Every year Victorian grain crops face seasonal risks in spring.
With the market for hay quite strong and the grain market looking weaker than other years, farmers might choose to cut their crops for hay instead of harvesting them.
To help work out the most profitable option, Agriculture Victoria Seasonal Risk Agronomist Dale Boyd is encouraging growers to take advantage of some helpful online calculators.
“Growers are facing elevated seasonal risks this year due to below average growing season rainfall,” Mr Boyd said.
“Our calculators will help farmers check how well their crops are doing for grain and weigh up whether it’s better to use them for fodder to optimise outcomes in a challenging season.”
The Dry Matter Calculator helps farmers work out how much dry matter their crops may yield in tonnes per hectare so they can decide the best time to cut hay.
The Hay versus Grain Calculator compares the gross margin of both hay and grain in dollars per hectare, offering a picture of potential profitability.
The Crop Yield Calculator helps farmers quickly estimate cereal crop yield in the field using a ruler and smartphone.
It’s a practical tool for assessing paddock performance, forecasting grain quality, and planning harvest logistics.
Together, these tools can help farmers to make confident, data-driven decisions in the field. To use these calculators visit the following links:
• Dry matter calculator go.vic.gov.au/3L3eO0R
• Hay versus grain calculator go.vic.gov.au/42y8THb
• Crop yield calculator www.extensionaus.com.au/soilmoisturemonitoring/crop-yieldcalculator
For information on available drought support visit agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.
