With the shortest day now past and spring fast approaching, now is the time to plan for silage production to maximise management strategies for pasture growth.
Murray Dairy provides informative courses for silage producers to help stockists prepare for a strong production season.
The courses are offered for dairy farmers and dairy-based service providers.
Insightful facts include the recommendation to grow rye-grass to the third leaf stage to produce 40 per cent more mass than growing to only two leaves, whether the farmer is grazing or cutting for silage.
Murray Dairy extension adviser Bec Wyper has expertise in silage production and said she loved talking about this stuff.
She said pasture growth rates would start to increase with lengthening days and warmer temperatures, allowing farmers to start shortening grazing rotation times and lock up surplus feed for silage production.
“So through autumn and winter, when it’s cold, we will likely be on approx a 60-day rotation as the leaves grow slow, and through spring we can be as short as a 14 to 21 day rotation,” Ms Wyper said.
“Rye-dominant pastures rotation length needs to be set at the time it takes for the plant to grow three leaves, and farmers should also aim to graze before canopy closure — when sunlight cannot penetrate through to the ground — to avoid a loss in quality.
“Rotation length is how long after grazing that you need to wait before coming back onto it.”
Murray Dairy runs three silage courses each year, which are designed to help silage farmers improve their crops and are tailored to meet the producer at their level of experience and time commitment.
Feeding Pastures for Profit
This is a nine-month course that teaches the core principles of growing, managing and grazing rye-grass pastures.
The course runs from autumn to late spring and includes theory to cement the key principles along with on-farm days for practical experience.
Seasonal challenges are also discussed, including first grazing, wet conditions, spring surplus, seeding and heat stress.
Top Fodder
This two-day program teaches farmers how to maximise silage quality and prevent spoilage. Use and maintenance of equipment from cutting to ensilaging is discussed as well.
Day one covers the basics of silage making, silage testing, quality maintenance, growing the right crops and pastures and the use of inoculants.
The second day will outline harvesting, storage principles and systems, feeding out and a range of tools that farmers can use, such as dry matter calculations.
Maximising Silage Quality
This is a condensed one-day on-farm version of the Top Fodder course for the busier farmer.
The key focus is on the optimum time to cut and ensilage as well as managing storage.
Expressions of interest in any of the courses can be made by contacting Bec Wyper at: becw@murraydairy.com.au