SA hay sellers have widened their networks with the nation’s first major online fodder sale held through AuctionsPlus.
Last week, independent livestock agency Spence Dix & Co held the sale, offering 4000 tonnes of hay and straw from clients from the South East, Mid North and Eyre Peninsula and Vic Wimmera.
Six hundred tonnes of hay met reserve, selling as far afield as Goulburn and Carrathool in NSW.
High quality lucerne hay from Keith made up to $400/t, while lucerne/ryegrass hay sold for $240/t.
There was limited demand for cereal straw, which made up half the sale’s total tonnage.
SDC agent Marty Smith came up with the idea with director Rodney Dix after they fielded numerous calls from interstate contacts looking for fodder.
“We also wanted to offer our clients another option in the marketing of their hay after a lot of feedback where growers were wondering what was the best way to go,” Mr Smith said.
Despite a high pass-in rate for the first sale, Mr Smith is confident interest will grow and says they are considering another sale in early 2019.
“Now we have done it for the first time we have something to work from and hopefully in the next month or so people will talk more about it,” he said.
Vendor Trent Bettess, Bettess Ag, Keith, saw it as a great opportunity to find new buyers and says he would definitely support another sale.
“You can get a true evaluation of what your hay is worth – what we might think it is worth and what they (buyers) are willing to pay for it could be different,” he said.
“There are some big numbers (prices) being thrown around, but it is good to price hay to sell and get it shifted and at the same time help them out.
“It is good to be able to get to people that I might not have known.”
SDC’s hay sale raised $1200 for Buy a Bale, with $2 from every tonne sold going to help drought-affected farmers.
