Hay Report - When it rains it pours

Well, we are right at the critical time of getting hay down and needing some fine weather to cure it and blow me down, what happens it decides to rain. Not just a shower either, but several inches in some areas, making an already difficult situation even tougher.

We are hearing that a significant amount of potential hay was already down across the Wimmera and Mallee, with reports that some areas are now a real mess. Getting it into a bale is going to be challenging, and for those who do manage to bale it, quality could be well below expectations.

There are still areas that haven’t dropped their crops and have been waiting for the rain event to pass before getting started. The problem is that the forecast is pointing to more rain, and if you listen to the weather gurus, the talk is of a wet end to October, with the wet conditions potentially extending even further.

As one grower put it to me, “You can’t have it both ways.” The rain is a fantastic finish for grain growers, but it is certainly not what hay growers want to hear at this stage of the season.

Export hay is another bone of contention. One producer told me he had effectively told his buyer where to go after being offered a price he described as embarrassing. He has now said he will no longer be planting oats for hay in the future.

That is disappointing from both sides, particularly when growers need confidence to continue producing a quality product and buyers need a reliable supply.

For now, all we can do is watch the weather and hope growers can get some quality hay made. With the current forecasts and the amount of hay that has been caught by rain, there could be a fair volume of lower-quality hay hitting the market in the coming weeks.

Savvy buyers will need to do their homework and inspect the hay, check its condition and, wherever possible, sight a current feed test before purchasing.

This could be a season where what looks good from the outside may tell a very different story once the bale is opened.

Back in a fortnight..

Shane Ruyg

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

Here are the latest prices.

• Old Season Vetch is in the bracket of $180 to $405 a tonne (25/26 Season)
• New Season Vetch is in the bracket of $305 to $400 a tonne (26/27 Season)
• Cereal Hay ranges from $85 to $305 a tonne (25/26 Season)
• Lucerne Hay ranges from $305 to $600 a tonne. 
• Clover & Rye Hay ranges from $250 to $375 a tonne. (25/26 Season)
• Cereal Straw ranges from $70-$155 a tonne. (25/26 Season)

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

Paul Grayling - Mallee, Vic-based

With Mowers starting to ramp up there has been some mixed reports with weather damage while some have had the luxury to hold off cutting some havent been that fortunate and have copped some rain on the rows. There is a lot of talk about Protein Hay, mainly vetch and what sort of quality will be available with a test the only way to answer that. There could quite easily be a lack of top quality Vetch Hay around. Also starting to hear some talk about cereal hay with similar theme’s and exporters having put pricing out quality is the next unknown and will have growers sweating to see which end of the spread they will be offered. A real watch this space scenario is here.

Mike Pickard - Currently on leave

Jim Oehms - Northern Country, Vic-based

It has been a pretty interesting fortnight regarding the hay job. I have been getting mixed feelings from who i have been talking too all over as with the recent rains in Vic, those who had dropped their hay are not very happy as some places got up to 120mm of rain which is of course no good and will reduce quality of the hay dropped. The ones that have not dropped it are in high spirits as said they did need another couple of inches to finish things off pretty well. Some have been very positive saying that they will have a much better yield this year. Sth West VIC also got a well deserved drink as well. There is some new season hay being listed and there have been a few enquiries already on this but mostly Vetch at this stage. Prices seem to be pretty reasonable too. Remember, if you are selling your hay to get a feed test done and if buying to inspect first.

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)