Spring can be an important decision-making period for growers contemplating leaving their crop for harvest or cutting for hay. Dry conditions and late frosts saw many growers in southern Victoria cut for hay in 2024, and similar conditions in 2025 present a similar dilemma. Failed crops due to these compromising conditions can provide quality feed when managed properly.

The decision to cut for hay or leave for harvest needs to be made early, and it is important to first estimate grain and hay yields. A combination of estimated commodity prices, harvest vs hay cutting costs, and understanding the current market’s contribute to an informed decision. Resources such as Agriculture Victoria’s ‘Hay versus grain calculator’ assist with making an informed decision by calculating the gross margin of grain and hay production in dollars per hectare. To estimate hay yield, follow the steps in the GRDC’s ‘Hay and Silage Fact Sheet’ that involves taking a biomass cut five times in a paddock.

It is crucial to check all chemical labels used on the crop for withholding periods and approval for use on forage crops. These withholding periods must have expired before cutting.

Feed quality generally declines after flowering in most species. Therefore, cutting at late flowering is the optimal dry matter point in canola, while cereal yields can increase slightly at the end of flowering and commencement of grain fill.

Other considerations of a hay crop include the impact on soil nutrients and weeds. Removing a crop for hay can result in a high degree of nutrient exportation which can reduce available potassium and sulfur for the following crop. Soil tests in autumn following a hay crop are essential to ensure these nutrient levels are sufficient. However, hay production can be beneficial for managing herbicide-resistant weeds and reducing the weed seed bank. It is important to source local feed and request certification on weed content when purchasing hay to reduce the risk of spreading weeds to new areas.