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End of Message is a short-form podcast where we chat with Farmers and leading figures in Agriculture about what’s happening right now — the news, the ideas, and the stories that matter.
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31/10/2025 - Hay - Shane Ruyg
End of Message is a short-form podcast where we chat with Farmers and leading figures in Agriculture about what’s happening right now — the news, the ideas, and the stories that matter.
We got Shane Royd from Farm Tender on the phone. Welcome, Shane, to end a message.
SPEAKER_01:Thanks, Joan.
SPEAKER_00:Um we had a bit of rain over the weekend through South Australia and Victoria, and it's probably changed the dynamics a bit. And I've got a I've got a bit of a theory and I just want to run this one past you. Is most of the hay that was on that was on the ground would have got wind the next day, so mightn't have been badly affected. And also uh because of the rain, there'll be my theory is there'll be less crops cut and people with hay on the ground won't lose anything because perhaps uh less supply. What what do you think of that?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, yeah, no, you could be right. Um I I am hearing that there was a bit of damage in the paddock from the wind. Um obviously it's blown it away and blown it up against the fence, and um the guys that had enough um bulk in their paddocks apparently it's uh pushed up against um the next row, which which has obviously helped. Yeah. Um but yeah, definitely there's a different dynamic out there. Obviously, we thought we'd have a lot more hay in a bale now and um and advertise, but you know, over the last week to two weeks um we've found that that that slowed down considerably, um which is obviously going to cause some issues, obviously, with some kind of um downgrade in hay with some people that didn't get the wind, or you know, it wasn't as fortunate um as others. And I know there were some areas that got some you know decent rain, 20 or 30 mil. Um and in saying that, we've got a big front coming through on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, and talking to a lot of people, they're not going to get on to bale any before that comes along as well. So that's gonna push it back another week or two. Um, and no doubt if we continue to see it on the ground and not in a bale, we may uh we may see some downgrade in hay and um you know and and and maybe a um a bit of pressure on the price to be uh pushed down a bit. But look, it's all here say at the moment until we see it in a bale and see some feed tests.
SPEAKER_00:No, that's right. And how how have the feed tests come through like before the rain? Are they coming through pretty good?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, look, um, you know, obviously with serial A and VECHA, they have some um you know numbers that they try to adhere to. So, you know, with VETCH it's 20, 10 and you know, 40 or late 30s, and and we're seeing a lot around that mark, probably a little bit higher in NDF, um, but we're definitely seeing some good protein, anywhere between you know 25 and 23 or 23 and 25. Um, and then cereal hay we're seeing you know eights to 12s, you know, in in protein and you know, nine nines and ten in ME, so and and the NDFs around that 40 mark. So the feed tips prior to this um, you know, these rain events has been quite good.
SPEAKER_00:And uh someone told me the other day that there's probably not that much vetch around, or a lot of it would be in the bale and in the shed by now, but there's not actually much vetch around as people would like to think. Some people that usually plant vetch have sort of switched to lentils. What are you hearing?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, no, definitely um vetch is a is a is a pretty highly sought-after commodity, and uh unfortunately for the buyers, it's it's gonna be a tough year. Um there's not there's not a lot around. Most most people want to sell it at with a four in front of it. Um I just sold a a reasonable package then for$370 out of the paddock. Um so you know, look, I I think come April, May next year, the you know, peak um peak period for uh for that product, um, you know, you're probably gonna be paying in in excess of 400 for out of the shed. And what sort of uh prices are we going for cereal right as we speak now? Um anywhere between 250 and 300. I think the magical number is 300 for most people, but um people that don't have sheds or cover will obviously discount it a bit to get out of the paddock, and others that that you know are probably going to shed it anyway will probably do that, and you know, it'll sit between 300 and 350 at the peak time next year if things don't change, if we don't see a lot more you know go into a um a bale. But you know, I'm hearing different you know um conflicting stories that there's lots out there, and I'm hearing um stories that you know that the cops are not that heavy and um there's not going to be that much out there. So I think again comes back to once it gets into a bale and once we start seeing more of it sitting in the paddock in the sheds, we'll have a better idea. And quickly, Betch, what what price are we there today? Uh yeah, three 370 to 400. Yeah. Um and there's some that uh are wanting 420 that's already in the shed. So, you know, look, you know, I think that's you know, I think that's an okay price at the moment. I think some people will take advantage of that price, you know, and and get some in the in the shed before it, you know, if if it does become short and become dearer.
SPEAKER_00:And you're taking over the hay report from myself um next next edition. So you're more qualified than me. What can we expect from that? Any any changes or you got any thoughts around what you might do?
SPEAKER_01:I don't know about being more qualified, but um definitely um look, yeah, look, and and look, thank you for for uh passing on to me and giving me the opportunity to do it. I do you do live and breathe hay this time of the year, and it's um something that as as a company we do reasonably well, I think. Um it's and it's a big part of our business. Um from changes, there'll be very little changes from the start, and um we'll we'll follow your protocols for a start, and then as time goes on, and if there's any people out there that want things done differently, to contact me and ask me you know whether we can add add it to the uh Hay report as we go along. But you know, at this stage it'll be status quo. Excellent, Shane. Thanks very much for your time. No worries, thanks to one. End a message.