RAIN, or the threat of rain, is keeping some hay producers away from their machinery at present.
With old crop market prices so low and the surplus of poor quality carryover hay, producers are desperate for quality hay from their paddocks.
Up to 15mm of rain has fallen over much of the central west of Victoria in four days since Friday last week.
The showery conditions of the start of this week are expected to return by Friday and continue into the weekend, providing a boost to southern pastures, but complicating hay-making in the north.
Very little cereal hay south of Horsham has been cut.
Wimmera oaten hay growers north of Horsham are checking the top florets of their oats to assess maturity.
Fortunately, crops are yet to mature beyond the watery stage of grain development, which indicates that it is still possible to achieve the optimal stage for cutting.
Growers believe that the mild weather last week has managed to slow plant maturity and extend the normal development period of late flowering.
While key dedicated annual crops such as oaten hay is yet be cut in many regions of southeast Australia, the cutting of vetch hay is drawing to a close.
It is estimated 90 per cent of the Mallee vetch hay crop is cut and is curing, while 10 per cent has been baled.
Contractors and buyers are disappointed that most vetch producers have chosen not to bale vetch crops this season. About 70 per cent of vetch crops in Victoria have been sprayed and ploughed in as green manure.
Vetch growers, particularly around Donald and St Arnaud, have found the volume of their crops has been limited by the lower spring rainfall.
Growers have also been fearful of rain destroying the quality of their windrows at this time of the year.
Hay production remains a tricky business.
Some vetch hay producers have baled windrows ahead of the rains.
As these windrows have not fully cured, bales of vetch hay have heated, lowering the quality for livestock production and reducing market appeal.
Like other areas, fodder contractors in the Ovens Valley are quiet this season.
Farmers have enjoyed a great winter, pasture production is favourable and most have good supplies of carryover silage and hay on hand.
Reduced cattle numbers are also restraining demand for hay in the area.
Dairy farmers around Timboon have been disappointed with the production in their fodder paddocks.
Pasture production has been so low that some have decided to defer silage and hay production this season and have restarted grazing paddocks previously shut up for fodder.
Contractors in northern Victoria are holding out hope for further work from maize silage that is expected next autumn.
Interest in maize silage has risen because access to low cost irrigation water has increased this season.
