National Summary
- The hay market has remained fairly steady this week with some regions already baling both sellers and buyers are holding off in anticipation of what the new season will bring.
- Buyers requiring hay in 2015 are encouraged to start talking to their hay suppliers now to discuss requirements. Buying hay behind the baler at harvest is often the most cost effective way to secure hay and should be considered.
- Looking at the 2014/15 lucerne hay harvest it is expected that protein hay (Lucerne and vetch) will continue to be in tight supply. Low yields, high water prices and strong demand are the key contributors.
Northern Australia
- Demand for hay remains steady in northern Australia. Buyers are taking advantage of new season hay by sourcing locally, as opposed to bringing hay in from the southern states.
- The lucerne hay harvest is about to start with growers in the north already receiving steady enquiries for new season lucerne, which is expected to move fast.
- Yields for cereal hay are well back and quality is variable in many regions due to drought stress and frost. Some growers have opted to turn livestock in on cereal crops intended for hay as opposed to harvesting them. Supplies of cereal hay will be low coming into 2015.
Southern Australia
- Trading is slow at present but some buyers are actively locking in hay contracts now to secure their 2015 hay supplies.
- Silage is underway in parts of northern Victoria and southern NSW. Good yields are being reported so far.
- Cereal crops, particularly in southern NSW, northern and western Victoria as well as parts of South Australia have been affected by dry conditions and frost. Yields will be well back as a result. When purchasing new season cereal hay buyers should ensure they have a visual inspection and get a feed analysis.
- Vetch is being cut in some regions. Yields vary depending on the region but overall production is expected to be down in 2014.
Western Australia
- The cereal hay harvest is underway in some areas which is earlier than usual. Growers are expecting average yields and quality this year.
- Purchasing hay behind the baler at harvest is traditionally the cheapest time to secure hay. Buyers are encouraged to talk to their hay suppliers now to lock in next years hay requirements now as harvest gets underway.
Regional Commentary
Atherton Tablelands
- Demand remains steady and supplies are low.
- The first cut of new season hay is largely finished now. With hay moving quickly growers are irrigating pastures in preparation for later cuts, in order to keep up with the steady demand.
- Pasture hay: + $25 ($300 to $330/t). Prices have picked up over the last month due to strong demand.
Darling Downs
- Demand for hay is steady and feedlots continue to be the most active buyers.
- Some new season cereal hay is coming onto the market and is moving quickly. Supplies of hay remain low due to this steady demand.
- Buyers are strongly encouraged to lock in the 2014/15 hay requirements now by talking to their hay suppliers. Local fodder supplies will remain tight in the coming year.
- Growers with failing, drought stressed cereal crops are considering their options. Some are turning livestock in rather than baling hay or harvesting grain. This will further impact the amount of hay and straw available this year.
- Lucerne hay production is underway in some areas. Across the board yields will be down due to the cold dry winter. Some growers have also reported issues with aphids impacting on lucerne yield and quality.
- Lucerne hay supplies will be short in 2014/15 and prices are likely to remain firm.
- Cereal hay: -$5 ($380 to $420/t). Prices have eased slightly as new season hay is becoming available locally.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($450 to $500/t). Prices remain firm this week but may ease slightly in the coming weeks
- Straw: +/-$0 ($220 to $260/t). Prices remain steady. There is very little straw available locally and therefore minimal trading.
- Pasture hay: N/A. We aren’t hearing of any pasture hay being traded at present. This is due to the low supply.
North Coast NSW
- Rain over the past month has helped boost paddock feed coming into spring.
- The hay market is starting to ease but there is ongoing interest in cereal and lucerne hay where it can be sourced. Most hay is coming in from the southern states.
- In some of the key lucerne hay growing regions that supply the north coast such as the New England and Lockyer valley high water costs, poor growing conditions through winter and low water allocations may cause a decline in lucerne hay production this season.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($350 to $400/t). Supplies are low. Cereal hay is being sourced from South Australia and Victoria.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($450-$500/t). Demand remains steady. With supplies low prices remain firm. New season lucerne hay should come onto the market in the next few weeks and this may see prices ease slightly.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($200-$250/t). Prices remain steady. There is very little straw available and therefore minimal trading.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($210-$230/t). There is very little pasture hay available at present. Prices remain steady.
