Barley Hay

Barley hay is made from barley plants that are cut and baled before the grain fully matures. At that stage the plant still has good leaf content and nutritional value, making it a useful livestock feed rather than just a straw byproduct.

It is one of the three main cereal hays produced in Australia alongside oaten hay and wheaten hay, and it is widely used for cattle, sheep, and horses across southern and western Australia. Barley hay tends to be slightly higher in energy than oaten and wheaten hay, though protein levels are similar across the cereal hay group.

Browse barley hay listings on LocalAg. If you cannot find what you need in your area, post a free Wanted Ad and our team will track it down.

This is one of the most common points of confusion when buying barley products, and getting it wrong can cost you in feed value.

Barley hay is cut from the whole barley plant while it still has green leaf and stem material. It retains reasonable protein, energy, and fibre, making it a genuine livestock feed.

Barley straw is what is left over after the grain has been harvested. By that point most of the nutritional value has gone into the grain. Straw is very high in fibre and very low in protein and energy. It is useful as a roughage source or bedding material but it is not a substitute for hay as a main feed source.

The key thing to look for when buying: a listing should clearly state whether the product is hay or straw. If it is not clear, ask the seller what growth stage the crop was at when it was cut. Feed test results will also show the difference quickly, as barley straw will have very low crude protein figures compared to barley hay. You can arrange independent testing through our Testing service if you want confirmation before committing to a large purchase.

Yes, barley hay is a solid option for cattle and is widely used across Australian beef and dairy operations.

For beef cattle on maintenance or growing rations, barley hay provides good energy and fibre. It suits backgrounding, growing cattle, and dry cows well. It is broadly comparable to oaten hay and wheaten hay in feed value, though specific quality will vary depending on when it was cut and how it was stored.

For cattle with higher protein requirements such as weaners, cows in late pregnancy, or animals being flushed before joining, barley hay alone will not provide enough protein. In those situations it is worth adding lucerne or vetch hay to the ration, or supplementing with grain.

For dairy cattle, barley hay can work as a fibre source within a total mixed ration but it would typically be used alongside higher-protein feeds rather than as a standalone feed.

As always, buy based on a feed test result rather than species alone. Two loads of barley hay from the same region can have meaningfully different nutritional profiles depending on season and management.

Barley hay can be fed to horses, but there are some important things to know before you buy it.

The main concern is awns. Barley plants naturally produce stiff, bristle-like awns on the seed heads. When barley hay is baled before the awns are fully developed they are less of an issue, but if the crop was cut late the awns can be sharp enough to cause irritation or injury to a horse's mouth, gums, and digestive tract. For horses, always ask whether the barley hay is awnless and whether it was cut early enough to minimise awn development.

In terms of feed value, barley hay is moderate in protein and energy. It is a usable feed for horses in light to moderate work but most horse owners prefer oaten hay or wheaten hay because they are more consistently awn-free and purpose-grown for equine use.

For horses with metabolic conditions such as laminitis or insulin resistance, teff hay is the safer option due to its very low non-structural carbohydrate content.

If you need equine-suitable barley hay and cannot find it listed locally, post a Wanted Ad specifying awnless and our team will find a suitable supplier.

Yes. Barley hay is a practical and widely used feed for sheep across southern and western Australia.

For dry ewes and wethers on maintenance, barley hay is well suited. It provides adequate fibre and energy to hold condition without being an expensive feed option.

For ewes in late pregnancy or lactating, barley hay alone will not meet protein requirements. From about four to six weeks before lambing, ewes need a protein boost to support lamb birth weight, colostrum quality, and milk production. At that stage, mixing in lucerne hay or vetch hay makes a real difference. See Protein Hays and How They Compare for a full breakdown.

For finishing lambs, barley hay works well alongside grain as a roughage source in paddock or feedlot finishing rations.

For weaner lambs, the same applies as for ewes pre-lambing. Weaners need protein to drive growth, so pair barley hay with a legume hay or supplement accordingly.

Barley hay typically sits between 7 and 12% crude protein (CP) on a dry matter basis, though this varies depending on when the crop was cut, the season, and how it was grown and stored.

As a general guide:

1. Cut early (before the boot or early head stage): higher protein, closer to the 10 to 12% range
2. Cut later (when the grain is more developed): lower protein, typically 7 to 9%
3. Protein declines further during long storage or if the hay has weathered

Barley hay sits in a similar protein range to oaten hay and wheaten hay. All three cereal hays are useful maintenance feeds but fall well short of the protein levels in legume hays like lucerne (18 to 25% CP) and vetch (16 to 22% CP).

If protein content is important for your feeding program, always ask for a Feed Central NIR feed test result before buying. You can also arrange testing yourself through our Testing service. Do not rely on species alone to estimate protein.

Barley hay harvest timing depends on region and whether you are in a winter or spring cropping zone.

