Overview
Welcome to Top Fodder. This course is delivered in two halves, online material which you will work through independently, followed by face-
to-face sessions. In
the online material, you will learn the 10 key steps to successful silage. This includes approaches to planning, making and feeding high-quality silage. As well as this, you will learn an approach to evaluating your silage making system.
In the face-
to-face sessions, this core material will be explored further
and you will have the opportunity to discuss and apply these principles to your own farming practices.
At the end of this program you will be able to:
- apply and/or coordinate the ten key steps to successful silage making on your farm
- articulate why you should make silage and identify how it fits into your farming system
- define what makes high-quality silage
- evaluate the economic performance of different silage qualities
- choose forage at the appropriate stage of growth to make high-quality silage
- distinguish different growth stages and determine the correct growth stage for silage making for your business
- explain different wilting strategies and identify why target dry matter levels are important
- choose the correct harvesting and storage approach for high quality silage relevant for your business
- evaluate current feedout systems and identify typical feed wastage rates associated with the system and identify opportunities to minimise feed wastage
- evaluate your approach to silage making and feeding and identify practices and strategies for improvement.
