A haymaker and a contractor from Queensland have won top titles in the 2021-22 Feed Central National Hay Quality Awards announced this week in Toowoomba.
The awards, which cover lucerne, cereal and vetch, were presented at the Australian Fodder Industry Association's annual conference on Wednesday.
Mark and Barbara Mason of Mirage Land and Water, Cunnamulla, took home the award for the best cereal hay feed test analysis, with the organic oaten hay measuring 13.3 per cent crude protein.
Gayle Lancaster of HP Contracting in Cunnamulla, for Mirage Land and Water, won best cereal hay visual appearance and feed test.
Feed Central managing director Tim Ford said that like last year, overall hay quality had been affected by the wet season.
"The winners this year put in a massive effort to dodge rain and storm events to produce good quality hay under very trying conditions," Mr Ford said.
"Surprisingly, there was still some reasonable volumes of good hay produced along with a lot of downgraded hay. The market is always chasing good quality hay and the majority has sold."
Across other states, Jerome Shirley of Shirley Farms, Bunnaloo, NSW, won both the national best vetch feed test and visual appearance awards.
The Peacock Family Group from Timmering, Victoria, scored national titles for the best lucerne feed test and visual appearance score.
The Peacocks were also recognised as contractors for the best vetch hay feed test analysis and visual appearance for Shirley Farms.
The other national winners were Ben and Robert Shanks, Dubbo, NSW, for the best cereal hay visual appearance score.
Brandon Long
Brandon Long is a Queensland Country Life journalist based in Toowoomba.
Brandon Long is a Queensland Country Life journalist based in Toowoomba.
