USDA Colorado Weekly Hay 07/16 12:05
07/16/2026 | 12:05 pm CDT USDA Colorado Weekly Hay 07/16 12:05
AMS_2905
Colorado Direct Hay Report
Released on July 16, 2026
Direct Hay Weighted Average Report for week ending 07/17/2026
VOLUME
This Week Last Reported Last Year
(06/29/2026)
Bales:
Hay 20188 9390 2409
Straw 2200
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Total 22388 9390 2409
Tons:
Hay 435 2060 2698
Silage 130
Straw 750
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Total 435 2190 3448
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Compared to last report: Trade activity Moderate.
Demand Good to Very Good on both old crop and new crop hay.
Premium 3x3's of mixed grass hay sold steady to $4.00/bale higher.
Small squares of prairie/meadow grass sold 50 cents/bale higher this period.
Little movement reported on new trades in the feedlot and dairy hay markets.
New crop activity picking up on new crop horse hay sales for small squares
and 3x3's.
According to the U.S.
Drought Monitor's High Plains Summary for July 14, 2026, rains exceeding
2 inches fell this week in northeast South Dakota and from parts of
south-central Nebraska southeast through parts of northeast Kansas.
Spotty heavy rain, locally in the 1.5-2-inch range, fell across eastern
Colorado, western Kansas, western Nebraska and southwest South Dakota,
as well as a few areas in North Dakota.
These rains led to localized improvements in eastern Colorado, western
Kansas and western Nebraska, where soil moisture improved and precipitation
deficits decreased in severity.
Widespread improvement to ongoing drought and abnormal dryness occurred
in northeast South Dakota where the heaviest rains fell there.
In eastern North Dakota, short-term precipitation deficits combined with
reduced soil moisture, resulting in widespread expansion of abnormal
dryness with a small area of moderate drought.
A few areas in north-central and northwest South Dakota had a few degradations
where short- and mid-term precipitation deficits and low soil
moisture occurred.
Temperatures in the northern portions of the High Plains region, particularly
from northwest Nebraska north, were 3-9 degrees above normal
this week as a heat wave took hold.
The impacts of this heat and locally drier weather will be assessed in
the coming weeks.
For Drought Classifications, 45.70% of the state falls in Extreme-Exceptional
drought (D3-D4) categories, and 54.30% of the state falls into
the Abnormally Dry-Severe Drought (D0-D2) categories.
The next available report will be Thursday, July, 30 2026.
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Mountains and Northwest CO
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Hay Conventional
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Grass Fair Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Medium Square 3x3 185 300.0 300 F.O.B.- Picked Up Ou1st Cut
Farm/Ranch
Mixed Grass Good Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Medium Square 3x3 500 230.0 230 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
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Northeast
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Hay Conventional
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Alfalfa Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 0 250.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Medium Square 3x3 0 185.0 0 F.O.B.- 1st Cut
Retail
Small Square Bundled 0 15.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Alfalfa Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Medium Square 3x3 0 185.0 0 F.O.B.- Old Crop
Retail
Small Square 475 14.5 14.5 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Alfalfa Utility Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 4x4 0 190.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Medium Square 3x3 0 185.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Small Square Bundled 0 14.5 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square Bundled 0 15.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
Alfalfa/Orchard Mix Premium Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 50 450.0 450 F.O.B.- 2nd Cut
Stables
Brome Grass Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square Bundled 0 10.0 0 F.O.B.-
Retail
Forage Mix-Three Way Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 800 15.0 15 F.O.B.- 1st Cut
Stables
Mixed Grass Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Medium Square 3x3 15 170.0 170 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Small Square 900 14.75 14.75 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Orchard Grass Premium Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 200 300.0 300 F.O.B.- 1st Cut
Stables
Timothy Grass Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square Bundled 0 16.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
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Straw Conventional
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Wheat Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 0 7.0 0 F.O.B.- New Crop
Retail
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San Luis Valley
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Hay Conventional
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Alfalfa Good/Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 500 130.0 130 F.O.B.- 1st Cut
Farm/Ranch
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Southeast
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Hay Conventional
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Alfalfa Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square Bundled 0 11.5 0 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Small Square Bundled 798 11.5 11.5 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Alfalfa Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 0 250.0 0 F.O.B. Covered 1st Cut
Barley Per Ton
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Large Square 3x4 0 200.0 0 F.O.B. Rain Damage 1st Cut
Large Square 3x4 0 225.0 0 F.O.B. Covered 1st Cut
Prairie/Meadow Grass Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 1200 11.25 11.25 F.O.B.- Covered Old Crop
Retail
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Straw Conventional
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Wheat Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 2200 6.0 6 F.O.B. Certified WeNew Crop
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Southwest
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Hay Conventional
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Mixed Grass Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 3 Tie 800 17.0 17 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Alfalfa/Grass Mix Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 0 10.0 0 F.O.B.- Covered New Crop
Stables
Small Square 450 10.0 10 F.O.B.- Covered 1st Cut
Stables
Mixed Grass Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 0 14.0-18.0 0 F.O.B.- Certified WeNew Crop
Stables
Small Square 350 12.0-15.5 14.36 F.O.B.- Certified WeNew Crop
Stables
Orchard Grass Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 3 Tie 0 20.0 0 F.O.B.- Covered New Crop
Stables
Orchard Grass Premium Per Bale
Qty Price Range Wtd Freight/ Description Crop Age
Avg Use
--- ----------- --- ---------- ----------- --------
Small Square 3 Tie 13400 24.0 24 F.O.B.- 1st Cut
Stables
[0600059A]