High-yielding straw crops across much of the country is pushing the price of bedding down for livestock farmers.

A sale of around 400 bales of hay and straw this week at Thainstone Mart saw prices plummet compared with early-season sales at last year’s harvest.

Prices down

Last Friday, farmers were paying between £8 and £12/round bale for winter barley straw, which is down from £15 to £17/bale 12 months earlier.

Hay bales were making between £6 and £10/bale, which is less than one third of last year’s price of £35 to £40/bale.