‘Not worth the risk’: Hay harvest abandoned due to low prices

High quality hay could soon be in short supply, with farmers saying prices do not justify the cost and risk of harvesting crops.

High quality hay is expected to be in short supply this season, with farmers saying prices do not justify the cost and risk of harvesting crops.

Millewa farmer Chris Hunt said he had begun spraying out 1200ha of his vetch hay for brown manure, and would let 300ha go to grain.

“We’ve elected not to take any vetch to hay because of the weather risk and the price of nitrogen,” Mr Hunt said.

“Vetch hay, if it’s high quality, needs to be worth $400 a tonne to reflect the nitrogen fertiliser cost in it.

“Even if it is weather-damaged, it needs to be worth a bit.”

As of last week, a large bale of vetch hay was selling for $315 a tonne delivered from Swan Hill, $300/t delivered from Horsham and Ballarat, $365/t from Warragul and $375/t from Sale.

Mr Hunt is not alone, with the latest Dairy Australia hay report warning a “high number” of farmers had begun spraying out their hay crops, a move that could “significantly impact availability of good quality protein hay”.

“I think there has been more blocks planned for hay in the Wimmera and Mallee that have been brown manured than have been cut,” Mr Hunt said.

Millewa farmer Chris Hunt will harvest 330ha of barley for hay this season but is spraying his vetch out for brown manure. Picture: Glenn Milne

Dairy Australia industry insights and analysis manager John Droppert said accessing high quality hay was going to be an issue this season for some dairy farmers.

“The pinch point is going to be protein hay or higher quality milking supplement,” he said.

“A lot of hay is going to be cut later than usual or potentially damaged while it is curing.”

But low dairy stocking rates due to labour shortages, and plenty of pasture on farms could keep demand in check, Mr Droppert said.

Werrimull grower Ron Hards, who had sown one third of his 3000ha cropping program to vetch and oaten hay, said he was hopeful he would be able to bale the crops, but the weather was proving a challenge.

“We need two weeks of good, fine, warm weather to cure the hay,” he said.

“It hasn’t really dried down. It’s a long way from cured hay.

“We’re forecast to get another drenching, so we won’t know what quality we’ve got ’til we’ve got it in the bale.”

Quality hay could be in short supply this season. Picture: Glenn Milne

The closest weather station to Mr Hards in Mildura recorded 51mm of rainfall in September, more than double the long-term average for the month of 26mm.

Other hay growing areas have also received a spring drenching. Bendigo received 112mm in September and Horsham 88mm, both more than double their long-term average. Shepparton received more than four times average September rain with 80mm, while Ballarat recorded an average total at 72mm and Sale below average at 20mm.

The Bureau of Meteorology has forecast higher than average rainfall and lower than average temperatures for southeast Australia through October and December.

Elders Mildura senior agronomist Jack Daniel said any hay that had already been cut in the state’s northwest was likely to receive some weather damage.

But while growers might lose out on hay crops this season, he said they were sure to make up for it in grain.

“It’s like the old saying: if your hay is in trouble, your crops are good,” Mr Daniel said.