Hay
Hay is grass or legume forage cut, field cured to a storable moisture and pressed into bales. It covers timothy, orchard grass, ryegrass, fescue, bermuda, oat, rye, teff, klein and mixed meadow crops, alone or blended. It is the maintenance feed of the livestock world, fed to dairy and beef cattle, horses, sheep, goats, camels and small animals, and it supplies both energy and the long fibre that keeps a ruminant rumen working. Grass hay is bought where a nutritionist wants fibre without the protein load of a legume, and it is the preferred forage in most horse feeding. It is traded internationally in double compressed bales because dry matter freight is the dominant cost.
Listed hay markets
Each line is a grade at a delivery point. Open one for its full specification and terms.
Grades
Hay is contracted on species, cut and a laboratory certificate. The species mix and the cut are declared on the contract, and the nutritive terms are settled against a certified analysis of a core sample drawn across the lot.
Species and crop identity
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| SpeciesDeclared, by botanical name | Timothy, orchard grass, perennial or annual ryegrass, tall fescue, bermuda, oat, barley, rye, teff, klein, brome, fescue or a named meadow mix. |
| Mix compositionPercentage by mass, by species | Where the lot is a blend, the proportion of each species is declared and verified by hand separation of a sample. |
| Legume contentPercentage by mass | Alfalfa, clover or other legume present in a grass hay, which raises the protein and changes the feeding value. |
| Endophyte statusDeclared, for fescue | Endophyte infected fescue carries alkaloids that affect livestock. Endophyte free and novel endophyte lots are declared and tested. |
| Cut numberDeclared | First, second, third or later cut, with the cutting date recorded. |
| Curing methodDeclared | Field cured, barn dried, chemically preserved or dehydrated, with the preservative named where one is used. |
Nutritive value measurement
12 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Dry matterPercentage by mass | The basis for every other number on the certificate. |
| MoisturePercentage by mass, maximum | The term that governs storage and shipping safety. Hay pressed wet heats and can ignite. |
| Crude proteinPercentage of dry matter | Determined under ISO 5983. Grass hays carry less protein than legumes and the buyer contracts a range, not a target. |
| Acid detergent fibrePercentage of dry matter | Determined under ISO 13906. |
| Neutral detergent fibrePercentage of dry matter | Amylase treated, determined under ISO 16472. In grass hay it is the dominant nutritive term. |
| Neutral detergent fibre digestibilityPercentage of neutral detergent fibre, at a stated incubation hour | Measured in vitro at a named time point. |
| Water soluble carbohydratePercentage of dry matter | The sugar fraction. It is contracted on horse hay, where low sugar lots are specified for metabolic conditions. |
| Total digestible nutrientsPercentage of dry matter, calculated | Derived from the measured fibre fractions by a named published equation. |
| Crude ashPercentage of dry matter | Determined under ISO 5984. |
| Nitrate contentMilligrams per kilogram of dry matter | Measured on cereal and annual grass hays, where accumulated nitrate can be toxic to ruminants. |
| Mineral profilePercentage or milligrams per kilogram of dry matter, by element | Calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sodium, measured where the ration is being balanced against them. |
| Colour and leafDeclared | Recorded as evidence of curing and storage. Descriptive, and it does not replace the analysis. |
Physical form and bale specification
6 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Bale formatDeclared, with the nominal dimensions | Small square, large square, round, double compressed or mini bale. |
| Bale densityKilograms per cubic metre | It decides the container payload and it is priced accordingly. |
| Bale weightKilograms per bale, with the tolerance | Weighed at the press and on the weighbridge. |
| Product formDeclared | Long hay, chopped, cubed, pelleted or bagged retail packs. |
| Particle lengthMillimetres, where chopped | Contracted where the buyer feeds a total mixed ration. |
| Twine and wrapDeclared | Sisal, polypropylene or net wrap, and the mesh. Wrap type is a contract term where the buyer runs an automated feed line. |
Cleanliness, contamination and feed safety
8 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| Foreign materialPercentage by mass, maximum | Soil, stone, wire, twine, plastic and any material that is not the named crop, separated by hand from a drawn sample and weighed. |
| Weed contentPercentage by mass, and declared by species where restricted | Undesirable plant material in the lot. Some destination markets prohibit named noxious species outright and the contract names them. |
| Mould and spoilagePercentage by mass, maximum | Visibly mouldy, heat damaged or spoiled material, weighed after separation. It is the defect that most often causes rejection at discharge. |
| MycotoxinsMicrograms per kilogram, maximum, by named toxin | Aflatoxin, deoxynivalenol, zearalenone, fumonisin and ochratoxin A, determined by chromatography where the destination or the buyer specifies a limit. |
| Heat damage and caramelisationDeclared, with the acid detergent insoluble protein measurement | Heating in the stack binds protein and makes it unavailable to the animal. It is measured, not judged by smell. |
| Insects and live pestsZero tolerance where specified | Inspected before stuffing. A live find at discharge is a rejection, not a discount. |
