Understanding the lignin in your hay crop is key to matching forage to the needs of livestock.
What Lignin Means for Your Summer Hay
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NDF and ADF Explained: The Key Numbers in Your Hay Test
NDF and ADF: two of the most powerful numbers on your feed test.
From Baling to the Boardroom – Hay Matters Summer Season – Episode 4
Harry Divall talks about his learnings on the land so far, as a hay contractor, grower and now AFIA board member.
Prussic Acid and Nitrate in Forage: 6 Seasonal Risk Questions Answered
Periods of crop stress change forage chemistry. Drought, temperature variation, slow growth and rapid regrowth after rainfall can cause prussic acid and nitrate to build up to levels that pose a real risk to livestock. This is particularly relevant for sorghum and...
A life-and-death test that could save your stock this summer
When growing conditions have been stressed, it’s imperative you test forage for Nitrates and Prussic Acid before feeding or grazing.
Mixing Family and Business in Ag – Hay Matters Summer Season – Episode 3
Megan Ford talks about the mindset and support needed when business and family overlap.
The Science Behind Smarter Pasture Management – Hay Matters Summer Season – Episode 2
In this Summer Series replay of Hay Matters, host Jon Paul Driver talks with Marty Conroy, Agronomy Services lead for Northern Australia at Barenbrug Seeds. Based in Northern NSW, Marty shares practical insights on tropical pasture systems across Queensland, the NT, and northern NSW. He explains the science behind C3 and C4 grasses, the link between feed quality and profitability, and the opportunities in pasture management and modern breeding programs.
Hidden Haylage – Hay Matters Summer Season – Episode 1
In this Summer Series replay of Hay Matters, Grower Services Manager Steve Page travels to Warren, NSW, to uncover an unusual and highly valuable find: more than 1,000 tonnes of buried forage sorghum haylage discovered by grain grower Pat Hull when he purchased a new...
The cause of spontaneous combustion in hay
Spontaneous combustion in hay occurs when internal heat builds up through microbial and chemical processes – here’s how to reduce your risk.
A Line in the Sand: Reflecting on 2025 and What’s Ahead for the Hay Industry
In the final Hay Matters episode of the season, host Steve Page sits down with Tim Ford, Managing Director of Feed Central and LocalAg, to reflect on an eventful year for the fodder industry. They unpack the challenges and opportunities across regions, discuss how the...
Ration Testing Season and a Teff Hay Surprise
It's been a busy month in the Feed Central lab as feedlots across the country prepare for their Grain Fed certificate audits. We've been working through numerous samples, testing for both Metabolisable Energy (ME) and protein to ensure rations meet the strict...
Making the Pivot Work
Grant Alday and daughter, JennaWhen frost devastated Grant Alday's crops last season, he faced a choice that many farmers dread: watch potential profits wither away, or pivot fast and cut for hay. Within days, he made the call that would transform his season. “It...
From Grazing Block to Grain Operation
Pat Hull, first-time silage supplier When Patrick Hull bought Weebergong in 2022, he inherited roughly 1,000 tonnes of silage buried in pits across the property. For two years, the mounds of dirt sat on his driveway - an eyesore he wasn't sure what to do with. But...
New Season Hay Report – Quality, Yields & Market Outlook
In this episode of Hay Matters, recorded on Thursday 16 October 2025, Cara Stewart steps in as guest host to chat with Feed Central’s Grower Services Manager and Podcast Host, Steve Page and National Sales Manager, David Clothier. Between Steve’s time on the road...
2025 Hay Quality Award Winners – with Wade Alexander (Part 2)
In this follow-up episode, Steve Page continues his conversation with award-winning lucerne hay producer Wade Alexander from Mundubbera, QLD. Wade opens up about the tough lessons learned from the 2013 floods, his approach to risk management, and how he’s...
2025 Hay Quality Award Winners – with Wade Alexander (Part 1)
In this first of a two part series of Hay Matters, Steve Page speaks with Wade Alexander from Mundubbera, Queensland - the winner of the Queensland Visual Lucerne Hay Award and the National Dual Visual Award. Wade shares his journey from growing up on a poultry farm...
2025 Hay Quality Award Winners – Part 2 with Michael Pfitzner and Wayne Williams
In this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by Local Ag and Feed Central, Steve Page continues celebrating this year's National Hay Quality Award winners with another outstanding partnership. In the Riverina, Michael Pfitzner has secured back-to-back vetch hay...
2025 Hay Quality Award Winners – Part 1 with Grant Alday and Ben Wright
Podcast Highlights In the latest episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Steve Page catches up with two of our 2025 National Hay Quality Award winners - Grant Alday and Ben Wright. At Sea Lake in Northwest Victoria, grain grower Grant...
Baling to the Boardroom with Harry Divall
Podcast Highlights In the latest episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Steve Page catches up with Harry Divall; hay contractor, grower and AFIA board member. Harry shares his path from livestock work in Goulburn to running a growing hay...
50+ Years and Still Learning with Graham (Thommo) Thomson
Podcast Highlights In this episode of Hay Matters, brought to you by LocalAg and Feed Central, Grower Services Manager Steve Page hits the road to uncover a unique regional story of buried haylage, long-term storage, and unexpected opportunity. When grain grower Pat...