Hay Report - Subject to Weather Conditions

Seemingly, we are now at that time of the season where farmers are making some big decisions about what crops to cut for hay or green manure and what to take through to grain. In many areas, crops are reaching critical stages, with flowering and podding underway, and growers need to decide whether to keep spending money and push them through or drop them and begin the hay-making process.

Weather is having a huge impact on these decisions. In some areas, particularly with Vetch, crops are being cut onto wet ground because they are at the stage where they need to be dropped if hay is going to be made. Cereal crops are still a little way off, although we are hearing some Oat crops are looking magnificent. If conditions continue to go to plan, there should be plenty of Oat hay cut and baled when the time comes with the weather being the big factor, as always.

The contrast around the country remains significant. Southern cropping regions have enjoyed excellent growing conditions, with many crops well advanced and strong yield potential, while parts of NSW and Queensland remain much drier and some growers are already looking at hay as an alternative where grain crops may struggle to finish.

On the domestic hay market, things remain slow. There are plenty of sellers wanting to exit old-season stock to make room in their sheds for the new season, but demand is still weak. We are seeing more growers dropping prices in an effort to entice buyers and move excess bales before new hay starts arriving. Recent industry reports are also pointing to large carryover stocks and subdued buyer demand, despite some regional dry areas continuing to provide support.

At the moment, weather is dictating plenty of decisions. Hopefully, things dry up as we move closer to the critical cutting and harvesting periods and everyone can get a good run at making hay. In what many are describing as one of the most remarkable growing seasons they have experienced, there is still a lot to play out but if the weather cooperates, we could see some very big numbers of hay produced this season.

Back in a fortnight..

Shane Ruyg

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

Here are the latest prices.

• Vetch is in the bracket of $180 to $400 a tonne (25/26 Season)
• Cereal Hay ranges from $100 to $300 a tonne (25/26 Season)
• Lucerne Hay ranges from $300 to $550 a tonne. 
• Clover & Rye Hay ranges from $250-$400 a tonne. (25/26 Season)
• Cereal Straw ranges from $80-$150 a tonne. (25/26 Season)

We go around the grounds to hear from our Farm Tender Sales team:

Paul Grayling - Mallee, Vic-based

Mike Pickard - Currently on leave

Jim Oehms - Northern Country, Vic-based

It has been another fortnight and the hay job is still on the quite side. There is not a lot of movement on hay or straw and silage, other than smaller spot loads here and there. I have noticed though that Baron packs or cereal and lucerne are pretty popular right now and most of this is going up into NSW. Talking to a few and some have already dropped their crops and some are going to be doing Silage. Prices are still decent and there are a few that have started to reduce the price on what they have in the shed already, just to make room for new season hay. it will be interesting to see what happens over the next month as there is some positivity out there re the hay job. Remember, if you are looking at selling your hay, to have a feed test done, and if you are buying, to inspect.

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 call us on 1300 Farming (1300 327 646)