Producing Quality Oat Hay

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Foreword Growing Oat Hay was first published in 1996 as a guide to help reduce the risk of growing quality oat hay. However, this book no longer provides a source of current information regarding oat hay production. Information presented in the book dates from 1983 to 1994. New developments including varieties, fertility, sowing rates, quality requirements, and machinery have occurred since the publication of the first book. The updated version Producing Quality Oat Hay has been completely restructured and rewritten to include the latest developments and research findings on how to grow, make and deliver high quality oat hay. The new book provides growers and processors with a comprehensive guide to all aspects of quality oat hay production. The book is the result of collaboration between agronomic consultants, plant breeders, livestock consultants, export and domestic hay processors, and growers. Information presented in the book is based on research conducted over the last 10 years. Four major areas requiring additional research have been identified: control of diseases by chemical means, capability to predict yield and quality early in the growing season, the PRODUCING QUALITY OAT HAY development of variety specific agronomic management packages and how to bale dry hay. This project was funded from industry revenue which is matched by funds provided by the Australian Government. This report is an addition to RIRDC’s diverse range of over 1500 research publications. It forms part of our Fodder R&D sub-program which aims to facilitate the development of a sustainable and profitable Australian fodder industry. Most of our publications are available for viewing, downloading or purchasing online through our website: • downloads at www.rirdc.gov.au/fullreports/index.html • purchases at www.rirdc.gov.au/eshop Peter O’Brien Managing Director Rural Industries Research Development Corporation 9
Executive summary Annually, Australian farmers’ produce between 5.5 and 6.5 million tonnes of fodder. Most of this is used on farm or traded domestically, however a growing proportion is exported, of which the majority is oat hay. The export oat hay industry has grown from about 100 000t in 1993 to over 600 000t in 2005 and is worth at least $150m annually. The market for oat hay, whether for export or domestic use is driven by quality. High quality hay demands high prices and depending on the year growers can increase income by $50 to $100 a tonne for high quality hay. A consistent supply of high quality hay is essential for the industry to meet the challenges of increasing competition from North America, expansion into new markets and maintenance of current markets. As the oat hay industry has grown and developed, factors affecting hay quality have been identified and many of these are influenced by management. An understanding of those factors that can be managed by the grower will help to reduce the risk involved with producing premium quality hay. The purpose of the book Producing Quality Oat Hay is to provide growers with a practical management guide to produce high quality, profitable hay crops. The information is based on new developments and current research on growing high quality oat hay. Producing Quality Oat Hay contains details that will help novice and experienced growers evaluate the viability of oat hay in their system. Oat hay is often grown for ryegrass control but with good management it can become a profitable cropping option in its own right. One of the great challenges is to achieve high yield while maintaining or improving hay quality. The book contains information on all aspects of growing, making, storing and transporting oat hay to meet these challenges. It explains quality requirements by market and how these are measured. Chapters include the latest details on variety selection especially in relation to disease; row spacing and seeding issues; fertiliser management; cutting, curing and baling hay; and storage and transport. 10 PRODUCING QUALITY OAT HAY While preparing the material for the book, several research areas that require further investigation became apparent. 1. The development of variety specific agronomic management packages at the time of new variety releases. The data presented in the book clearly show that varieties’ quality traits react differently to nitrogen management. Variety specific management packages would ensure that growers achieve optimum quality for each new variety. 2. The control of foliar disease using fungicides. Although genetic resistance is the preferred option for controlling diseases, varieties with combinations of the desired resistances are not always available. Currently most information about fungicide use is from data collected from other cereals. More information is needed for fungicide application in oat hay especially relating to withholding periods in oat hay production. In addition research on protective or preventative chemical control is required. This is where fungicides are applied at earlier growth stages to prevent foliar diseases later in the plant lifecycle. 3. Yield and quality prediction. Development of a model to predict oat hay yield and quality early in the growing season, such a model would help growers modify management to optimise these parameters. Currently, oat crops with high dry matter yields are more likely to produce poorer quality hay. Better prediction of yield and quality will assist in producing high hay yield while maintaining good quality. 4. How to bale dry hay. Currently when hay becomes too dry it will not produce a good bale and baling must stop. This results in substantial lost time and increased potential for weather damage. Dr Pamela Zwer, SARDI, National Oat Breeding Program
Page 1 and 2: Producing Quality Oat Hay
Page 3 and 4: Acknowledgements Authors Pamela Zwe
Page 5 and 6: The oat hay year planner Between cr
Page 7 and 8: Zadoks Stage Growth Code Activity C
Page 12 and 13: Chapter 1 Why grow oat hay? Growing
Page 14 and 15: Table 1.1 Gross margin in dollars p
Page 16 and 17: Chapter 2 Is oat hay a viable choic
Page 18 and 19: Chapter 3 What the market wants? Do
Page 20 and 21: Hay for export Over the past five y
Page 22 and 23: Figure 3.5 Overview of the Australi
Page 24 and 25: Objective measurement and chemical
Page 26 and 27: Chapter 4 Disease of oats A wide ra
Page 28 and 29: Leaf and stem diseases - fungi Stem
Page 30 and 31: Septoria Leaf Blotch, Septoria aven
Page 32 and 33: Leaf and stem diseases - bacteria F
Page 34 and 35: Root Diseases - nematodes Nematodes
Page 36 and 37: Root Lesion Nematode, Pratylenchus
Page 38 and 39: Take-all, Gaeumannomyces graminis v
Page 40 and 41: Chapter 5 Variety selection for hay
Page 42 and 43: Swan Swan is a tall mid season vari
Page 44 and 45: Seed purchased for sowing to produc
Page 46: Table 5.4a Agronomic and hay qualit
Page 49 and 50: Herbicide residues Some herbicide r
Page 51 and 52: Higher plant populations produce hi
Page 53 and 54: Figure 6.1a Sown round and round -
Page 55 and 56: oadcast or deep banded at seeding.
Page 57 and 58: Weed control Impact on hay quality
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Image 6.8 Pre seeding weed control
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Insect control Oat hay crops are da
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62 PRODUCING QUALITY OAT HAY Figure
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Ripe grain in hay is undesirable to
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Plants leaning at different angles
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Curing For every one tonne of hay b
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Figure 7.4 The impact of rainfall a
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Image 7.7 The windrow before (L) an
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Testing moisture content A moisture
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Handling can be easier if the bale
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Chapter 8 Storage and transport Hay
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Time line Spontaneous fires in stac
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side of the vehicle to the other, w
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Producing Quality Oat Hay The marke
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Producing Quality Oat Hay

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