Free Top Fodder courses

The program is built around one core message: high-quality, low-fibre pasture silage drives better feed intakes and stronger cow performance.

Attendees will work through the full silage-making process, from harvesting and wilting through to storage of baled and chopped silage, additive and inoculant use, and how to use silage strategically as a pasture management tool.

Dairy Australia national feed base lead Ruairi McDonnell said the course was designed for the full spectrum of producers.

“Top Fodder is aimed at all dairy farmers and their staff, that produce conserved forage, particularly silage, regardless of experience level,” Mr McDonnell said

The course is also useful for silage contractors, who bring a different perspective to discussions.

A highlight of the course is a half-day, hands-on inspection held on a local farm, where participants examine storage facilities, pit face management and pasture covers.

Farmers are encouraged to bring their own silage samples and feed test results for group analysis.

Mr McDonnell said even seasoned silage-makers often left with fresh insight into fundamentals that are easy to overlook, including eliminating oxygen during the conservation process, hitting the right dry matter content before ensiling, and minimising losses during storage and feed-out.

With the group meeting in early spring, discussion is expected to centre on achieving correct dry matter content and additive use as farmers prepare for rye-grass silage harvest, alongside pre-harvest pasture management.

The course also covers other feedbase staples, including maize and cereal silage.

Mr McDonnell said feed test data showed there was room for improvement across the industry, even among experienced operators.

“There is substantial opportunity for improvement across the industry, so I encourage everyone to come along,” he said.

Registration is free, with places limited per session.

For more information, or to register, visit the website here.