Wheaten Hay

Wheaten hay is made from wheat plants that are cut and baled before the grain reaches full maturity. At that point the plant still holds good leaf content, energy, and fibre, making it a useful livestock feed rather than a spent crop residue.

It is one of Australia's three main cereal hays alongside oaten hay and barley hay, and it is produced across southern and western Australia wherever wheat is grown. Wheaten hay is popular with horse owners, cattle producers, and sheep farmers looking for a reliable, affordable cereal hay with consistent availability through much of the year.

Browse hay and fodder listings on LocalAg to see what is available near you. If you cannot find wheaten hay in your area, post a free Wanted Ad and our team will find a supplier.

Yes, wheaten hay is a solid choice for horses and is widely used across Australia as an everyday horse hay.

It is palatable, moderate in protein, and high in fibre, which suits most horses in light to moderate work well. The main thing to confirm when buying for horses is whether the hay is awnless. Wheat plants can develop awns on the seed heads, and if the crop is cut late with awns present, those can cause irritation to the mouth and digestive tract. Awnless varieties and early-cut hay avoid this issue entirely.

For horses in hard work or with higher protein demands, wheaten hay can be complemented with lucerne hay to lift the protein content of the ration without overloading on energy.

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

Wheaten hay and oaten hay are closely related cereal hays and in many situations are interchangeable. The differences are real but not dramatic.

Energy: Oaten hay is generally slightly higher in energy (ME) than wheaten hay, which makes it marginally more valuable as a performance feed for horses and growing cattle.

Protein: Both sit in a similar range, typically 7 to 12% crude protein depending on when the crop was cut and seasonal conditions. Neither is a high-protein hay on its own.

Palatability: Both are palatable to most livestock. Horses tend to eat oaten hay readily and it has a long history as the go-to equine cereal hay in Australia. Wheaten hay is also well accepted.

Awns: Both can have awn issues if cut late, though oaten hay has traditionally been more commonly available in awnless form for the equine market. Wheaten hay grown from awnless varieties or cut early is equally suitable for horses.

Availability and price: In most southern and western regions both are widely available. Wheaten hay is sometimes slightly cheaper per tonne, though this varies by season and region. Browsing both on LocalAg and comparing delivered prices is the best way to decide which stacks up better for your situation.

In practice, many buyers will take whichever cereal hay is available at the right price and quality. A good feed test tells you more about what you are actually getting than the species name alone.

Yes. Wheaten hay is a practical and widely used feed for cattle across southern and western Australia.

For beef cattle on maintenance or growing rations, wheaten hay provides solid energy and fibre. It suits dry cows, backgrounding cattle, and growing steers well and is a cost-effective option compared to legume hays.

For cattle with higher protein requirements such as weaners, cows in late pregnancy, or animals being prepared for joining, wheaten hay alone will not provide enough protein. In these situations, adding lucerne or vetch hay to the ration, or supplementing with grain, makes a meaningful difference to production outcomes.

For dairy cattle, wheaten hay works as a fibre component within a total mixed ration but would be used alongside higher-protein feeds rather than as a standalone.

The same principle applies here as with any hay: the feed test result matters more than the species name. Two loads of wheaten hay can have quite different nutritional profiles. Always buy off a test for large volumes.

Yes. Wheaten hay is a straightforward, reliable option for sheep and is used widely across Australian sheep operations.

For dry ewes and wethers on maintenance, wheaten hay provides adequate fibre and energy and is a cost-effective way to hold condition through dry periods.

For ewes pre-lambing and lactating, wheaten hay alone will not meet the increased protein demands. From around four to six weeks before lambing, ewes benefit significantly from a protein boost. At that stage, mixing in lucerne hay or vetch hay lifts protein to support lamb birth weight, colostrum quality, and milk production. See Protein Hays and How They Compare for a full breakdown of your legume hay options.

For weaner lambs, the same logic applies. Weaners need protein to drive growth, so wheaten hay works best when paired with a legume hay or protein supplement.

For finishing lambs, wheaten hay as a roughage source alongside grain is a common and effective approach in both paddock and feedlot finishing.

Wheat plants naturally produce awns, the stiff bristle-like projections that extend from the seed head. In standard wheat varieties these can be reasonably sharp, particularly when the crop is cut late and the awns have had time to develop fully.

When hay is baled with mature awns present, they remain in the bale and can cause physical irritation to horses. The risk is to the soft tissue of the mouth, gums, tongue, and throat. In some cases awns can penetrate and work further into the digestive system. Horses are more susceptible to this than cattle or sheep because of how they pick up and chew their feed.

Awnless wheaten hay refers to hay that is either grown from wheat varieties bred without awns, or cut early enough in the growth cycle that awn development is minimal. Either way, the result is a softer, safer hay that horse owners can feed with confidence.

When buying wheaten hay for horses, always confirm with the seller whether it is awnless. A reputable seller will be able to tell you the variety or confirm the cutting stage. If the listing does not specify, ask before you buy.

