TopFodder looks at the science and economics of silage making. It is usually run in late winter or early spring for farmers and service providers.

TopFodder is a joint initiative of Dairy Australia and the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries which aims to improve the quality of silage produced on Australian farms.

Part of the TopFodder program is a course aimed at teaching participants how to successfully make, store and feed-out silage on Australian dairy farms. The course is based primarily on the technical information in the Successful Silage manual that was initially developed in 2003 and partly funded by Dairy Australia.

Currently, TopFodder is run as a two-day workshop through Dairy Australia's regional teams.

• Select the right crop at the right time

• Understand silage additives

• Feed test and fit silage into the system

• Control losses throughout the process including cutting, wilting, raking, bailing, storage and feeding out