Making the most of spring pasture

Spring is an important opportunity for Gippsland dairy farmers to grow and use more of their own feed. Grazed pasture is generally the cheapest feed on farms. Getting more of that pasture into the cows, while leaving paddocks ready to regrow, can make a real difference to feed costs and milk production. 

With summer approaching, there is also a need to plan ahead. The Bureau of Meteorology’s outlook issued on 10 September 2026 describes El Niño as established and favours below-average rainfall across much of south-eastern Australia for October to December. Conditions will vary locally, so use the outlook alongside what is happening on your farm when making decisions. 

Protect the pasture wedge 

The pasture wedge is the spread of pasture covers across the farm, from paddocks just grazed through to those ready for the cows. Protecting it means keeping enough suitable pasture ahead of the herd while allowing recently grazed paddocks time to recover. 

Walk the grazing area regularly, including the “next best feed” (the next paddock due to be grazed), rather than focusing only on the paddock being grazed today. Check how the next paddocks are growing, what residuals the cows are leaving and whether pasture supply is keeping up with demand. A grazing chart, whiteboard or the Rotation Right Tool used in Feeding Pastures for Profit (FPFP) can help turn those observations into a grazing plan. Set the rotation length to control pasture quality, then adjust the area offered at each grazing to control the amount of pasture the cows receive. 

As growth increases, the round may need to shorten to keep pasture leafy. If growth slows, continuing at the same pace can leave cows returning to paddocks before they have recovered. Review the grazing area and supplementary feed together so that meeting today’s demand does not come at the expense of the next round. 

Graze for growth and quality 

Leaf stage is a useful guide to when ryegrass is ready to graze. Allowing vegetative perennial ryegrass to reach around 2.5 to 3 leaves per tiller, or canopy closure if that comes first, helps balance pasture growth and quality. Repeatedly grazing too early limits regrowth; leaving pasture too long allows older leaf and stem to build up.

Spring needs closer attention because stem elongation and seedhead development can change pasture quality quickly. Dairy Australia’s spring grazing guidance recommends an earlier 2 to 2.5 leaf stage to help maintain quality. Treat this as guidance for managing spring quality, by watching the “next best feed”, canopy closure and stem development to set the round. Lengthen it again as seedhead emergence declines and vegetative regrowth needs more time. 

Aim for a post-grazing residual of about 4 to 6 cm between clumps in ryegrass paddocks. Grazing harder to find a little extra feed can slow recovery, particularly as moisture becomes limiting. At the other extreme, a build-up of rejected stem and dead material reduces the quality available in the next round. During the seedhead phase, avoid forcing cows to clean up low-quality stem at the expense of intake and milk production. Topping may be needed to remove rejected stem and improve pasture quality for the next grazing. 

Nitrogen decisions should also follow the feed plan. An application after grazing may be worthwhile where soil moisture and growing conditions support a response and the extra pasture can be used. As soils dry, reassess the likely response and cost before applying more. Review supplements as pasture supply changes, while keeping the herd adequately fed and the diet balanced. 

Check the feed balance before making silage 

On the grazing platform, the first job is to meet current grazing demand. Silage should come from a genuine surplus: pasture that the herd will not need to graze at the chosen supplement level while it is still at the right stage. A paddock looking heavy today does not, by itself, mean it can safely be taken out of the round. 

Before shutting paddocks, check that the remaining area can carry the herd until the cut paddocks recover and return to grazing. Taking too much area out can leave a gap that has to be filled with supplementary feed. That cost needs to be counted alongside the cost of making the silage.  

Where there is a real surplus, timely conservation helps avoid wasting pasture or losing quality. Set conservation targets from the feed budget, taking account of what the cows need now and the likely requirements over summer. Simply aiming for more silage can overlook the grazing requirement and the cost of creating those reserves. 

For good silage, start with leafy pasture and avoid delaying harvest for a heavier, stemmier cut. Wilt quickly to the dry matter content suited to the harvesting and storage system, compact well and seal airtight promptly. Feed test the silage and allow for storage and feed-out losses. 

Plan the feed and the cash together 

Preparing for El Niño is a farm-business decision. Each farm starts with different pasture cover, stock numbers, water availability and fodder reserves. The useful question is how the business will manage if growth slows earlier than expected, and what it can afford to do now. 

Start with a feed budget that covers all stock, including dry cows and young stock. Check the feed already on hand and its quality, then use realistic pasture growth estimates to work out when a shortage may occur. Allow for storage and feeding losses. Dairy Australia’s feed budgeting resources include a tool and a simple monthly feed budget to help with this. 

Compare a likely season with an earlier or longer dry period. Consider the cost of buying feed, conserving genuine surplus and, where relevant, irrigation. Put the options into a cash-flow budget so that the timing of feed bills is considered alongside the expected milk income. 

Agree on what would trigger a change to the plan, such as pasture growth falling below the budget or feed reserves reaching a minimum level. Discuss the options with your adviser while there is still time to act. The Dairy Cash Budgeting Tool can help show when cash will be tight. 

Protect pasture as summer approaches 

As pasture growth slows, continue protecting residuals and avoid repeatedly grazing new regrowth before it has recovered. Maintaining cover helps protect perennial ryegrass through dry conditions and supports recovery when rain returns. Where necessary, use a suitable feeding or sacrifice area to reduce pressure on the rest of the farm, with adequate feed and water for the cows. 

Plan for hot days as well. Check water supply and access, make use of shade and give cows opportunities to graze during cooler parts of the day. 

Further information 

• Feeding Pastures for Profit - information about the program and support for pasture rotation decisions. 
• Successful silage resources - practical guidance on quality, harvesting, storage and feed-out when surplus pasture is available. 
• Dry conditions and drought resources - dry-season checklists, water planning and heat-stress information.