Murray Dairy partners with grains industries to boost Fodder for the Future

RAPID change is underway on cropping and dairy farms in northern Victoria and southern NSW.

In response to this, Murray Dairy has partnered with six cross-sector agricultural organisations to deliver the Fodder for the Future Project. A three-year, $1.6M research project designed to investigate ways to support the development of complementary farming systems that optimise the use of both irrigated and dryland resources across the southern Murray-Darling Basin.

This project is funded by the Federal Government under the Murray–Darling Basin Economic Development Program and builds upon Murray Dairy’s focus on providing information and resources that support the integration of alternative forages in dairy farming systems across the Murray region.

The $1.6M, three-year project partners with: · Irrigated Cropping Council · Birchip Cropping Group · Southern Growers · University of Melbourne · Riverine Plains · Agriculture Victoria

Crops grown across these six cropping demonstration sites in the Murray region included different varieties of wheat, barley, oats, vetch, fababeans, maize and sorghum. Various treatments were applied between the different partner sites and included differences in sowing times, sowing rates, nutrient applications, irrigation strategies, and cutting times with the goal to increase yield and quality of hay and silage specifically for use in dairy cow diets.

The project’s most recent results are currently available in a series of long and short form videos and can be viewed online at, www. youtube.com/c/MurrayDairyVic/videos.

The project has another year of results to collate and present.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT...Murray Dairy has partnered with six cross-sector agricultural organisations to deliver the Fodder for the Future Project. A three-year, $1.6M research project designed to investigate ways to support the development of complementary farming systems that optimise the use of both irrigated and dryland resources across the southern Murray-Darling Basin. Photo: Supplied

Murray Dairy

Providing regional and seasonal information for the dairy industry in northern Victoria and southern NSW

•Workshops, training and tools for the management of livestock, feed, natural resources, people and your farm business •Access to expertise to improve on-farm performance •Seasonal updates to assist with decision making •Networks and support for industry groups including

Discussion Groups Murray Dairy and Dairy Australia are investing in programs that support farm businesses as they adjust to seasonal variability including: •Alternative fodders and cropping •Animal health and nutrition •Business structures and employment •Risk and strategic planning •Water portfolio management