Welcome, skip to the content.

Home-grown feeds

Cows on pasture

Optimising home-grown forage growth and utilisation is a key driver of farm profitability on the vast majority of Australian dairy farms.
Read about key aspects of growing and utilizing grazed pasture and forage crops, and making silage and hay.

Please note – the links below are pdfs, they may take a few seconds to open.

Grazed pastures & forage crops

Perennial ryegrass         Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats 
Perennial ryegrass management Maximising growth and nutritive value 
Perennial ryegrass management  Applying grazing principles 
Perennial ryegrass management  Paddock-level specific practices 
Perennial ryegrass management  Use of N fertiliser 
Perennial ryegrass management Managing P K and S 
Perennial ryegrass management Pasture renovation 
Perennial ryegrass management  Managing weeds, pests and diseases
Annual and short term ryegrasses  Strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats 
Winter & forage cereals   Grazing guidelines 
Lucerne, red and white clover  System fit. Key requirements. 
Tall fescue  vs perennial ryegrass. System fit. 
Turnips  vs other summer crops. System fit. 
Regrowth brassicas vs turnips. System fit.
Millet and sorghum  System fit. Millet and sorghum mixes. 
Chicory  System fit. Chicory mixes. 

Silages & hays 

Making, storing & feeding silage Detailed info in Top Fodder 'Successful Silage' manual 
Making & storing silage Frequently asked questions (Part 1)
Making & storing silage Frequently asked questions (Part 2)
Closing paddocks for conservation Key decisions
Winter cereals for silage  vs. annual ryegrass. System fit 
Silage inoculants Their effective use
Sealing silage pits/stacks/bunkers Recent advances in plastics
Large square-baled silage storage Recommendations
Effect of moisture content at hay baling Risk of fire, impacts on nutritional value 
What happens when hay heats  Suggested moisture contents for safe storage 
Hay preservatives  Do they have a place? 

Feed lab testing

Feed lab testing                                   Collect a feed sample for analysis 
Feed labs servicing the dairy industry  List of labs & links to websites  
Rapid feed lab testing   RAPID feed analysis pilot service in Victoria  
Assessing silage quality   Specific tests  
Understand feed lab results   Turn feed lab results into action on your farm  

Feed wastage

Feed wastage - overview                     Trade offs, ways to reduce, payback calculations 
Feed wastage - study Summary report on study of 50 farms

Online tools