Livestock producers planning to plant winter forage crops are struggling to find available seed, with oats in particular reported to be practically non-existent in some areas.

Demand for seed is understood to be strong this year based on increased cattle numbers and good soil moisture where big rainfall totals fell in summer.

Central Queensland pasture agronomist Ross Newman is urging clients not to leave it too late to talk to seed suppliers.

In a recent social media post he said he has seen reports of varieties already being in a sold out due to lower than budgeted production crop yields.

In one instance a contracted seed provider had budgeted on producing 1000 tonnes of forage seed, but was only able to deliver 150t cleaned and dressed.

“It doesn’t take long for pressure on supply when this happens,” he said.

“Be sure to talk through your seed suppliers, of what you are looking to achieve and ensure there is a current seed test to match.

“With warmer, humid conditions, seed can deteriorate faster than normal.”

Mr Newman told Beef Central this morning that conditions are quite dry in Central Queensland.

“We’re well behind where we should be for rainfall,” he said.

“There are dry pockets around the place.

“There has been big rain where they have had rain, but there are still plenty of places behind the eight ball.”

No second chances with oats in Southern Qld

In Southern Qld, Woods Group accumulation and sales manager Steve Foran said he was sold out of oats seed in December last year. He said a high demand was the main driver.

“There are no more oats in the market to buy. We sold out of our oats in December and that is just from the strong demand for oats,” he said.

“Our oat production was well up on previous years. To sell out in December is highly unusual.”

Mr Foran said the shortage of seed could make it hard for producers to navigate adverse seasonal conditions.

“The risk for the growers out there is if they go and plant these oats, for example, next week and they get 20mm of rain and it crusts over, there’s no more oats in the market to replant,” he said.

“They only get one chance at this forage crop.

“There are areas that get that high crusting. If it crusts over or something poor happens, then you can get some replants. This year there will be no second chances on the oats market that’s for sure.”

Seed production down in Northern NSW

Brent Johnson is an agronomist for Hart Rural, which has stores in Barraba and Manilla on the north-west slopes of New South Wales.

A lot of the oats seed brought into the area is grown further south or in the local area. Mr Johnson said they were struggling to get their hands on seed.

“We have had multiple orders cancelled on us, which have been for hundreds of tons of oats seed,” Mr Johnson said.

“We have been told that quality is an issue, therefore there is a shortfall in seed quantity. Hybrid oats is also a big business for us in this area with a few of the guys who are chasing seed production and their harvest quantity was back.”

Mr Johnson said a lot of oats crops in the local area last year ran into a tough winter, which stopped many producers from being able to hold onto their own seed.

“Most people who normally kept their own seed to plant had no seed this year so they needed to buy it in,” he said.

“No crops really carried through to harvest last year, it was a very hard, dry and frosty winter last year.”

This year appears to be a different situation on the north-west slopes, with plenty of rain and demand and plans to plant to forage crops. Mr Johnson said many were having to find alternatives to oats.

“It has a been a pretty handy season this year, we have a big inquiry for oats seed, rye grass, barley and winter wheats,” he said.

“As an alternative to oats, I have been doing a bit of annual rye grass, forage barley and forage wheats.”