CGCustomGrazing

Missouri grazing rates

Pastureland cash rent averages $38.50/acre (USDA NASS, 2025). Grass hay is $125/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.13 per pair per day.

Midwest · Missouri

This week

Feeder Cattle Index
$359.19/​cwt
national
Feeder cattle
$362.44/​cwt
777 lb avg, MO
Grass hay
$125/​ton
MO
Hay feed cost
$2.13
per pair per day

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

What grass rents for

State cash rent
$38.50/​acre
USDA NASS, 2025 survey
Top counties by pastureland cash rent (106 of Missouri’s counties reporting)
County$/acreYear
Atchison County$72.50/acre2025
Nodaway County$66.00/acre2025
Howard County$66.00/acre2025
Mercer County$56.00/acre2025
Buchanan County$56.00/acre2025
Worth County$54.00/acre2025
Lewis County$53.50/acre2025
Saline County$53.50/acre2025
Knox County$52.50/acre2025
Ray County$52.50/acre2025
Moniteau County$52.00/acre2025
Putnam County$51.50/acre2025
Sullivan County$51.00/acre2025
Platte County$50.00/acre2025
Lafayette County$50.00/acre2025

Source: USDA NASS Cash Rents.

Hay feed cost

Hay feed cost
$2.13
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 Missouri?

Grass hay is $125/ton this week (USDA AMS). Feeding that hay costs about $2.13 per pair per day.

What do Missouri pastureland cash rents run per acre?

Pastureland cash rent averages $38.50/acre (USDA NASS, 2025).