Growers face dilemma with rain threatening quality

The hay season is proving challenging for farmers as forecasts for more rain would ruin the condition of crops for harvesting.

The wet spring is posing challenges for hay producers who face having to cut crops.

HAY growers face one of their most challenging seasons as hay prices are low and a key objective is to capture as much of the quality their crops offer them.

Buyers are often looking for quality hay that can supplement their own lower quality hay and silage.

While constant rain during September and October is working well for grain fill, it is a headache for cereal hay growers.

Once oaten hay crops reach growth stage 71, when the head has emerged from the flag leaf and the grain is watery ripe, quality can deteriorate rapidly.

Researchers have found that in the week after reaching GS71 typical neutral detergent fibre levels increase six percentage points and water-soluble carbohydrate levels fall 10 percentage points.

In the face of rain, growers often have little option but to cut crops and hope the forecasts for more rain fail to eventuate.

Oat crops are entering GS71 now. Rain in the last week of September has been light, but the forecasts for today and tomorrow are for at least 15mm in the Mallee and at least 25mm over the rest of Victoria and much of the Riverina.

Hay crops in South Australia typically mature earlier and an estimated 50 to 60 per cent of the state’s cereal hay crop has been cut.

As rain of this week will be falling on relatively dry windrows, damage to hay in South Australia is likely.

Western Australian hay growers are experiencing a dry finish for their grain crops, but it is suiting their hay programs.

According to WA exporters, 90 per cent of the state’s hay has been cut, and the hay baled so far is expected to be graded in the top two of the nine-grade quality profile.

Like the past two seasons, some growers are hoping they can still find a market for their hay directly off the paddock after baling.

However, domestic buyers are expected to be rare this spring and hay exporters are battling some strong COVID-19 related headwinds.

According to exporters there are shipping delays and the one-year postponement of the Tokyo Olympics has had knock-on effects due to declining demand in Australia’s largest hay market.

The Olympics were originally intended to be held in Japan this July and August and were coinciding with a boom in Japanese tourism.

International visitors had expanded from eight million in 2012 to 31 million in 2019 and 40 million had been expected this year.

Due to the long time spent on feed, Wagyu beef producers had been planning for a boost in demand since last year.

A surplus of high-priced Wagyu beef has been forced to compete with lower priced lines of beef and the number of cattle on feed in Japan has suffered.

Hay exporters will be fastidious in their hunt for quality this season. Distressed hay stacked in paddocks without markets or sheds will quickly fall in value.

MORE

WILL THE WET SPRING SPOIL CROPS?

RAIN DAMPENS CEREAL HAY HOPES

VETCH UP FOR GRABS TO MAKE SPACE FOR NEW CROP