THE rain has fallen, the paddocks are boggy yet hay demand is still not evident.
The rain has been extraordinary in many parts of southeast Australia.
The month to date totals show substantial falls of up to 200mm at Willaura, Murchison and Leongatha.
Falls of up to 250mm are common south of the Princes Highway in southwest Victoria.
Paddocks carrying cattle are suffering.
It is commonplace to see stock causing bogging in gateways and feed-out areas.
Rainfall and paddock conditions are particularly important at this time of the year for hay demand.
In wet conditions, pastures generally fail to generate sufficient fibre for ruminants.
Roughage is often needed to improve the utilisation of the fresh, high-protein pastures that stock are grazing.
Despite these boggy conditions, reports from the three main dairying areas indicate that livestock producers are managing paddocks well.
In the Murray and Goulburn valleys, Gippsland and southwest Victoria, stock have been given limited time on paddocks vulnerable to bogging.
An increasing number of dairy farmers are using feed pads to manage winter feeding as well as delivery of total mixed rations in drier months.
This week the demand for hay continues at snail's pace.
With the carryover supply of lower quality hay remaining on farm, prices are unlikely to be discounted any further.
Cereal hay that suffered rain damage last spring has been heavily discounted.
Sellers of high-quality vetch, cereal and pasture hay remain confident that they will find buyers for what is a rare commodity following last spring.
The only hope for a last gasp of demand for hay could come from the fact that many graziers are not used to these wet conditions.
In all areas, graziers are reportedly unaccustomed to the wet conditions.
Some optimistic hay sellers are keeping a watchful eye on the market with a view that the demand for roughage hay could be delayed due to fact that some farmers are now in new territory with the feeding stock under such wet paddocks.
Other less hopeful hay sellers believe the hay market is finished for this season. These producers are turning their attention to the new season.
Normally hay crops are cut in about four weeks time in the Mallee areas between Hopetoun and Swan Hill.
Locusts remain a threat.
Insecticides need to be applied so that the withholding period expires before cutting. Chemicals with the short one-day withholding period are in short supply.
