Pasture quality: getting more from every kilogram of feed

Why pasture species matter

Not all pasture responds the same way over summer, which is why understanding what’s growing in each paddock is an important part of managing quality. Different species have different strengths, risks and management requirements. What works for one paddock may not be the best approach for another.

Farm Source Technical Agriculture Specialist Jarno Sammet says tetraploid ryegrasses can be particularly vulnerable because of their high palatability.

“Cows find them highly attractive, so there’s a greater risk of grazing them below target residuals if they’re left in a paddock too long.”

Diploid ryegrasses tend to be more forgiving and hold up better in dry conditions, but they still need careful management. A ryegrass plant stores its energy reserves in the base of the plant. Grazing too hard into those reserves can slow recovery, reduce daughter tiller development and impact pasture performance heading into autumn.

Clover also plays an important role in maintaining pasture quality over summer.

“Clover is very summer active, so a good clover population can make up for some of the quality the ryegrass is lacking,” Jarno says.

“Don’t let the ryegrass overshadow those clover plants and keep feeding them.”
 

The spring decisions shape summer quality

The work of maintaining pasture quality through summer starts well before dry conditions arrive. Spring is a critical time for building persistent pastures and setting up quality feed for the months ahead.

“Spring is the best time to get those daughter tillers established and more persistent in your pastures,” says Jarno.

When daughter tillers establish successfully, they help maintain pasture density and production. When they don’t survive, pastures can open up, productivity can decline and weeds are more likely to move in. Heavy pasture covers can create problems if left unmanaged for too long. Young tillers can become shaded, reducing their chances of survival.

Keeping residuals under control and removing surplus pasture early for silage can help maintain quality and encourage stronger regrowth.

“If residuals get out of control, quality is lost and regrowth suffers. It can become a compounding issue over the next few grazings,” Jarno says.
 

Looking after quality when conditions dry

As summer pressure builds, the priority shifts from maximising utilisation to protecting the pasture that’s there.

“What we often see in a drought is farmers putting cows into a new paddock every day. That’s one of the biggest misconceptions. Instead, sacrificing a small number of stand-off paddocks may help preserve pasture quality and recovery across the rest of the farm,” says Jarno.

Protecting residuals and avoiding overgrazing helps maintain plant energy reserves and gives pastures a better chance of responding when conditions improve.
 

Small quality gains can add up

The benefits of quality pasture aren’t always immediately obvious, but they can have a significant impact on milk production.

“It takes about 80 megajoules of metabolisable energy (MJME) to produce a kilogram of milksolids (kgMS),” Jarno says.

“If a cow is eating 12kgDM of pasture per day and that pasture is one MJME better per kgDM, that's roughly an extra MS per week. It adds up pretty quickly.”

For many farms, improving pasture quality can be one of the most costeffective ways to support production over summer.

“Grass is your cheapest homegrown feed by far. Look after it and profitability will follow,” Jarno says.

While summer conditions may be outside a farmer’s control, maintaining strong spring residuals, protecting tillers and managing grazing pressure can help make the most of the feed already on farm.

Want to talk through your pasture management plan for summer? Contact your local TSR.