Central West NSW
- There is very little hay available locally of any variety. Demand has been steady from outside the region but has slowed in the past few weeks due to lack of supply.
- Prices remain steady. Growers and buyers are waiting on new season hay to become available before considering new season pricing.
- Growing conditions have been favourable this season and crops are looking good coming into spring. Yields should be average this season.
- Due to the low reserves of fodder on farm, there is a lot of interest in baling hay this year. In particular growers are considering making cereal and pasture hay to refill their own empty hay sheds.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($300 to $330/t). Prices remain steady. Supplies of cereal hay are low. There is a lot of interest in baling cereal hay this year. New season cereal hay will become available in mid to late October.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($350 to $400/t). Lucerne hay is difficult to source and prices remain firm. New season lucerne hay will become available in the next month and prices may ease as this new season hay becomes available.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($110 to $130/t). There is very little straw available and trading is slow.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($220 to $280/t). There is very little pasture hay available due to steady demand throughout the year. Prices remain steady but may ease when new season hay becomes available.
Bega Valley
- Rain in late August helped boost paddock feed coming into spring. Demand for hay has eased over the past few weeks.
- Hay growers in southern NSW are now starting to consider their options for the 2014 cereal and Lucerne hay harvest. Buyers are encouraged to talk to their hay suppliers now about their requirements for 2014/15. Buying behind the baler is the cheapest time to purchase hay.
- Some frosted wheat, barley and canola hay has been baled already in southern NSW. Buyers should ensure they inspect the hay and get a feed analysis before purchasing hay as there are reports of variable quality.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($350 to $400/t). Prices remain steady at present but may ease in the coming weeks as new season hay becomes available.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($350 to $400/t). Lucerne hay remains in short supply and prices are staying firm but steady. As new season hay comes on to the market prices may ease.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($180 to $200/t). Straw prices remain steady and supplies are becoming limited. Prices may ease in the coming weeks as frosted hay becomes available.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($160 to $180/t). There is limited trading of pasture hay at present. Prices remain steady.
Goulburn/Murray Valley
- Demand for hay is slow at present. Cereal hay pricing has eased a little this week as the new season approaches and some growers try to clear out 2013 stocks.
- Cereal hay crops around Elmore are performing well with growers expecting average yields at baling in the next month or so.
- In north western Victoria vetch has been cut with baling to commence in the coming weeks. Yields are expected to be average.
- Silage is underway and growers are reporting good yields at present. In some areas of north Western Victoria (Kerang region) growers are considering chopping drought or frost stressed cereal crops for silage.
- Cereal hay: +/-$10 ($160 to $180/t). Due to slow demand and more hay coming onto the market prices have eased further this week. Prices may slump further in the lead up to the 2014 cereal hay harvest commencing next month.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($280 to $320/t). Prices remain steady due to the short supply of Lucerne hay available. Prices may ease as new season Lucerne becomes available.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($90 to $110/t). Prices remain steady as trading is limited.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($150 to $170/t). Trading is slow and pasture hay supplies are good. Prices remain steady this week.
Gippsland
- Trading has been slow but steady in recent weeks. Following good rain in the past week it is expected trading will drop off completely as buyer’s concentrate on conserving home grown fodder.
- Growers in some areas are preparing for silage which will commence in the coming weeks.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($240 to $260/t). Prices remain steady this week.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($310 to $330/t). Supply is very tight and prices remain steady.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($110 to $130/t). Trading is slow and prices remain steady this week. There are small quantities of local straw available but quality varies.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($180 to $220/t). Prices remain steady. There are small amounts of hay moving between farms but generally trading is slow.
Southwest Victoria
- Demand for hay remains slow at present but conditions are drying off quickly and demand may pick up again in the coming weeks if there is no good follow up rain. Buyers are considering their options for feed carefully at present, grain prices are low and new season hay is not too far away.
- Hay growers in north western Victoria (who typically supply the south west) are now cutting vetch crops. The season is very patchy. Some growers are reporting average yields, others are reporting much lower than average yields.
- Cereal hay yields in north western Victoria are likely to be down on average this year.
- With reports of drought stressed and frost affected crops in many parts of northern Victoria, quality hay may be difficult to source in 2015.
