Rain boosts yields, but may downgrade silage quality

The Boardmans run Shadyoak Holsteins, near Sale, milking a 100 head split calving herd, while running a dairy stud cattle operation on the fertile Thompson River flats.

This year, the Boardman's made 390 bales of silage, which will be fed out to stock from May when grass growth slows. About half the 70 hectare property was put under silage, this year.

Last year, the Boardmans were unable to make silage, due to low rainfall and irrigation water allocation, as well as being overstocked, due to a lack of agistment.

"We're building numbers, after reducing milkers, due to drought, and all youngstock are now off on agistment too," he said.

Good late autumn rain allowed the Boardmans to sow more pasture, to get into the winter grazing rotation, then make silage.

"The reason we do silage is due to curing time. Our peak grass production is from September, through to November, and we don't have the heat, or the sunlight to dry it out and make into hay," Mr Boardman said.

Rain at the right time meant the Boardmans could grow more feed on the parts of the farm that don't irrigate well.

Mr Boardman said the farm had been resown, since he and Narelle bought it three years ago, with Italian and biennial ryegrass, perennials and clovers.

"I have certainly noticed since we have sprayed out and killed off the remnant old pastures and replanted it with the new ones, there's been an uptick in performance," he said.

"When you go around the farm and compare the old and new grass, I've certainly certainly noticed cows can go up or down two litres a day."

He said silage was also an important factor in Shadyoak's stud operation.

"Certainly the season helps you grow more and the varieties you choose provide superior quality feed."

Mr Boardman said the couple's main interest was in breeding cattle, and good feed helped the stud stock express their genetic potential.

It's a "one in ten season" to put livestock feed away, after positive conditions for silage making.

David Lewis, Lallemand Animal Nutrition, said contractors had been cutting cereal and pasture for silage since August.

"There's been a lot of extra silage made in NSW, to restock supplies, as farmers haven't had the opportunity to make it for a number of years," Mr Lewis said.

"We are seeing some of that in Victoria, too."

He said event the frequent rain events, in recent weeks, had not significantly affected the silage season.

"There's a significant uptick in the amount of new silage being made," Mr Lewis said.

"In some places, yield has been 20 per cent above what people were expecting, due to the generally good season we haven't seen in some areas for some time."

Rain is likely to boost yield, but may see a downgrading in quality, as contractors and farmers seek to make silage, ahead of the hay season.

Contractors said weather systems bringing rain, on a weekly basis, have meant delays to making silage.

Echuca based northern Victorian farmer and contractor Jason Palmer, predicted a similar amount of silage would be made, this year, as in 2019.

"Nobody is doing any less," Mr Palmer said.

"The yields are good and the quality is pretty good.

"In the past, when you've seen big yields, and big crops, you will generally find people will go for yield.

"This year, they have had the big crops and made the decision to get in early, while the quality was there, because quality makes milk."

He said around Echuca most silage was made up of vetch, or wheat, or a vetch and wheat mix.

"While you can make hay cheaper, there is a lot of risk - the way the season is going this year, a lot of guys are realising the risk, that goes with making hay

"You can save $20-30 a tonne in processing costs,but ther is a lot of risk in making hay.

"For the silage guys, it doesn't matter how much rain you get on it, as it's covered in plastic."

Contractor Glenn Logan is cutting pasture based silage in the south-west and said the rain had caused some delays.

"A lot of it would have been better cut, a few years ago," Mr Logan said.

"The yields will be up by about 15 per cent, because of the delayed cut."

He said the quality was "okay," with dairy, beef and sheep producers all cutting pastures for silage.

"There's been a lot of rain, so that's slowed things up, as far as getting on the paddocks is concerned."

Wayne Bowden, Yarram, said wasn't too wet, around his area.

"The south-west of us is very wet, we are right on the edge and we have dry areas to the east, but in general, we are pretty good," Mr Bowden said.

"We are getting a few days of work done, then get another front come through.

"Quality and yield are both pretty good, at the moment, and if we keep getting this rain the quality is going to deteriorate a little bit, but the quantity is going to go up."

At the moment, the quality was still excellent.

He said Gippsland producers faced different battles, to those in the north.

"They have to wait for the moisture to come in, we have to wait for the moisture to go out."

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