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2,700Registered Sellers8,400Registered Buyers23,212Tonnes for SaleCertification ServicesHay Certification: How It Works
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| A) An accredited Feed Central Inspector visits the seller's farm or location of the hay. |
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| B) The inspector notes the visual characteristics of the hay, including: |
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Colour | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grass, weed type & amount | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Grass & weed amount | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Foreign material eg. sticks etc | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Cutting method | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Approx. Fibre length in bale | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Stem thickness | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Crop maturity when cut | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Description of leaf in bale | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Crop cure time | |||||||||||||||||||||||
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Curing/conditioning method | |||||||||||||||||||||||
| C) Hay moistures are measured and recorded. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| D) The Inspector takes a core sample. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| E) A sample of the bales are weighed using portable Rudweigh scales to determine average bale weight. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| F) Commodity Vendor Declaration completed by the grower. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
G) Photos taken of core sample and hay stack.
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On farm inspection can take 1½ hours per lot. We will need a tractor with hay forks & your help to weigh the bales. |
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Hay is graded using Feed Central’s unique scoring system, which is based on 14 visual quality aspects that are important to the buyer. The minimum score is 0, the maximum score is 895. |
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The core sample is sent to a accredited laboratory for analysis using a dedicated and proven process. |
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Traceability
Why is this important?Complete traceability ensures food safety, minimises risk to valuable livestock, and protects Australia’s clean, green image. |
The results of the visual assessment and Feed Analysis are combined into the Feed Central Quality Certificate - a recognised certificate that can be used to help growers market their product, or give buyers in-depth knowledge of a product that they cannot inspect themselves. |
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Where hay is to be marketed through feed Central, the Quality Certificate, photo and Commodity Vendor Declaration are all posted on the Feed Central website. A fairer, smarter and more profitable way to buy hay and grain. |
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After inspection and certification, the Feed Central sales team complete a detailed written market appraisal of each line. This appraisal, or informed valuation, gives a guide to the grower on the price range of their hay and includes consideration of: |
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The grade and visual quality | |||
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Feed analysis results | |||
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General quality | |||
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Bale size/weight | |||
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Current and expected market conditions. | |||
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Independent, third party sampling for Feed Analysis |
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Accredited laboratories conducting the Feed Analysis tests, using standardised testing procedures |
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Goes much further than Feed Analysis to include important visual quality considerations and a visual grade |
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Accurate results give buyers the confidence to buy “sight unseen” |
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Inspection performed by an independent third party with no vested interest |
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Easy to understand, simple language |
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All lots described the same way, making comparison easier |
Australia’s fodder industry is growing. Effective standards allow buyers and sellers to trade confidently. In some cases, progressive growers and sellers are putting contracts in place before hay is even grown. Standards are also vital to ensure the integrity of all contracts and the long term health of our industry. It is our belief that buying hay should not be an expense. As a buyer, if you buy the right quality feed for your operation, you will profit from it. Feed Central’s Certification Services allow this to be done.This is how we “feed your profits.”
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TraceabilityAt Feed Central, we leave nothing to chance. Each lot is tagged and identified, and a lot number is allocated to each line. This lot number is cross referenced back to the grower’s Lot ID or paddock name. This is cross referenced to the Quality Certificate, photo and Commodity Vendor Declaration. This means that each lot can be tracked from the paddock to the shed to the animal. Traceability also ensures that the right hay goes to the right customer. |
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Why is this important?Complete traceability ensures food safety, minimises risk to valuable livestock, and protects Australia’s clean, green image. |
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About Feed Analysis TestingFeed Central has pioneered the introduction of Feed Analysis Testing across the country. Today, Feed Analysis Testing is commonplace, and in many parts of the country, you can’t buy or sell hay without it. This is great - however caution also needs to be exercised. Feed Central has conducted over 5,000 hay inspections in the last five years. Every one of these has been submitted for Feed Analysis. We have found a huge difference in the results depending on how the sampling is done, as well as a significant difference between laboratories. For this reason at Feed Central we continue to take our own samples, and have them tested independently at an accredited laboratory. |
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At Feed Central, we leave nothing to chance.
Each lot is tagged and identified, and a lot number is allocated to each line. This lot number is cross referenced back to the grower’s Lot ID
or paddock name. This is cross referenced to the Quality Certificate, photo and Commodity Vendor Declaration. This means that each lot can be tracked from the paddock to the shed to the animal.
Traceability also ensures that the right hay goes to the right customer.