CGCustomGrazing

Alabama grazing rates

Pastureland cash rent averages $25.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025). Grass hay is $181/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $3.07 per pair per day.

Southeast · Alabama

This week

Feeder Cattle Index
$359.19/​cwt
national
Feeder cattle
$352.45/​cwt
781 lb avg, AL
Grass hay
$181/​ton
AL
Hay feed cost
$3.07
per pair per day

Source: USDA AMS via LivestockValue and HayValue, week of Jul 31, 2026

What grass rents for

State cash rent
$25.00/​acre
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Top counties by pastureland cash rent (58 of Alabama’s counties reporting)
County$/acreYear
Escambia County$41.50/acre2025
Covington County$39.00/acre2025
Houston County$38.50/acre2025
Jackson County$37.00/acre2025
Geneva County$36.50/acre2025
Russell County$34.50/acre2025
Etowah County$34.00/acre2025
Mobile County$34.00/acre2025
Coffee County$33.00/acre2025
Colbert County$32.50/acre2025
Cherokee County$32.00/acre2025
Lawrence County$31.50/acre2025
Cullman County$30.50/acre2025
Henry County$29.00/acre2025
Monroe County$28.50/acre2025

Source: USDA NASS Cash Rents.

Hay feed cost

Hay feed cost
$3.07
per pair per day, this week

34 lb hay per pair per day (1.3 AU at 26 lb per AU). feeding waste not included.

Published benchmarks

Some figures are published rates, not CustomGrazing listing data. Each one names its source.

FigureValueSource
US average pastureland cash rent$15.50/acreUSDA NASS Cash Rents, 2025
Kansas Flint Hills summer lease occupancy97.2% of bluestem pasture under contract, 2024–25K-State Bluestem Pasture Report, 2025
Observed asking prices, full care$30–50/AUMasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, Texas pair rate$30–40/pair/monthasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026
Observed asking prices, custom care$1.25–2.50/head/dayasking prices observed in public listings, July 2026

Common questions

What does it cost to feed hay instead of grazing in Alabama?

Grass hay is $181/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $3.07 per pair per day.

What do Alabama pastureland cash rents run per acre?

Pastureland cash rent averages $25.00/acre (USDA NASS, 2025).