Target 10 - Feeding Pastures For Profit
On most dairy farms two of the major decisions that need to be made each day are:
The Feeding Pastures For Profit program aims to provide the tools and skills to confidently answer these questions
Get the rotation right
The first part of the program looks at getting the rotation right using the "Rotation Right" tool. The tool takes the quality and quantity of feed in the paddock into account and uses this information to round the number of feeds to be allocated from a paddock to a whole number.
The end result is a tool that allows the farmer to make simple strategic decisions on how many feeds to take from each paddock in order to achieve any target rotation, and leads to a more consistent daily pasture intake for the herd.
Get the supplements right
The second part of the program is all about getting supplement use right. For every farming system there is a point where offering the herd more supplement reduces farm profit.
Similarly, if we are not using enough supplement we may be missing out on potential profit. The program uses simple tools and concepts to allow participants to find the point where the cost of the last kilogram of feed offered to the herd is equal to the ‘income’ generated (where income includes cash profit, benefits from cow condition, lifestyle benefits etc.)
The FPFP program attempts to explain where this point is, and provides a range of simple practical tools to allow each individual participant to find this point for their farming system. The program is about making the most of the available resources, rather than changing the resources.
The program has two core days and some 'on farm' days afterwards. It is run in all the dairying regions of Victoria.
"Feeding Pastures For Profit: a practical approach to achieving profitable feeding" by Phil Shannon and Frank Tyndal, 2006 contains more detailed information.
For more information, or to register your interest, contact:
Phil Shannon, DPI Cobram
Phone: 03 5871 0600
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