During the middle of September, Wes and Nathan Kember were watching the canola crops on their Ganmain district family property, “Gleneith” slowly decrease in potential grain return due to lack of winter rain and some frost damage, and decided to salvage as much value while there was still some green growth.
The Gem, Crusher and Bonito varieties had been sown in late April into adequate soil moisture.
“There was good sub-soil moisture but the topsoil was only good enough to germinate and get it up so we were always relying on getting rain to come to do a good job,” Wes Kember said.
When the decision was made to cut the crop for hay, only 125mm rain had fallen for the year.
“It has just been a tough year,” he said.
“Interestingly, the areas in the paddocks which went off first were those which had been the wettest last year.
“Normally you would expect the wetter areas would have hung on longer, but no, they have failed first.”
Mr Kember said when they resolved to cut the crops they were possibly in a better position than many farmers because they have the baling equipment to hand.
“We make hay every year, but it eventually came down to how were we going to make the most money off the paddock.
“History shows us if we wait and wait too long, the prime time for making hay passes with energy and protein content diminishing as the plants flower and set pods.”
Mr Kember said the trick is to go early and cut while the plants are still green and sappy.
“We want as much leaf as possible and generally with about thirty per cent flowers still on the plants,” he said.
“One of the ways in which we made our decision was going into the paddock and if we are undecided about whether hay or grain is the best option, generally the paddock should already be on the ground.”
In explaining his decision, Mr Kember said in most years when there is a drier than normal finish to the season, the canola grain oil content will be lost, as will grain weight with a small grain.
“That is in a dry year, let alone a drought,” he said.
“So for us the decision came down to what were we most likely going to end up with, and in my mind we probably came to a point where we would have low oil, low test weight and poor quality grain.”
Mr Kember said in that scenario they were the triggers which encouraged the decision to bale and conserve the crop as hay.
“We have cut 485 hectares so it was a big call, but it is just about making a decision and moving on not dwelling too much on what could have been and make the best of here and now,” he said.
Recovering value from a dry season
In consultation with their private agronomist, Peter McInerney, director 3D-Ag, Wagga Wagga, Wes and Nathan Kember, “Gleneith”, Ganmain quickly moved to bale their canola crops before they deteriorated further in potential returns.
“With Peter, we inspected the paddocks and found quite a bit of frost damage,” Wes Kember said.
“There were pods forming but with no viable seed it had come to a stage were we thought it was unviable to continue through to harvest.”
When discussing the nutrition value of the hay and thus its commercial return, Mr Kember said he has had up to 18 per cent protein and good energy levels provided it was cut early.
“A few weeks ago we found some bales at the back of the shed baled in 2007 and they looked like bales of stalks with very little colour,” he said.
“When we fed them to the sheep they basically licked the ground clean.”
Mr Kember said the hay didn’t look particularly appealing, but the sheep stayed with the bale until it was all gone.
Peter McInerney emphasised there is value in good hay but it must be conditioned to allow the stems to dry quickly without losing leaf.
“We are seeing prices of $150 to $200 per tonne depending on quality,” he said.
“Good canola hay can have 16 per cent protein and ten megajoules energy and provided you know how to make it and have the ability and experience to sell it, canola hay can be a profitable alternative for a crop which is seriously affected by lack of rain or frosted.”
Mr McInerney made a comparative analysis on the returns of canola hay versus waiting for the grain.
“At three and half tonnes per hectare at $150 per tonne and less baling and conditioning costs there is not a lot of difference with .6 tonne grain per hectare at $600 per tonne less costs,” he said.
“If you are not sure of getting a harvest then making hay can be a good alternative.”
Mr McInerney pointed out it is ultimately an uncomfortable decision but one which is made after considering all options.
“If you are standing in a crop and thinking about cutting it for hay, you should have done it a week ago,” he said.
“When you make that decision you are going to be unhappy one way or the other, but when you are faced with these sort of situations, it is worthwhile bouncing ideas of an independent person.”
