WestVic Dairy News - April 2010 Edition
Have I got it Right? – Findings from the 3030 Project
By Nadine Markham and Michele Ryan, Department Primary Industries Victoria
A series of three field days promoting the key finding from project 3030 were held across the south-west region during February. The aim of the field days was to assist farmers explore more flexible and adaptive forage systems and to better understand farm businesses risk exposure. Guest speakers included diary farm management consultant John Mulvany, 3030 Project leader Professor David Chapman and DPI Dairy Extension Officer Nathan Shannon.
The key messages arising from the days were:
- Project 3030 research work conducted at Demodairy confirmed that a well managed perennial ryegrass pasture remains the most effective and profitable forage base for most farmers.
- The extra pasture yield and profit generated, using similar feed base management principles contained in the Feeding Pastures For Profit (FPFP) program, exceeded expectations. Findings from Project 3030 Ryegrass Max trial highlighted that there is still scope for most farmers to improve the management of their ryegrass pastures (annual, biannual and perennial) to improve the profitability of their business with very little additional cost or effort.
- The FPFP course incorporate the key findings from Project 3030 and provide farmers with the skills and knowledge to manage all forage types to their potential while also gaining an understanding of profitable feeding principles.
- Professor David Chapman highlighted the risk of using forage crops to support increases in stocking rate and intensify the farm operation, based on the research conducted at Demodairy. During the 2006 drought year, poor crop yields had to be replaced with expensive bought in feeds, and the higher stocked farmlet incurred significantly higher feed costs.
- There are forages which complement the ryegrass growing pattern by extending the growing season without adding significant risk to the system. These include cereal crops such as oats sown in February into prepared soil, Brassica’s included with ryegrass at autumn sowing, and turnips and brassica’s sown in spring to provide grazing into the summer.
- Direct graze crops such as brassica crops tended to be a cheaper source of feed, compared to forage crops, such as triticale, that were harvested and feedback as silage. In addition to the increased costs in both labour and equipment depreciation that harvested crops incurred, feed wastage tended to be higher which also pushed up the average cost per tonne of dry matter consumed.
- Changing from a ryegrass based system to a double cropping type system can improve on farm yields by over 30 percent however does not generate enough ‘extra profit’ to warrant the extra risk the farm system takes on.
- The most profitable use of forages were direct graze forage options, where crops were used as part of a pasture renovation program to replace the need for more expensive feed alternatives. A forage plan should be used to select crop combinations that best compliment ryegrass.
For more information/notes regarding the 3030 Project or to enroll in the next FPFP course please contact Nadine Markham at DPI Colac on (03) 5233 5525 or Michele Ryan, at DPI Warrnambool (03) 55 619914. Information from the 3030 project is also available on line at www.dairyextension.com.au/project3030
