Hay Report
Dairy Australia generates a hay report to help farmers make more informed decisions when buying hay. The hay report is updated 40 times per year and provides an independent and timely assessment of hay markets in each dairy region.
Hay prices by location
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Queensland
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New South Wales
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Victoria
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South Australia
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Western Australia
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Tasmania
Select a location to view the hay price:
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Cereal
N/ALucerne
N/AStraw
N/APasture
$300 - $400Steady -
Cereal
$255 - $280SteadyLucerne
$380 - $420SteadyStraw
$70 - $135SteadyPasture
$220 - $250Steady -
Cereal
$260 - $350$75Lucerne
$400 - $550$70Straw
$100 - $220$10Pasture
$200 - $280$35 -
Cereal
$175 - $240SteadyLucerne
$305 - $355SteadyStraw
$65 - $90SteadyPasture
$165 - $235Steady -
Cereal
$265 - $320SteadyLucerne
$480 - $520SteadyStraw
$200 - $225SteadyPasture
$330 - $360Steady -
Cereal
$200 - $250SteadyLucerne
$530 - $550SteadyStraw
$80 - $110SteadyPasture
$90 - $180Steady -
Cereal
$170 - $225SteadyLucerne
$390 - $420SteadyStraw
$70 - $120SteadyPasture
$215 - $260Steady -
Cereal
$180 - $230SteadyLucerne
$330 - $380SteadyStraw
$80 - $110SteadyPasture
$150 - $190Steady -
Cereal
$220 - $270SteadyLucerne
$340 - $370SteadyStraw
$110 - $130SteadyPasture
$200 - $230Steady -
Cereal
$190 - $260SteadyLucerne
$400 - $430SteadyStraw
$130 - $150SteadyPasture
N/A -
Cereal
$210 - $300$20Lucerne
$350 - $490$20Straw
$100 - $130$5Pasture
$160 - $200$10 -
Cereal
$250 - $270SteadyLucerne
$290 - $340SteadyStraw
$150 - $200SteadyPasture
$200 - $240Steady
National Summary
National background comments: report for the week ending 05 August 2022.
The next update will be on Friday 12 August 2022. Direct links to reports on each dairy region immediately follow this national summary for hay.
Driving Prices Up
- Continuing heavy rainfall and cold temperatures across many regions will continue to support demand for good quality hay.
- Stocks of hay in many areas which had been providing donations into flood affected areas are now low.
- Increased demand for hay and silage is being supported by a significant drop in temperatures and reduced rate of pasture and grazing crop growth.
- Input costs continue to impact cropping decisions and may reduce quantities of pasture hay produced during late Winter/early Spring.
- Opportunistic hay production has not been seen as a price competitive cropping option; therefore, a smaller number of hectares has been sown this season. Those who are concerned about the potential of reduced supply are looking to lock in Spring hay supply.
- The supply of high-quality cereal hay is now very low in most regions.
- With most hay already contracted for sale to long-term buyers in a number of regions, there is little hay available for open market sale or sale to new customers.
Driving Prices Down
- Demand for fodder in some areas is being kept steady by continued confidence that spring pasture growth will support stock without need for supplementary feed.
- Varied qualities of fodder are still available on the market. Growers with lower grade hay from past seasons, particularly hay stacked outside, have been actively trading.
- The slow build-up of enquiries, and a lack of awareness regarding the impact international grain prices have had on crop choices may be leading to a misconception about future available stocks of good quality hay.
Local News
- The Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) have confirmed that a negative Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event is highly likely for the coming months. A negative IOD along with warmer than average sea surface temperatures increases the chance of above average winter–spring rainfall for much of Australia. While this may support good pasture and crop growth, it may also hinder haymaking.
- The BOM have reported reasonable rainfall along the south coast of Western Australia and medium falls across much of central and southeast Australia.
- Flooding has now eased for both southern Queensland and Northern New South Wales.
- The range of biosecurity incidents which may impact Australian agriculture are causing concern. The reports of foot-and-mouth disease in Bali and the incursion of both varroa destructor mite and Russian wheat aphid are being raised by many farmers contacted for the hay report.
- There is growing concern that high price of inputs, lack of availability of farm labour and the likelihood of continuing higher than average rainfall in some regions is not being factored into fodder prices.
Buyers are encouraged to feed test and view fodder before purchasing to ensure of the quality of the feed.
Price change in table below reflects moves since previous report (29 July 2022)
All Location Hay Prices
05 August 2022 |
Cereal |
Lucerne |
Straw |
Pasture |
|
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Atherton Tablelands | Price range
Change | N/A | N/A | N/A | $300 - $400 Steady |
Darling Downs | Price range
Change | $255 - $280 Steady | $380 - $420 Steady | $70 - $135 Steady | $220 - $250 Steady |
North Coast NSW | Price range
Change | $260 - $350 $75 | $400 - $550 $70 | $100 - $220 $10 | $200 - $280 $35 |
Central West NSW | Price range
Change | $175 - $240 Steady | $305 - $355 Steady | $65 - $90 Steady | $165 - $235 Steady |
Bega Valley | Price range
Change | $265 - $320 Steady | $480 - $520 Steady | $200 - $225 Steady | $330 - $360 Steady |
Gippsland | Price range
Change | $200 - $250 Steady | $530 - $550 Steady | $80 - $110 Steady | $90 - $180 Steady |
Goulburn & Murray Valley | Price range
Change | $170 - $225 Steady | $390 - $420 Steady | $70 - $120 Steady | $215 - $260 Steady |
South West Victoria | Price range
Change | $180 - $230 Steady | $330 - $380 Steady | $80 - $110 Steady | $150 - $190 Steady |
South East SA | Price range
Change | $220 - $270 Steady | $340 - $370 Steady | $110 - $130 Steady | $200 - $230 Steady |
Central SA | Price range
Change | $190 - $260 Steady | $400 - $430 Steady | $130 - $150 Steady | N/A |
South West WA | Price range
Change | $210 - $300 $20 | $350 - $490 $20 | $100 - $130 $5 | $160 - $200 $10 |
North West Tasmania | Price range
Change | $250 - $270 Steady | $290 - $340 Steady | $150 - $200 Steady | $200 - $240 Steady |
About the Hay Report
Why the hay report is created
Farmers, government, industry advocacy and businesses across the supply chain require independently produced, unbiased data on the industry to inform strategic decisions and policy formation.
Hay reports provide an independent industry view, bringing together key data and insights across the supply chain and industry without any vested interest.
The hay report is created using data provided by the Australian Fodder Industry Association (AFIA).
Interpreting the reports
Hay prices are based on shedded hay without weather damage, of good quality and colour. There is a wide variation in quality for hay, so prices are indicative for a mid-range product.
Prices are estimates based on delivery to dairy farms with allowance for freight, storage, and marketing costs, but exclusive of GST. Actual prices may vary for quality or other reasons.
In this video, dairy farm manager Brian Corr explains how Dairy Australia's hay and grain email updates help him make more informed decisions on-farm.