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Forage for Knowledge
Make the most of your farm's potential with the latest regional grass growth and quality data and analysis, updates and resources.
Stay updated with the latest regional grass and quality data, including predictions from AFBI’s 7–10 day grass growth model.
Get expert recommendations to optimise pasture management and maximise productivity.
Make informed decisions—whether it’s adding an extra paddock for silage and assessing its impact on demand or ensuring that growth rates align with your needs.
Use the grass growth wedge to identify potential surpluses or deficits, adjusting your strategy accordingly.
Access the Forage For Knowledge database and resources to manage risks effectively and enhance your decision-making process.
Latest grass growth data
Use the interactive dashboard to view the latest regional grass growth and quality data.
Grass growth commentary and advice
Pasture to Profit consultant Piers Badnell will provide comments (usually, every two weeks) throughout the main grass growing season. Read the latest below.
25 April 2025
This week's published growth rates are starting to kick in with the majority over 40 and plenty in the 60’s and some 70’s.
These growth rates reflect last week so I would expect them to have moved on again.
It is vital to plate meter once a week and potentially have a second look (a bit of a cheat but effective) by plating the top, middle and bottom of the wedge to give you an idea of what is actually happening. Change happens quickly at this time of the year.
It’s critical now to know where you are with such rapid growth. The key now is managing average farm cover. We are trying to maximise quality and quantity, not just now but for the rest of the season. Decisions now have ramifications for the rest of the season.
Temperatures are rising and day length is increasing. Most, if not all of the country has had good rain. The result of this is strong growth.
A paddock you plated at 2750 on Monday, by the time cows are due to get to it on Saturday that entry cover is now 3075 (65 growth a day as an example).
This is grazeable and a good residual is achievable. however, have you or your team made some allowances for extra growth?
Firstly, is not to be in the mindset that the paddock is for Saturday, as that will maybe tend towards “chasing grass”. As in this scenario, there are probably other paddocks that could be grazed at 2800. So if you end up chasing the grass you will end up with entry covers over 3000, which then become – 3500, 4000, etc.
This sounds like basics and might be a little patronising, but I see this often enough to make the point.
Plate twice a week and adapt the plan in the week with the second plating being the cheat method as described above.
Residuals being hit and quality being maintained going forward depends on correct average cover and correct residuals.
Residuals depend on:
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How much your cows can eat
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How much concentrate they are being fed
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Entry cover
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Dry matter of the grass – in the dry March and early April each hectare had more dry matter than the plate meter measured
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Accuracy of your allocation – if they required 0.6 ha for a 12-hour break did they get 0.6 or was it 0.7 ha? If so, there will be more than the cows can eat and the residual will suffer
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How important they are to you – good residuals now can mean 12+ME all season with minimal rejection. So more utilisable dry matter, MJ ME/ha and more milk and Kg MS/ha and less supplement
Disclaimer
This data set includes predictions from AFBI’s 7- and 14-day grass growth model.
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