Hay Report - Hay selling patience is a virtue

For the fortnight up to the 8th of November 2023.

By Dwain Duxson

The Hay season is in full swing, with some Hay locked and loaded in Sheds, under tarps/caps or stacked 8 high in the paddock. Some has been sold and shifted already, and others are waiting on feed tests to come back.

With Harvest started or almost started, the Hay will be stacked and ready for sale once the back of the Harvest is broken. Harvest will be a priority.

And I think that because there will be plenty of good quality Hay around this year, I don't think there will be to much panic buying. Hay selling patience is a virtue as opportunities will keep presenting right through to Autumn at least. We think that Hay will move at a steady rate, with buyers being very careful what they buy and not committing to any more than they need. All Livestock Producers have red ink all over their Livestock budgets, and any dollar saved will be crucial to minimise the losses in the next 6 months.

According to Mike below, the word on the street is that NSW Hay subsidies might be back in the next couple of weeks. He said, don't hold him to it....

There seems to be fewer Hay Traders around now compared to back in the drought, where some of these guys made big money and purchased all the Gear only to see the drought break and Hay sales dry up. A couple of them got burnt with too many Trucks and not enough Hay to move. It was hectic back then, with panic buying and the traders trying to secure big parcels to on-sell. This time around, there's no panic buying and more hand-to-mouth buying, which makes for a much more pleasant buying and selling experience. It's a nice way to trade.

It was sad to see 6000 Hay Bales destroyed at Kerang just recently. Be vigilant about insuring Hay, and keep an eye out for any hot spots in your stacks.

Yields have been strong, giving some Farmers a pleasant surprise.

What's happened to Hay prices over the last fortnight?

New season Vetch Hay is holding around $300 a tonne, with some very good parcels making slightly more.

We are starting to see some Cereal Hay shift with the Export market underpinning it. We sold some very nice Oaten Hay for $310 a tonne.

We are selling some nice new season Barley Staw ex Narromine for $125 a tonne. Most of it is heading North. 

Lucerne Hay is making $400 a tonne.

Mixed Clover and Rye Hay is making up to $240 a tonne.

We go around the grounds to see what our Farm Tender Salespeople have to say:

Paul Grayling - Mallee, Vic based

Paul said - This past Fortnight has seen more new season Hay being listed and sold. With some very encouraging Feed test results, we are seeing a Good Hay season finally. There are whispers that some freight subsidies might come into effect over the next month or so, which will soften the blow for a lot up North! Hopefully, it will come to fruition. 

Shane Ruyg - Qld based

Shane said - A really good fortnight of Hay sales with the numbers feeling like what we were doing back some time ago. Mainly, Vetch Hay is the product of choice, along with some Cereal Hay and a small amount of Straw. It's starting to feel that we are getting back to the days where the buyer is comfortable with the quality of the Hay and prepared to pay the price. The seller has the product the buyer wants it, and the transaction is smooth, unlike the past 3 years. Hoping to see more quality Hay come on over the next couple of months with production ramping up and awaiting more Feed tests

Mike Pickard - On the road

Mike said - Good sales of Wheaten Hay and Straw in Central New South Wales going into the Tablelands. New season Barley Straw selling into the Maranoa region of Queensland. Freight is still the issue with costs up there. Word on the street is there may be some freight subsidies coming in the weeks ahead in New South Wales. Quite a few inquiries for small loads locally.

Jim Oehms - Northern Country, Vic based

Jim said - The drier conditions up North of the country have been keeping the Hay job quite busy. With the Hay job in full swing, there are some good reports of yields also, better than a lot had intended. Transport costs continue to be a main focus on purchases over the fence to save on these costs. With the Grain Harvest starting, Transport will be harder to come by also. We are noticing a lot more new season Hay being listed and queried on. Vetch, Oaten, Clover/Rye being the standouts. As I said in my last report, getting a Feed test on your Hay is always best practice and for buyers to inspect Hay before purchasing.

End of message

For more information on selling or buying Hay contact the following:

Paul Grayling – 0447 069 082 or paulg@farmtender.com.au

Shane Ruyg – 0447 922 604 or shaner@farmtender.com.au

Mike Pickard – 0429 677 636 or mikep@farmtender.com.au

Jim Oehms -- 0481 102 288 or jimo@farmtender.com.au

Or 1300 Farming (1300 327 646)

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