New South Wales Department of Primary Industries (NSWDPI) specialist lucerne agronomist Mary-Anne Lattimore is spot-on when she points out that good quality lucerne hay can be worth twice as much as feed grade hay.

Yet Australian lucerne yields are often poor, and hay quality variable, resulting in low returns to growers.

Ms Lattimore wants to do something about that, turning the "art" of haymaking into more of a science, and developing a best management package that will help growers deliver the best possible product to ensure a profitable, lucerne growing business.

Over the last six months, Ms Lattimore and her colleague, Libby Roesner, from Condobolin, have conducted focussed discussion groups and case studies with lucerne growers in some of the major lucerne growing areas of the northern region, including Tamworth in NSW, and Gatton and Texas/Inglewood in Queensland.

Ms Lattimore says experienced lucerne growers tend to consider haymaking an art rather than a science, and that it can take years of experience to develop the appropriate skills.

"I am looking for information from lucerne hay growers, contractors and others in the lucerne industry around Australia to help raise the bar, and to turn the art of lucerne haymaking into a science," Ms Lattimore says.

"Although there are several, existing regional publications on lucerne, there is a real need for one book that can be used anywhere.

"This book will cover how to produce the best quality product, to ensure a profitable business, and also investigate experience with new technology that has been introduced over the last few years.

"I would like to hear from other experienced lucerne growers who are interested in improving the industry, and can be contacted on 02 6951 2695 or by email mary-anne.lattimore@agric.nsw.gov.au"

While Ms Lattimore¹s work, supported by the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), centres mainly on irrigated lucerne, the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) is investing significantly in dryland lucerne research.

Prompted by grower concerns about rising water tables and widening acceptance of the need for ley and phase legumes in grain farm rotations, the GRDC is investing $1.8 million over five years in a coordinated campaign to expand the area under dryland lucerne in the northern grains region.

NSWDPI¹s Tamworth lucerne breeder Rex Williams is charged with the breeding and release of new lucerne varieties ­ for short term crop rotations, with enhanced grazing tolerance or value adding characteristics ­ and research into making lucerne "easy to establish, easy to manage and easy to remove".

The GRDC project also involves Queensland¹s Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QDPI&F), while the SeedMark consortium is responsible for commercialising new varieties from the NSWDPI breeding program.