Drought conditions in New South Wales and Victoria has lead to an increase in the price of hay, with fodder being sourced from as far away as Western Australia.
One farmer, Michael Sweeney, has begun feeding his cattle watermelons to supplement their diet, as watermelons cost around a quarter of other feeding options.
Kat Gration, a Victorian transport service owner, says because many hay merchants have tripled their price, she decided to provide watermelons as an alternative, charging only the cost of freight.