Cost Per Pound: Perennial Peanut Hay vs. Alfalfa, Delivered to Florida
A horse owner in Marianna recently asked us to do the actual math: is perennial peanut hay really cheaper than alfalfa, once you factor in everything? Here's the spreadsheet, with real numbers from this season.
Per-bale price at the farm gate
| Hay type | Average farm-gate price | Weight | Cost per lb |
|---|---|---|---|
| Perennial peanut (McDaniel Farms) | $14.00 | 55 lb | $0.255 |
| Alfalfa (trucked from western US) | $22–$28 | 65 lb | $0.34–$0.43 |
| Coastal bermuda (Florida) | $7–$9 | 50 lb | $0.14–$0.18 |
At the farm gate, perennial peanut beats alfalfa by 25–40% per pound. But that's not the real number — delivery matters.
Delivered cost to a Florida barn
Let's say you're a boarding barn in Tallahassee, ~75 miles from us. You need 50 bales per month.
Perennial peanut from McDaniel Farms
- 50 bales × $14 = $700 hay
- Delivery: 75 loaded miles (one-way) × $2.50/mile = $187.50
- Total: $887.50 for 2,750 lbs of hay
- Cost per lb delivered: $0.32
Alfalfa delivered to the same barn
Most Florida-bought alfalfa comes from the western US via freight broker. Typical delivered prices:
- 50 bales × $26 average = $1,300 hay
- Freight typically already included in delivered price, OR an additional $1.50–$2.50 per bale = +$75–125
- Total: $1,375–1,425 for 3,250 lbs of hay
- Cost per lb delivered: $0.42–0.44
The answer: on raw delivered cost per pound, perennial peanut comes in about 25% below alfalfa in this scenario. And that's before the hidden costs.
The hidden costs that move the needle
1. Protein per dollar
Peanut hay: ($887.50 ÷ 2,750 lbs) ÷ 16% CP = $2.02 per pound of protein delivered Alfalfa: $0.43/lb ÷ 19% CP = $2.26 per pound of protein delivered
Peanut also has the edge on raw protein cost in this example —
2. Grain reduction
Most barns report cutting concentrate feed by $30–$60 per horse per month when they switch to peanut hay from coastal. If you're switching from alfalfa, grain savings are minimal — but if you're switching from coastal-plus-alfalfa-pellets, peanut hay alone can replace both.
For a 10-horse barn switching off concentrate pellets:
- Grain savings: ~$400/month
- That makes peanut hay ~$80 cheaper per ton on net cost
3. Waste rate
Alfalfa stem refusal is real. Most barns see 10–20% of alfalfa bale weight in stem waste. Perennial peanut sees 3–8% waste because the leaf-to-stem ratio is higher.
On a 50-bale load:
- Alfalfa effective usable weight: 3,250 × 0.85 = 2,762 lbs
- Peanut effective usable weight: 2,750 × 0.95 = 2,612 lbs
Effective cost per usable lb:
- Alfalfa: $1,400 / 2,762 = $0.51
- Peanut: $887.50 / 2,612 = $0.34
Peanut wins by about 33% per usable pound once you weigh refusal honestly.
4. Supply chain reliability
Western alfalfa pricing swings 20–40% per year with diesel, drought, and freight. Florida-grown peanut hay is local — the price is stable cut-to-cut and the supply is always one phone call away.
The honest bottom line
Delivered 75 miles, perennial peanut costs about 25% less per pound than alfalfa, and about 33% less per usable pound after waste. On top of that, peanut hay wins on:
- Grain bill reduction (significant)
- Supply stability (no surprise price spikes)
- Local supply chain (no freight broker, no out-of-state hassle)
- Better for the Florida climate (no blister beetle risk)
- Multi-species feeding (same bale feeds horses + goats)
For most Florida barns, the total feed program cost drops 10–25% switching from "alfalfa + grain" to "peanut hay only." That's the number worth caring about.
Get a delivery quote for your ZIP → or text (850) 573-0470 or (850) 573-0471 with your monthly bale count.