HAY cutting is well underway as farmers race to catch up following a delayed start.
Wet conditions in September held up the start of the hay-making season, particularly in the Avon Valley.
And farmers are again looking to the horizon with concerned eyes as a cold front this week threatens to affect quality even more.
The delayed start to the season had already had an impact, but to what extent won't be known until later this week as farmers start to deliver hay to plants.
Gilmac Hay operations manager Ben Adams said farmers were now well into cutting and baling their hay.
Mr Adams said Gilmac was expecting its first load for the season to be delivered to York last Monday.
"That hay has come from Merredin, and the guys out there and Narembeen are well into baling," he said.
"A few growers around York are starting and farmers in Wongan Hills, Dalwallinu and Moora are just starting cutting."
Although many growers were slightly worried about the coming front, Mr Adams said there wasn't too much to be concerned about as a few millimetres of rainfall wouldn't impact on quality too much.
"It's only when we get significant and continuous rainfall events that it really starts to have an affect on quality," he said.
"But a little bit right after mowing doesn't play too much havoc, plus if we get warm, windy days following the rain it will be okay."
Mr Adams said a more worrying issue was the delayed start.
He said the time of cut was significant when it came to achieving first grade analysis.
"The delayed cutting will have an impact on nutritional values, but we won't know the full impact of that for a few more weeks," Mr Adams said.
"But it is too early to surmise on the negative impact because of the cooler temperatures we have experienced.
"We haven't had a lot of hot days so the plants wouldn't have shot away and matured quickly, and with the moisture around we might be alright.
"It is hard to say until we do the tests."
York farmer and export hay producer Peter Boyle said they had started cutting early last week and were now on tenterhooks with the forecast.
"The hay hasn't had its two weeks on the ground without rain so we are fairly worried," he said.
"We have between five and 10 millimetres forecast, so if we get five that will be okay.
"But we will just have to wait and see."
Mr Boyle planted 1400 hectares to hay this year and was expecting test results back by the end of the week.
According to Hay Australia managing director Andrew Bolt the northern hay growing regions, where Hay Australia sourced a majority of its hay from, was not affected as much by the delayed start to the season.
He said prior to now there had been little pressure to get the hay cut as the crops were holding on well.
"They are ready now but we are worried about what will happen tomorrow night," Mr Bolt said.
"Having said that we have only got around 20 per cent of our hay cut so there is still a fair bit to go that won't be too affected by the rainfall.
"We were hoping for a better weather window when the season started, but that is a risk that comes in this industry."
Mr Bolt said they were also expecting between five and 10mm on Tuesday night.
He said the more rain they got the more it would detract from the quality of the hay that has been cut.
"We are still hopeful we will get a bigger portion of our hay cut in better weather conditions, but getting hay baled is not a process that only takes a few days," he said.
"This kind of agriculture comes with its risks and at the end of the day most growers are using all the available tools to manage that risk."