If you need awnless wheaten hay and cannot find it listed near you, post a Wanted Ad and make sure you specify awnless so sellers know exactly what you are after.

Wheaten hay typically sits between 7 and 12% crude protein (CP) on a dry matter basis. Where it lands within that range depends on when the crop was cut, seasonal growing conditions, and how the hay has been stored.

As a general guide:

1. Cut early around late boot to early head emergence: higher protein, often 10 to 12%
2. Cut later once the grain is more developed: lower protein, typically 7 to 9%
3. Protein continues to decline during long storage or if the hay has been exposed to weather

This puts wheaten hay in a similar protein range to oaten hay and barley hay. All three cereal hays are solid maintenance feeds but fall well short of legume hays. Lucerne typically comes in at 18 to 25% CP and vetch hay at 16 to 22% CP on a dry matter basis.

If protein content is a critical factor in your feeding program, always request a Feed Central NIR feed test result before committing to a purchase. You can also arrange independent testing through our Testing service. Do not rely on species alone to estimate protein.

Wheaten hay follows the same broad seasonal pattern as other winter cereal hays across southern Australia.

Wheat is typically sown from April to June across Victoria, South Australia, southern and central NSW, and the Western Australian wheatbelt. The crop is cut for hay from around September to November, depending on the season, rainfall, and how early the crop went in.

The ideal cutting window is around late boot to early head emergence, when the plant has maximum leaf content, good protein levels, and the awns are not yet fully developed. Cutting at this stage produces the best balance of quality and yield.

New-season wheaten hay typically starts appearing on the market from October onwards, with supply building through November and December as harvests are completed and hay is baled and shed. Older-season stock from the previous year is often still available through winter and into the following spring.

If you are planning ahead and want to lock in a supply, browse current listings on LocalAg to see what is available now. If you have specific timing requirements, post a Wanted Ad and let sellers know when you need delivery by.

The quickest way to find wheaten hay near you is to browse the Hay and Fodder listings on LocalAg and use the location filter to search within a practical distance from your property. Every listing shows bale type, quantity available, ex-farm price, and an indicative delivered price so you can compare the true cost before you contact a seller.

All sellers on LocalAg are verified and all transactions are protected through CheckVault escrow, so your payment is secure until the hay arrives and you confirm it matches what was ordered.

If there are no wheaten hay listings in your area right now, post a free Wanted Ad. Describe what you need including quantity, bale type, and whether you need awnless for horses, and our team will find a verified supplier. During tight supply periods we regularly match buyers with interstate sellers who can arrange freight to your property.

Wheaten hay and lucerne are quite different feeds and they serve different purposes in a livestock feeding program.

Protein: This is the biggest difference. Wheaten hay sits between 7 and 12% crude protein depending on cut and season. Lucerne typically comes in at 18 to 25% CP. For livestock with high protein demands, that gap is significant.

Energy: Wheaten hay and lucerne are more comparable on energy (ME), though lucerne is generally higher, particularly in well-managed irrigated crops cut at the right stage.

Fibre: Wheaten hay is higher in fibre (ADF and NDF) than lucerne. This makes it a better choice as a roughage source and for animals that need high fibre intake, such as horses prone to digestive issues.

Calcium: Lucerne is much higher in calcium than wheaten hay. This matters particularly for horses, where excess calcium relative to phosphorus needs to be managed, and for dairy cows where calcium demand is high around calving.

Cost: Wheaten hay is typically considerably cheaper per tonne than lucerne. For operations feeding large volumes for maintenance, wheaten hay is usually the more economical base feed.

Practical use: Many producers use both. Wheaten hay provides the bulk roughage and fibre, while lucerne provides the protein top-up. This combination is common in sheep operations pre-lambing, horse stables, and dairy TMR rations. For a full comparison of the high-protein hay options, read Protein Hays and How They Compare.

Colour is one of the quickest visual indicators of wheaten hay quality, though it should always be read alongside a feed test result rather than used on its own.

Bright to mid-green is what you want to see. It indicates the hay was cut at the right growth stage, cured well, and has been stored properly out of weather and direct sunlight. Green colour generally corresponds to better leaf retention, higher protein, and good palatability.

Light yellow to golden colour is common in hay that has been stored for longer periods or has had some sun exposure. Some fading is normal and does not necessarily mean the hay is poor quality, but it does typically indicate some nutritional decline compared to greener hay from the same season.

Brown or dark patches are more of a concern. Brown colour can indicate rain damage during curing, excessive heating during storage, or mould. Any hay with significant brown discolouration should be assessed carefully before purchase, including a smell test and ideally a moisture and feed test.

White or grey patches on the outside of bales often indicate surface mould from moisture exposure. Surface mould does not always penetrate deeply into a large square bale, but it is worth checking inside before buying.

One thing to keep in mind: colour can be misleading on its own. A load of older-season hay that has faded slightly may still have good feed value, while bright green hay baled at high moisture can be a storage risk. Always pair your visual assessment with feed test data. Arrange testing through our Testing service if you want objective confirmation before committing to a large volume.