| Noxious weed seedDeclared, by species | Named destinations prohibit specific species and require a seed free declaration. |
| Soil and ash contaminationPercentage of dry matter, maximum | An elevated ash figure means soil picked up at raking and it is deducted. |
Delivery, packing and certification
10 grades
| Grade | Definition |
|---|---|
| PackingDeclared, with the bale or package format and the wrap | Field bales, double compressed bales, pressed and re-pressed bales, wrapped bales, bulk or pelleted, with the wrapping material named. |
| Container or vessel stowDeclared, with the loading method | Container stuffed weight, breakbulk stow or bulk vessel, with the target payload written into the contract. |
| Phytosanitary certificateCertificate, issued by the national plant protection organisation | Required by most destinations for plant origin feed. The certificate names the treatment applied and the pest freedom declared. |
| Fumigation or heat treatmentDeclared, with the certificate | Methyl bromide, phosphine, heat treatment or irradiation, named where the destination requires it. |
| Weight and sampling basisDeclared | Landed weight or shipped weight, with the survey house and the sampling protocol named in the contract. |
| CertificationCertificate, with the scheme and the certificate number | GMP+, organic, non genetically modified, or a private buyer feed safety standard, named on the contract when it is contracted. |
| Crop year and cutDeclared | The harvest year, and the cut number where the crop is taken more than once in a season. |
| Fire retardant treatmentDeclared, with the product and the application rate | Applied to compressed hay moving in containers or in bulk where the destination or the insurer requires it. The treatment is named on the contract and on the certificate. |
| Double compressionDeclared | Whether the bale has been re-pressed for container loading. |
| Horse feed declarationDeclared | Hay contracted for equine use carries separate cleanliness, dust and species terms and it is declared as such. |
Grades outside this list trade on request. Send us the contract specification you work to and we will price against it.
Locations
| Country | Region | We trade it as |
|---|---|---|
| United States | Pacific Northwest, California, Arizona, the Intermountain West and the Great Plains | Origin and destination |
| Spain | Aragon, Catalonia, Navarre and Castile and Leon | Origin and destination |
| Canada | Alberta, Saskatchewan, British Columbia and Ontario | Origin and destination |
| Australia | New South Wales, Victoria, South Australia and Western Australia | Origin and destination |
| Italy | the Po valley, Lombardy, Emilia-Romagna and Veneto | Origin and destination |
| France | Champagne, Burgundy, Normandy and the southwest | Origin and destination |
| Argentina | Buenos Aires, Cordoba, Santa Fe and La Pampa | Origin and destination |
| South Africa | the Western Cape, Northern Cape and Free State | Origin and destination |
| Sudan | the Nile valley and Gezira | Origin and destination |
| Egypt | the Nile delta and the reclaimed desert schemes | Origin and destination |
| Ukraine | the central and southern oblasts | Origin and destination |
| Kazakhstan | the northern grain belt and the southern irrigated zone | Origin and destination |
| Turkey | Konya, Anatolia and the Aegean | Origin and destination |
| Romania | the Danube plain and Transylvania | Origin and destination |
| Poland | the central and eastern voivodeships | Origin and destination |
| Germany | Lower Saxony, Bavaria and North Rhine-Westphalia | Destination |
| Netherlands | Rotterdam, Vlissingen and the intensive dairy provinces | Destination |
| Ireland | the southern and midland dairy counties | Destination |
| United Kingdom | England, Wales and Scotland | Destination |
| Portugal | Alentejo, Ribatejo and the Azores | Destination |
| China | Inner Mongolia, Hebei, Shandong, Ningxia and the coastal feed ports | Destination |
| Japan | Hokkaido, Tohoku and the Kanto and Kansai feed terminals | Destination |
| South Korea | Gyeonggi, Chungcheong and the Busan and Incheon feed terminals | Destination |
| Taiwan | the western dairy belt and Kaohsiung | Destination |
| Saudi Arabia | Riyadh, Al Kharj, Qassim and the Jeddah and Dammam feed terminals | Destination |
| United Arab Emirates | Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Al Ain | Destination |
| Qatar | Doha and the Al Khor dairy zone | Destination |
| Kuwait | Kuwait City and the Sulaibiya farms | Destination |
| Oman | the Batinah coast and Salalah | Destination |
| Jordan | Amman and the Jordan valley | Destination |
| Israel | the coastal plain and the Negev | Destination |
| Vietnam | the Mekong delta, the central highlands and the northern dairy provinces | Destination |
| Indonesia | Java, Sumatra and the Lampung feed corridor | Destination |
| India | Punjab, Haryana, Gujarat, Maharashtra and Karnataka | Origin and destination |
| Pakistan | Punjab and Sindh | Origin and destination |
| Mexico | Chihuahua, Sonora, La Laguna and Jalisco | Origin and destination |
| Chile | the central valley and Los Lagos | Destination |
| Brazil | Minas Gerais, Sao Paulo, Parana and Rio Grande do Sul | Origin and destination |
| Thailand | the central plain and the northeast | Destination |
| Morocco | the Gharb, Doukkala and Souss | Destination |
| Singapore | the trading and structuring desks that finance the feed trade | Trading and finance |
| Switzerland | the agricultural commodity trading houses in Geneva and Zug | Trading and finance |
Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown here.
