Utilising industry data to choose the right perennial ryegrass has helped his Northern Victorian dairy operation boost early lactation milk production and bolster silage feedstocks.
Reducing bought-in feed bills for the Tongala business was an added bonus.
Keen to make the most of lower irrigation water prices, Keagan and his boss – farm owner Scott Fitzgerald – wanted a higher performing ryegrass variety during summer/autumn to create a pasture feed wedge for their autumn calving herd.
“The new variety we used, we didn’t get rust in it through spring and summer. This was really good because as a seasonal calving herd, we needed it irrigated and ready to go when the cows start calving,” Keagan explains.
“Thanks to this new variety, we were able to get the cows back onto pasture a lot sooner. This was a big money saver – and we were getting more milk in the vat quicker with cow production peaking earlier.”
Keagan and Scott picked this ryegrass variety from the Northern Victoria FVI tables because of its higher metabolisable energy (ME) and late heading date.
Sowing the variety with Shaftal clover, Keagan and Scott were able to then capitalise on favourable seasons by harvesting four cuts and ensiling almost double the amount of pasture compared to previous years – without compromising quality.
“We were able to get more tonnes per hectare because this variety wasn’t going to seed as quickly," Keagan explains.
“Having a higher yielding ryegrass variety along with managing the rotation properly – knowing what paddocks to lock-up and take out for silage – has really helped us.
“My boss, Scott, doesn’t have to stress anymore about buying-in feed. We are almost self-sufficient.”
Pastures on the FVI are ranked according to the return they deliver at the farmgate, including information about dry matter yield, trials, metabolisable energy (ME), heading date, endophyte, and much more. The rankings are independent and reliable assessment on the potential economic value of Perennial, Italian and Annual ryegrass cultivars.
Back on the farm, Keagan and Scott used the FVI as a way to double check their agronomist's advice.
Information derived from the FVI enabled them to confidently discuss varietal options because they understood how all the different options stacked-up.
“We feel pretty comfortable using the FVI now, especially with the results we’ve had from this new variety we’ve put in,” Keagan says.
“If we moved to put another variety in, we’d definitely be happy to use it again.”
The Forage Value Index (FVI) helps Australian dairy farmers make more informed decisions when selecting profitable ryegrass cultivars, including Perennial, Italian and Annual.
It was developed in collaboration with DataGene, Meat & Livestock Australia and the Pasture Trials Network.
The 2025 tables are available now at Forage Value Index | Dairy Australia.
