Quality silage by the book
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The nationally acclaimed TopFodder silage course, developed by NSW Department of Primary Industries and Dairy Australia, is now being offered to cattle and sheep producers.
TopFodder is the most comprehensive program to focus on silage in Australia, with the specific aim of improving silage quality, reducing wastage, and improving economic decision making.
It compares silage with hay and covers all aspects of making and using silage, from crop selection, cutting and harvesting to feeding out and economics.
NSW State Coordinator for TopFodder (Dairy), Neil Griffiths at Paterson, said TopFodder had initially been designed for dairy farmers but now modified to meet the needs of all producers.
“More than 800 Australian dairy farmers participated in TopFodder last year and the feedback has been very positive,” Mr Griffiths said.
“Based on the comments we received we know that we have filled an important information gap. It’s clear we have changed people’s perception of the skill involved in making silage.
“A recent survey in Victoria shows that 97 per cent had improved the quality of their silage, with 73 percent saying the changes made have improved their profitability.”
Mr Griffiths said while it is possible to make silage out of anything, only good crops or pastures would make good silage and feed testing is a ‘must’ if feed quality is to be improved.
“There’s a lot more to making silage than people think, and the investment people make in attending the TopFodder silage course will pay dividends in the short and long term. Not only does production increase, but there’s less wastage.”
DPI beef cattle officer at Paterson, Ian Blackwood, is the TopFodder Coordinator for the beef and sheep industries - working with Mr Griffiths to deliver TopFodder courses State-wide.
The course for sheep and cattle producers runs for three days and can be held anywhere there is a group interested. Currently Bega, Tamworth, Kempsey, Bathurst and Tumut are all close to having enough participants to start.
Meanwhile a course will be conducted at NSW DPI’s Tocal College on July 27, 28 & 29.
The TopFodder course is subsidised by NSW DPI and costs $328 which includes a DVD and 450 page reference manual (retailing for $95 plus postage). The cost of the course to dairy farmers is further subsidised by their industry in NSW.
Anyone interested in enrolling in a TopFodder Silage course should contact their local NSW DPI office, Neil Griffiths (4939 8948) or Ian Blackwood (4939 8941).
Media contact: Neil Griffiths, NSW DPI Tocal on (02) 4939 8948 or 0427 007 425.
Issued by: Annette Cross, NSW DPI Tamworth on (02) 6763 1243 or 0427 201 840.