Timing
Harvest is when the crop is cut, cured or ensiled at origin. Arrival is when a shipment from that origin typically lands in a consuming market. The gap between them is curing, pressing, testing, phytosanitary clearance and the voyage.
HarvestArrival
| Origin | J | F | M | A | M | J | J | A | S | O | N | D | Window |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jan to DecPacific Northwest timothy and orchard grass, southern bermuda, shipped from stored inventory year round. |
| Canada | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest Jun to Sep, arrival Jan to DecPrairie and British Columbia timothy, pressed and compressed for the Asian and Gulf trades. |
| Australia | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Feb, arrival Jan to DecOaten and cereal hay from the southern states, the backbone of the Japanese and Korean import trade. |
| Spain | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest May to Sep, arrival Jan to DecRyegrass and mixed meadow hay from the northern and central provinces. |
| South Africa | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to DecEragrostis and mixed grass hay serving the regional and Indian Ocean trade. |
| Argentina | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest and arrival | Harvest Oct to Mar, arrival Jan to DecPampas grass and mixed hay, largely compressed and pelleted for export. |
Windows outside this pattern trade on request, including carry, forward positions and stock already sitting in a destination warehouse.
Customs, packing and contract terms
Indicative terms for hay. Tariff classification is the importer’s responsibility and limits change, so confirm both against the destination customs authority and the current regulation before you fix a contract.
- HS heading1214.90 Hay and other forage products, whether or not in pellets
- PackingDouble compressed bales loaded into containers, or 1 t big bales for bulk trades. Moisture at bale is the clause that decides both mould claims and freight economics.
- Container loading20ft: 22 t to 26 t double compressed. 40ft high cube around 26 t. Uncompressed forage is volume limited long before weight and rarely pays the freight.
- Contract and arbitrationSale on analysis for crude protein, relative feed value, moisture and foreign material with a certificate at load port. GAFTA feed contracts where the trade is bulk, arbitration under GAFTA rules or at the contract seat.
- Destination limitsPhytosanitary certification under Regulation 2016/2031 with weed seed and soil free declarations, fumigation or heat treatment for several destinations, EU feed hygiene under Regulation 183/2005 with undesirable substance limits under Directive 2002/32, and GMO controls where the crop has genetically modified varieties.
Common questions
What grades of hay does SIP Global trade?
We quote 42 published grades of hay, including Species - Declared, by botanical name, Mix composition - Percentage by mass, by species, Legume content - Percentage by mass, Endophyte status - Declared, for fescue, Cut number - Declared and Curing method - Declared. Every grade is tied to a delivery point and a settlement route. Grades outside the published list are priced on request.
How is hay graded?
Hay is contracted on species, cut and a laboratory certificate. The species mix and the cut are declared on the contract, and the nutritive terms are settled against a certified analysis of a core sample drawn across the lot. Grading runs on 5 systems: Species and crop identity, Nutritive value measurement, Physical form and bale specification, Cleanliness, contamination and feed safety and Delivery, packing and certification.
Where does SIP Global trade hay?
We trade hay in United States, Spain, Canada, Australia, Italy, France, Argentina and South Africa and 34 further markets. Origins and destinations outside this list trade on request. We are not limited to the locations shown.
When is hay harvested and when does it arrive?
Typical windows are United States: harvest may to sep, arrival jan to dec; Canada: harvest jun to sep, arrival jan to dec; Australia: harvest oct to feb, arrival jan to dec; Spain: harvest may to sep, arrival jan to dec; South Africa: harvest oct to mar, arrival jan to dec. Harvest is when the lot is taken at origin, arrival is when a shipment from that origin lands in a consuming market. Windows outside this pattern, including carry, trade on request.
What is the HS code for hay?
Hay is normally classified under HS 1214.90 (hay and other forage products, whether or not in pellets). The heading follows the form the goods are in at the border, and national tariffs extend it beyond six digits, so confirm the full line with the destination customs authority before you fix a contract.
How do I get a price for hay?
Send the grade, the origin and the delivery window to the SIP Global desk. That is enough for a trader to come back with a level and a settlement route. 2 listed hay markets are published on this page, each with its full specification and terms. We take both sides, physical and financial, prompt to long dated.
Standards and data sources
The grading language on this sheet follows published standards. Trade volumes and tariff lines are public record. Verify anything here against the source.
- ISOInternational Organization for Standardization
- IPPCInternational Plant Protection Convention phytosanitary measures
- UN ComtradeOfficial international trade statistics by HS code
- ITC Trade MapBilateral trade flows and tariff data
- FAOSTATFAO production and trade series for agricultural commodities
Price this with our desk
Grade, origin and window if you have them. If what you are carrying does not fit the sheet above, describe it in your own words and a trader will take it from there.