WITH the increasing opportunity for farmers to make hay this season, there is plenty of quality feed available to finish cattle.
Subscribe now for unlimited access to all our agricultural news
across the nation
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Cereal hay is selling for between $250 to $290 a tonne on the North Coast, according to Dairy Australia’s national hay report.
Lucerne hay is making $300/t to $350/t delivered and pasture hay is selling for $130 to $150/t.
Variable hay prices are dependent on quality.
Dairy Australia industry analyst, Amy Bellhouse, Melbourne, said hay prices had been reasonably steady across NSW in the past fortnight.
Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA) director, Frank McRae, said there was a lot of good quality hay and hay blends on sale after some of NSW had a good season.
With a booming cattle market, Mr McRae said some farmers chose to use their dual purpose oats crops strictly for grazing this year.
However, those who had good rainfall throughout the season were able to grow oats for grazing, harvest and hay.
There were also some who hadn’t grown oats for years, but decided to with the expensive cattle market.
Mr McRae said some of these farmers would have cut their oats for hay.
Southern NSW farmers were also able to make silage out of some of their pasture this year.
Mr McRae said having silage gave farmers the flexibility to look at hay options for their oats crops.
There has been hay made in areas throughout Tasmania and Victoria after a very tough spring.
Mr McRae said some farmers in these areas decided to cut crops for hay early instead of harvesting them.
“There will be good demand for hay to feed stock in these areas through a hot, dry summer,” Mr McRae said.
With farmers wanting to capitalise on the cattle market and areas across the country still dry, Mr McRae said domestic demand for hay was good.
He said there was going to be two ranges of hay quality available, depending on when growers cut their crops.
“Stuff that was cut and on the ground when areas had big rain is going to be poorer quality,” he said.
“Because most of our oaten hay doesn’t go to export, it won’t have a big impact on prices.”
Ms Bellhouse said there was weather damaged bales being sold and farmers should ask their suppliers about hay quality.
