On July 3, a bale of alfalfa-grass sold for $19. Yesterday, the price was $23, a 21% increase. That’s with the quantity discount. The single-bale price is now $24.
If this pattern is true in other areas, what will be the effect on horse owners and adopters who were struggling to get by in the summer?
A horse would need at least five of these bales each month, given their smaller size and weight. That works out to $115 per AUM or more.
The government pays around $60 per AUM for horses in long-term holding.
Ranchers pay $1.35 per AUM to graze their livestock on your public lands, including those set aside for wild horses.
RELATED: Cost of Hay Rising.
Western Horse Watchers Association 