intention of making hay is for bedding purposes only, hay form into straw will do. Straw is composed of dead stems and leaves of plants that are gathered after the harvest and form it into straw

Additional Tips

Do not harvest hay too early as this will make hay hard to dry due to moisture and may also build molds. Don’t harvest hay too late because this will make your hay too coarsely.

6 Comments

  • Fred Almaguer Jr said on October 14, 2012
    F n G Investments, 24265 state highway 345, Rio Hondo Tx. 78583. I am interested in expanding my business on a much larger scale, I currently am leasing 27 acres if land for hay but would like to expand. I can also be reached on my cellular 956-536-8982.
  • hendricks Mmeti said on October 27, 2012
    I am residing in Botswana, I got a ploughing land wishing to run business on hay planting and other cattle or livestock feeds
  • Sj said on January 4, 2013
    I am residing in fairfield ca, I got land wishing to run a Business organic vegetables, herbs or hay or any other related to food
  • Sheldon Pearson said on August 2, 2014
    I have been in the hay business for eleven years. Looking to get into my own hay farm around 500 plus acres to lease purchase please contact me at J&S hay 2083086480
  • Maria Gorreth said on February 26, 2016
    I am a BESBM Student I want to write a Business Plan my Idea is Hay Farming I need your help on how I can arrange my booklet.
  • Lucy Ndiritu said on February 19, 2017
    Hay, I come from an area where people have quite big chunks of land. I wish to introduce hay farming to the residents as a business and for their personal use too. Kindly assist urgently on the plan and modalities of the same. Thank you in advance, Lucy

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