How do I check a cattle operation’s winter feed stocks and hay supply?

Winter feed is the cost that cannot wait. Begin with the stacks and bins themselves. See how the hay is stored, whether it is covered, and whether any shows mould or water damage. Ask whether it has been tested for quality, since the cattle’s needs depend on more than the bale count. Compare what is on hand with the number of animals and the length of the feeding season, and ask how the seller calculates it.

Then look at where feed comes from. If the operation grows its own, ask about the fields, the yields in good and poor years and who does the baling. If it buys, ask who the suppliers are, whether there are contracts and how prices have moved. Ask what happened in the last short year: did the herd shrink, did feed get purchased at a high price?

Check the inventory method too. Ask how stored feed appears in the financial statements, and whether the seller expects it to stay with the farm or be sold off at closing. Your accountant can help you compare stocks with the books. Ask whether any feed is committed to another buyer or already sold, so you know what you would really be getting.

Key takeaways

• Inspect storage conditions and ask whether the hay was tested.
• Match feed on hand against herd size and winter length.
• Ask how the farm handled its last short feed year.