Hay wrap: How prices and quality compare to 2020

Hay prices are lower than the same time last year, as wet and cold conditions hamper the season. Here’s a wrap of current prices and weather issues.

Cutting silage hasn’t really started in Gippsland yet because it has been too wet.

As hay season kicks-off, prices have dropped mostly $10 to $60 a tonne below where they started last season.

And rain and cold weather are hampering the ability to cut hay and silage for many across Victoria, which could result in quality issues.

Hay contractor, Gary Taylor of West Wimmera Baling at Nhill, said with the 80mm of rain that recently fell in the area, hay cutting has been delayed.

“There was a bit of vetch cut before the rain, but the stuff that was cut would almost be ruined,” Mr Taylor said.

“Showers of rain are delaying cutting and most vetch will need to be cut in the next two weeks or it’ll have to be sprayed out.”

“The weather isn’t ideal for hay, but it’s perfect for grain crops.”

Wayne Bowden, of Bowden’s Agricultural Contracting at Yarram, said they hadn’t really started cutting silage or hay yet, mostly because paddocks are too wet.

“It also needs to grow a bit, as it’s been too cold and wet,” Mr Bowden said.

He said there was rain forecast in the coming days and once that had “gone through” they would start cutting silage.

“If we started now, we’d be putting mud into it and that doesn’t make for good silage.”

While he said they were about two weeks delayed because of the weather, when he first started contracting 32 years ago mid-October to start the season was the norm, but it had been earlier in more recent years.

Mr Bowden said quality of hay will be a concern, but it was dependant on the weather.

“Some hay and silage will be compromised but it won’t all be like that, there’ll be good quality hay too.”

Large cereal bales are $30 to $60 cheaper than last year, with current pricing delivered Swan Hill, at $165 a tonne, compared to $195 at the same time last year and large cereal bales delivered Warragul are $205 a tonne, compared to $255 last year.

Vetch hay in Victoria doesn’t seem to have moved in price since last season, with large bales of vetch, delivered Shepparton currently trading at $245 a tonne and delivered Warragul $270 a tonne — both were making the same price in October last year.

In NSW prices for large cereal bales range from $165 a tonne, delivered Finley, to $220 a tonne at Bega, compared to a range of $210 to $300 a tonne last year. Large lucerne bales are selling for between $315 a tonne delivered Finley and $415 a tonne at Bega — both a fall of $90 on last year’s mid-October price.

In South Australia large bales of cereal are selling from $155 a tonne, delivered Loxton, to $185 a tonne, delivered Mount Gambier, while large lucerne ranges from $320 to $340 a tonne — all about $40 cheaper than last year.