To investigate:

• the effect of time of cutting on canola dry matter, quality and profitability,
• the effect of variety selection on canola dry matter, quality and profitability, and
• the profitability of hay compared to grain production.

• Canola can produce excellent quality hay (and silage).
• Cutting at late flowering is a good compromise between quality and quantity.
• Cutting after late flowering reduced hay quality but had little effect on hay quantity.
• The hybrid IT varieties produced higher hay and grain yield than the triazine tolerant varieties.
• The option of hay reduces the risk of growing canola and enables the rotational benefits (weed control, disease break) of canola to be achieved at a lower financial risk.