Feed System Categories

The five feed-system categories reflect the main feeding strategies used on Australian dairy farms. 

These categories apply to how cows are managed during lactation; dry cows or heifers and young stock may be managed differently. 

Each category is defined by the role of grazing, conserved forages, concentrates, and whether feed is mixed and delivered via bail, feed pad or Total Mixed Ration (TMR).  

Feed system classifications

1. Grazing + Low to Moderate Bail
Whereby cows obtain most of their diet from grazing, with conserved forages such as silage or hay used when pasture supply is limited. Grain or concentrate is supplied only in the dairy, and at relatively modest levels totalling less than 1.6 tonnes of dry matter per cow per year.  

The focus is on maximising pasture utilisation and maintaining a low-input, grazing-centred approach, while still providing enough supplementary energy to support production through feed gaps. (links to pasture resources or extension programs) 
2. Grazing + High Bail (> 1.6 t DM/cow/year)
Grazing remains a key component of the diet, but nutrient supply is substantially bolstered with higher levels of grain and concentrate feeding in the dairy bail, exceeding 1.6 tonnes of dry matter per cow per year. Conserved forages may also play a significant role where pasture availability or quality fluctuates. This approach suits farms aiming for higher per-cow production while retaining a grazing base and relies on precise concentrate feeding to balance the pasture diet.  
3. Grazing + Partial Mixed Ration (PMR)
The herd grazes and receives a mixed ration daily. This system provides more consistent nutrient supply than grazing and bail feeding alone, helping to stabilise intake and lift production while still utilising pasture.  

A “mixed ration” refers to “a uniformly mixed combination of forages, grains and other dietary ingredients is prepared in a mixer wagon and delivered via a feed-out facility” 
4. Hybrid
Hybrid systems combine grazing with planned zero-grazing periods. Cows graze when pasture is available or fits the farm’s goals, but the business switches to fully-housed feeding for reasons including weather seasons or lactation stages. During these no-grazing phases, the entire diet is supplied as a total mixed ration. When cows return to pasture, their diet may be topped up with PMR or bail-fed grain to maintain balance.  

This classification is reserved for systems making proactive, strategic decisions to alternate between grazing and full TMR, rather than farms that temporarily remove cows from paddocks only in response to adverse seasonal conditions.  
5. Total Mixed Ration
TMR farms do not graze at any point in lactation. Cows are either fully housed or managed on a feed pad and receive their whole diet as a mixed ration. This system gives maximum control over feed quality, quantity and cow intake, supporting high production per cow.  

Why different dairy feed-systems exist in Australia — and why we developed new categories 

Australian dairy farming spans a wide range of climates, herd sizes, land and water access, and business goals. Because of this diversity, there is no “one-size-fits-all” feeding system. Instead, farms use a variety of feeding strategies, trading off between pasture utilisation, feed inputs, production potential, animal welfare, labour and infrastructure costs, and risk management (e.g. seasonal feed gaps, extreme weather events). 

While a form of this system has existed previously, Dairy Australia worked closely with industry experts around the country to make sure they accurately reflect conditions on modern farms today and in the future. 

Discover more

Pastures
Farm System Evaluator
Transition Management Resources