In most of southern Australia, including Victoria, South Australia, southern NSW, and Western Australia, barley is a winter cereal crop. It is typically sown from April to June and harvested for hay from September to November, depending on the season, rainfall, and how early the crop was sown.

The ideal cutting window for barley hay is around late boot to early head emergence, when the plant has maximum leaf content and nutritional value. Cutting too late reduces protein and increases the risk of awn-related issues, particularly for horse buyers.

In practice, hay availability on LocalAg reflects these seasonal patterns. Stock from the main harvest period typically comes onto the market from October onwards, and supply of new-season barley hay peaks from November through to early autumn.

If you need hay outside the peak supply window, older-season stock is often still available. Browse current hay and fodder listings to see what is available now, or post a Wanted Ad if you have specific requirements.

Barley hay production is concentrated in Australia's main cereal growing regions:

South Australia is one of the largest barley-producing states in the country and a significant source of barley hay. The Eyre Peninsula, Yorke Peninsula, and mid-north regions are particularly active.

Western Australia produces large volumes, particularly in the wheatbelt region. WA barley hay often moves interstate during periods of tight supply in eastern states.

Victoria produces barley hay across the Wimmera, Mallee, and western districts. Victorian hay is a major source of supply for both domestic buyers and export markets.

New South Wales produces barley hay across the central and southern slopes and tablelands, though volumes are smaller than SA, WA, and VIC.

Queensland produces some barley hay in southern regions, though tropical and subtropical species dominate further north.

If you need hay from a specific state or region, use the location filter on LocalAg when browsing hay and fodder listings. You can search within a set radius of your property to find the closest available supply and reduce freight costs.

The quickest way to find barley hay near you is to search the Hay and Fodder listings on LocalAg and filter by your location. You can set a search radius from your property to see what verified sellers have available within a practical freight distance.

Every listing shows bale type, quantity, ex-farm price, and an indicative delivered price so you can compare options before you make contact. Sellers are verified and all transactions are protected through CheckVault escrow.

If there are no barley hay listings in your area right now, post a free Wanted Ad. Describe what you need, how much, what bale type, and whether you need it delivered. Our team and verified seller network will come back to you with options, including interstate suppliers who can arrange freight if local supply is short.

Barley plants naturally produce awns, which are the stiff bristle-like projections that extend from the seed head. In grain varieties these can be quite long and sharp. When barley hay is cut and baled with mature awns still present, those awns remain in the bale and can cause real problems for horses.

The risk is physical irritation and injury. Sharp awns can scratch and penetrate the soft tissue of a horse's mouth, gums, tongue, and throat. In some cases they work their way into the digestive tract and cause more serious issues. Horses are particularly susceptible compared to cattle and sheep because of how they select and chew feed.

Awnless barley hay refers to hay that is either cut early enough that the awns have not fully developed, or grown from awnless barley varieties specifically bred without the awn structure. Either way, the result is a much softer, safer hay for horses.

If you are buying barley hay for horses, always confirm with the seller whether it is awnless. A reputable seller will know this. If the listing does not specify, ask directly before purchasing.

Most horse owners stick with oaten hay or wheaten hay as their primary cereal hay because awnless options are more consistently available. But awnless barley hay is a perfectly good alternative when you can source it. If you need it and cannot find it listed, post a Wanted Ad and specify awnless so sellers know exactly what you are after.

Get the feed test. The single most reliable way to assess barley hay quality is a NIR feed test result. Look for crude protein (CP), metabolisable energy (ME), acid detergent fibre (ADF), and moisture content. On LocalAg, sellers can attach Feed Central feed test results directly to their listing. If you want to arrange independent testing on a load before committing, use our Testing service.

Check the colour. Good barley hay should be bright to mid-green. Yellow or brown colour indicates weathering, sun bleaching, or rain damage, all of which reduce nutritional value. Some fading is normal but heavy discolouration is a flag.

Check the smell. Fresh barley hay has a clean, dry, grassy smell. A musty or sour smell indicates mould, which can affect palatability and livestock health. An ammonia smell means the hay has heated internally.

Look at the leaf and stem ratio. Hay cut at the right growth stage will have good leaf retention relative to stem. A lot of loose stem and little leaf usually means it was cut too late or has been stored for a long time.

Check for weed content. Some weed presence is common but excessive weed content reduces feed value and can introduce problem species to your property. Listings on LocalAg with a Weed Safe badge have been assessed and found to meet quality thresholds.

Ask about moisture. Anything above 14 to 15% moisture at the time of baling is a storage risk. Hay stored at high moisture can heat and mould, and in serious cases can cause fires in the shed. Always confirm moisture content before buying a large volume, particularly if you plan to store it for more than a few months. Read more on safe storage in our guide: Preparing for Drought: Feed Storage and Water Planning Tips.