- Some buyers are actively securing their hay contracts for 2015. Buying behind the baler often the cheapest way to secure hay.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($130 to $170/t). Prices remain steady. It is unlikely that big shifts in pricing will occur as new season hay becomes available in the next month or two. Now is a good time to secure cereal hay for the year ahead.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($250 to $270/t). Lucerne hay is very difficult to source however vetch hay is still available as a substitute. Vetch hay is around $200 to $230/t landed. Lucerne hay supplies are likely to remain short in 2015.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($110 to $120/t). After easing last week due to slow trading, prices remain steady this week.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($140 to $160/t). Prices eased further this week mostly due to the lack of quality pasture hay available and slow trading. Some trading continues between farms.
Southeast South Australia
- Trading is very slow at present. A wet winter in the key dairy regions has resulted in good pasture growth coming into spring, therefore demand is slow.
- With the hay season not too far away many buyers and sellers are sitting out of the market in anticipation of what the 2014 hay harvest will bring.
- In the key lucerne hay growing regions (mainly around Keith) conditions are drying off quickly. This may impact on lucerne hay production in the coming months.
- There is little carry over lucerne hay coming into the new season. Anyone seeking lucerne hay in 2015 is well advised to lock in their hay contracts early.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($135 to $145/t). Cereal hay prices are low and remain steady due to the lack of hay trading at present.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($260 to $280/t). Prices remain steady. Supplies are very low and there is limited trading as a result.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($105 to $115/t). Very little straw is trading at present. Supplies are low and prices remain steady.
- Pasture hay: +/-$0 ($135 to $155/t). There is limited trading of pasture hay at present. Supplies are good.
Central South Australia
- Trading remains very slow at present.
- Some frosted wheat has been baled, and there are reports of early season oaten hay being delivered to exporters.
- Most buyers and sellers are sitting out of the market at present in anticipation of the new hay season which will be well underway in the coming weeks.
- Cereal hay: +/-$5 ($150 to $180/t). Prices eased slightly this week as the new season creeps closer. Trading is limited at present.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($300 to $330/t). There is very little lucerne available locally and prices are firm. There are reports that vetch and medic hay have been cut and will be baled in the coming weeks. This may be a cheaper alternative to Lucerne hay in the short term.
- Straw: +/-$0 ($120 to $130/t). Prices remain steady. With trading slow there has been little movement in the straw market for the past few months.
- Pasture hay: N/A. No reported trading of late.
Southwest Western Australia
- The cereal hay season is already underway in some areas. This is a few weeks earlier the usual.
- Hay growers are optimistic about this seasons cereal hay crop with average yields expected.
- Exporters will be keen to source good quality hay this season. For domestic buyers looking to source cereal hay now is a good time to start talking to your hay supplier.
- Cereal hay: -$10 ($160 to $180/t). Prices eased slightly this week as the new season gets underway.
- Lucerne hay: +/-$0 ($500 to $550/t). Lucerne hay is very difficult to source. Prices are unchanged due to the tight market.
- Straw+/-$0 ($85 to $115/t). Limited trading of late, prices remain unchanged.
- Pasture hay: N/A. Due to steady demand earlier in the year there is very little pasture hay available. No prices have been reported of late.
Northwest Tasmania
- Conditions are patchy with some areas drying off quickly and looking for rain. Accordingly demand for hay, particularly in the North West dairy region has remained steady.
- Some growers are turning more hay onto the market to clear out their 2013 hay supplies. This has resulted in some hay prices easing this week.
- Some buyers are locking in their hay contracts for 2015 now in order to secure quality hay for the year ahead. Good quality hay is difficult to source at present.
- Cereal hay: +/-$0 ($220 to $240/t). Cereal hay availability is very limited. Prices remain steady.
- Lucerne hay: -$10 ($300 to $330/t). Prices have eased slightly this week as buyers are favouring cheaper pasture hay in preference to lucerene.
- Straw+/-$0 ($170 to $190/t). There is limited demand for straw at present. Pasture hay is a more favourable alternative.
- Pasture hay: -$10 ($170 to $190/t). With pasture hay in good supply it is a buyers market at present and prices have eased accordingly. If there is no follow up rain in the coming weeks prices may start to rise.