High hopes for fodder

TASMANIA’S fodder harvest season is getting into full swing and farmers are hoping for bumper yields after a critical shortage of hay and silage last season. 

Pasture growth in many areas was boosted by much-needed rain last week. Silage is now being harvested in parts of the state and contractors are reporting good yields so far. 

Smithton-based contractor Marcus Laing described the season so far as astronomical. 

“There’s already more grass around now this early in the season than what we grew all year last year,” he said. 

Mr Laing said the 30mm of rain that fell in his area last weekend was ideally timed for pasture growth.

While he is yet to start harvesting silage, he is expecting good yields if current conditions continue. 

“That rain really helped and if we get a thunderstorm this weekend like they’re forecasting we’ll be home and hosed,” he said.

“Last year was pretty dismal. Everyone is the same, we all ran out of feed and I had to buy in silage for my 38 head of beef cows, for the first time ever.”

Mr Laing said he expects to start cutting paddocks for silage mid next week. 

In the North-East, TasFarmers dairy council chairman Geoff Cox said pasture growth was also excellent.

“We’ve got very good pasture growth at the moment so there should be a bit of fodder around,” he said. 

Mr Cox said his operation had harvested a small amount of silage so far but would get into full swing soon.

“That rain we had was really timely and we were really needing it,” he said. 

“Everyone will be hoping to get a bit of silage up their sleeve after the winter we’ve been through. 

“It’s good to have a good spring break like this.

It’s almost impossible to have a good season if you don’t have a good spring.” 

Contractor Jamie Loane from Fingal said the season also looked very promising in his region.

“That rain on Friday was really a gold mine,” he said.

“It won’t last long and we’ll need some more in a week or 10 days but I’m happy with where we’re at in the Fingal Valley because we’re generally pretty dry. We’ve had a really good winter and start to spring.” 

Mr Loane said they had harvested some silage already this year.

“There’s been a bit of silage made in the valley already, sort of opportunity silage,” he said. 

“Even up at Royal George which is quite rare. They’re having a real cracker up there. 

“I think we’ll make a bit of hay here too to replenish our supplies.”

Agricultural Contractors of Tasmania chairman Peter Campbell said while some areas were seeing good levels of pasture growth, in the central North cold and windy conditions had slowed things down. 

“The ones that we have done so far have been quite good,” he said. 

“Up around Westbury and Whitemore though apparently the cold has put a bit of a stop on some of the growth.”

Mr Campbell said the last two rains had been very good but follow up rain will be needed to ensure good hay yields later in the season. 

“The rain on its own has been good but the follow up wind is the problem because that takes the benefit of the rain away.”