Hay Report - Assess and make a decision

For the fortnight up to the 8th of October 2025.

By Dwain Duxson 

Farm Tender's Shane Ruyg said this: "If ever there was a line-in-the-sand moment, we're starting to see it in the hay job right now". 

We all suffer from that age-old disease called recency bias, so we can't say we haven't seen another season like this because we have. And there is still plenty to play out yet. We did a bit of a Crop inspection tour around Victoria, which I wrote about in The Farmers Club newsletter on Monday morning. You can read it at the bottom of the page. I saw many struggling Crops, and some good ones, and that's 4 or 5 days ago now.

One thing I didn't see much of was cut Crops or anyone cutting Crop. It might have been a tad early for some, but in the tracks we covered, I reckon decisions would be being made as we write. 

If many are going to be cutting Hay, there is a positive that Livestock prices are high, and it's a "weight gain game" these days, so if these big prices hang around, many are going to want to finish animals on Hay or Grain or a combination of both. And the confidence futurist Simon Quilty, in a recent podcast I listened to, is anything to go by, then prices for Cattle and Sheep look good out to 5 years or even longer.

You would think that the decision to Harvest Grain in Northern NSW and Southern Queensland would be a no-brainer because the Crops are huge, think again. Why? Because with Grain prices tumbling, Farmers up that way are crunching the numbers, and some are deciding to cut their bulky Crops for Silage or Hay to sell into the ever-expanding Feedlot sector, who smell an opportunity to contract some Hay and Grain at a lower rate than normal.

So it's a case of making an assessment of the Crop or Pasture on a paddock-by-paddock basis, making an assessment of the market on the day (ring one of our sales staff, phone numbers are below) and then making a decision on the back of what you know and what is going to be the best for your situation.. Go well.

Back in a fortnight.

For 6-month payment terms through DelayPay, give Kelsey a call at 0409 117 730.

What's happened to Hay prices over the last fortnight?

Here are the latest prices.

Vetch is in the bracket of $355 to $450 a tonne (New Season).

Cereal Hay ranges from $250 to $365 a tonne (New Season)

Lucerne Hay ranges from $350 to $615 a tonne.

Clover & Rye Hay is selling around $550 a tonne.

Straw is making anywhere from $110-$300 a tonne.

We go around the grounds to see what our Farm Tender Salespeople have to say:

Paul Grayling - Mallee, Vic-based

Paul said - Since the last Hay Report, there has been a lot of action on the Mowers with plenty of Hay now on the ground curing. With the last couple of predicted rains fizzling out to not much, a few more decisions have been and will be made regarding dropping more Crop. Pricing is all the talk as to where it will fall. This will be a wait-and-see scenario as everyone will be in different positions regarding the need to cash in versus sellers looking to get the best value. All buyers will be looking to get the best value for money. As per the norm, the Feed test will be imperative. Interesting times over the next month or so.

Shane Ruyg - Qld-based

Shane said - If ever there was a line-in-the-sand moment, we're starting to see it in the Hay job right now. Growers are making the call on whether to cut crops or let them run through to seed. We're hearing that large areas around Rainbow in the Wimmera are already being cut, with plenty of Cereal Hay now on the ground. The Riverina is in a similar position, with many weighing up their options — and if the rain doesn't come, I reckon we'll be hearing more of the same in the coming weeks. Pricing is all over the place at the moment, with Cereal Hay being advertised anywhere from $250–$350/t ex paddock, and Vetch Hay around $350–$450/t, likely fetching a few extra dollars if it's shedded. The next couple of weeks will tell the story — both in terms of how much gets cut and how much genuine buyer activity is out there.

Mike Pickard - On the road

Mike said - Mike was on leave at the time of writing.

Jim Oehms - Northern Country, Vic-based

Jim said - Hay is already starting to be dropped now, and silage. Most I am talking to would have liked to have had at least another inch or two of rain, but will work with what they have. A lot are asking what prices will do with new season hay, and I think prices will be more respectable as old season Hay will still be in Sheds as well, and this should bring prices down also. Northern NSW are looking pretty good from what I hear, and yields will be ok, but the further south you go, it's a bit hit and miss and patchy. Remember, if you are selling Hay, always best to have a Feed test done and if you are buying, to inspect first.

End of message.

For more information on selling or buying Hay contact the following:

Paul Grayling – 0447 069 082 or paulg@farmtender.com.au

Shane Ruyg – 0447 922 604 or shaner@farmtender.com.au

Mike Pickard – 0429 677 636 or mikep@farmtender.com.au

Jim Oehms -- 0481 102 288 or jimo@farmtender.com.au

Or 1300 Farming (1300 327 646)

Do you want to stay on the green line? - Join The Farmers Club here

Introducing Load Looper, the invention designed by Ian and Andrea Hamilton, who are Farmers at Tatyoon. Ian best describes how Load Looper works here. "Load Looper is a weighted ball device that attaches to a loading strap to carry the strap over the highest legal loads and simplify the loading process.

To watch a video on how it works or to buy Load Looper go to the website here.

Buy now, pay later for Hay! Try DelayPay today.

The weekend Crop inspection…..

Everyone loves a Crop inspection, including us. Paula and I left our Central Victorian home on Friday lunchtime to attend our family's Glendemar Merino's Open Day. I said to Paula that this trip will be a real Crop inspection, from Newstead to Maryborough, which is pretty heavy sort of country, the Crops are feeling it and under stress. That stress was more pronounced from Maryborough to Natte Yallock, where they were really struggling. You don't see any Cropping country until Navarre, and they were ok around there. From Greens Creek to Glendemar, things started to pick up the further North you headed. Around the Farm, they still looked fresh. On Saturday, we went from the Farm to Marnoo, where they looked fresh until you started to hit the heavy ground before Marnoo. From there to Donald, the Crops started to taper off. That lighter country, North of Donald, was really struggling. As we approached Wycheproof, things picked up dramatically when we entered the Mallee. From Wycheproof, to Boort, to Pyramid Hill, to Gunbower and then to Echuca along the Murray River, things looked fresh enough. Remember this was on Saturday, before the hot day on Sunday. We went out to Perricoota Station on Sunday morning, and the Crops look ok. We headed south from lunchtime on Sunday from Echuca to Rochester, where things were fresh enough. We then took the Rochester to Heathcote road, where the Crops were really struggling more than anywhere, except that patch North of Donald. That was our trip. See the Google Maps image in the "Cropping and Grain" section below of the route we took. What did your weekend Crop inspection reveal? Reply to dwaind@thefarmersclub.com.au or 0427 011 900