Tropical Crop Silage: Sugarcane and Buffel Grass in the NT

Tropical Agriculture · NT & North QLD · Silage

Tropical Crop Silage: Sugarcane and Buffel Grass in the NT

How Northern Territory beef stations and north Queensland pastoral properties are baling tropical grasses and crop residues during the wet season — while the paddocks are accessible and the feed is available.

The Wet Season Opportunity — and Why Most NT Stations Miss It

Northern Territory beef stations and north Queensland’s Gulf Country pastoral properties face a counterintuitive feed security challenge: the wet season (November to April) produces abundant forage growth that cannot be consumed by the standing herd before it matures and loses nutritional value, while the dry season (May to October) produces essentially no new growth and the herd must subsist on standing dry matter of progressively decreasing quality. The seasonal mismatch between feed availability and feed demand is the central production management challenge of the northern Australian beef industry.

The logical solution — baling the wet-season surplus for dry-season feeding — faces two operational constraints that most NT and north QLD stations have historically not resolved: paddock access during the wet (when ground conditions are soft, roads are cut, and station vehicles struggle to reach remote paddocks), and the crop characteristics of tropical grasses (thick stems, dense growth, high moisture) that make baling with standard round balers challenging.

Both constraints are now more manageable than they were 10 years ago. Buffel grass (Cenchrus ciliaris), the dominant improved pasture species across NT’s Victoria River District and central Australia, can be baled from accessible tracks and bore areas during the late wet to early dry transition (March to May) when paddocks are drying out but forage is still at peak biomass. Sugarcane tops from NT’s Katherine and Daly River irrigation areas are available in quantity during the October to January crushing season. This article covers the specific management of both crops for silage baling in the NT context.

For context on how other remote northern beef operations approach silage production, our article on silage baling for beef cattle stations in drought covers the strategic planning framework.

Northern Territory pastoral country — wet season grass growth that cannot be grazed before maturity represents a significant silage production opportunity for dry-season feed security

Buffel Grass: The NT’s Silage Opportunity

Nutritional Value at Different Growth Stages

Growth Stage Crude Protein (DM) ME (MJ/kg DM) NDF Silage Suitability
Vegetative (wet season peak) 10–15% 8.5–10.0 60–70% Good — high WSC, fast ferment
Flowering (late wet) 7–10% 8.0–9.5 65–75% Acceptable with inoculant
Mature (early dry transition) 5–8% 7.5–8.5 70–78% Marginal — consider hay instead
Standing dry (mid dry season) 2–5% 6.0–7.5 75–82% Not suitable for silage

The Baling Window: March to May

The optimal buffel grass silage baling window in the NT is March to May — the late wet to early dry transition when: (1) buffel has reached 0.8 to 1.5 m height with good leaf-to-stem ratio and 10 to 14% crude protein; (2) paddock moisture is declining from saturated wet-season levels but accessible tracks are firming; (3) plant moisture at 65 to 75% is within the wilting range achievable in 24 to 36 hours of dry-season conditions. Baling before March risks access issues; waiting past June means the buffel has senesced and protein has dropped to below 7%.

Buffel grass at 1.0 to 1.5 m height requires a mower with sufficient blade clearance for dense tropical grass stands — the 9GS-5.0 double-blade mower handles buffel efficiently at this height. Pre-chopping with a forage harvester is not required for buffel (unlike sugarcane tops) because the grass stems at 4 to 8 mm diameter are within the baler pickup’s handling range without prior size reduction. The 9YG-1.25A variable-chamber round baler handles buffel grass silage at the variable windrow densities typical of uneven tropical pasture stands. Apply LAB inoculant at all baling events — buffel’s WSC content is moderate but its dense lignified stem fraction creates fermentation challenges that inoculant support reliably addresses.

9YG-1.25A round baler on tropical pasture — variable chamber accommodates the uneven windrow density of buffel and tropical grass baling in NT conditions

Sugarcane Tops: Katherine and Daly River Area Operations

The Top-Cutting Season in NT Irrigated Agriculture

The Katherine and Daly River regions of the NT have small but productive sugarcane growing areas supplying the Katherine Sugar Mill. After mechanical harvesting (October to January), green tops — the fresh growing tips removed during harvest — contain 9 to 13% crude protein and ferment reliably when baled within 24 hours of harvest and wrapped with silage film. The same management protocol as tropical Queensland sugarcane tops applies: pre-chop to 30 to 50 mm, field wilt 4 to 12 hours depending on ambient conditions, apply LAB inoculant, wrap within 1 hour using white or silver UV-resistant film, and store in shade.

For NT beef operations within 100 km of the Katherine cane area, contracted sugarcane top silage from the harvest season (baled from October to January) provides a reliable high-protein supplement for the following August to October dry-season feed gap — the most nutritionally deficient period in the NT cattle year.

Remote Station Logistics: Making Tropical Baling Practical

✓ Key Logistics Principle: Bale Near the Road, Not in the Paddock

The biggest logistical constraint for NT silage production is moving the baler and wrapper to and from remote paddocks in the late wet season when track conditions are still marginal. The practical solution adopted by successful NT silage producers is to mow and windrow buffel from accessible paddocks within 2 to 5 km of the homestead or a reliable dry-season track, then bale and wrap on the accessible track shoulder or homestead yard. Sacrificing maximum yield from remote paddocks for reliable access to the baling equipment is consistently the better production decision.

White Film Is Mandatory in NT Summer Storage

Green or black silage film stored in NT dry-season ambient temperatures (35 to 42°C, direct sun) fails through UV degradation within 4 to 6 months — well within the storage period needed to carry silage from May baling to September to October dry season feeding. White or silver UV-stabilised film extends storage life to 12 to 16 months under the same ambient conditions. Budget for white film specifically for all NT silage production.

Frequently Asked Questions

What buffel grass yield can I expect per hectare in the NT?+
In productive buffel grass stands under good wet-season rainfall (400 to 600 mm from January to March), yield at the late-wet baling stage runs 2 to 5 tonnes DM per hectare. A 1.25 m round bale at 65% moisture and 180 kg DM/m³ density weighs approximately 560 to 620 kg fresh weight. Expected bale count per hectare is 3 to 9 bales — lower than temperate grass silage but produced from zero-input native pasture with no seeding or fertiliser cost.
Can I bale native grasses alongside buffel in NT mixed pasture stands?+
Yes — mixed stands of buffel and native spear grass, kangaroo grass, or Mitchell grass can be baled as mixed silage. The nutritional profile varies depending on species ratio but is generally comparable to pure buffel silage. Native grass-only stands without buffel are lower in WSC and benefit more strongly from LAB inoculant than buffel-dominant stands. Test-bale 10 to 20 bales from each stand type in the first season to calibrate expectations.
How do I handle access to remote NT paddocks during late wet season for baling?+
Plan baling operations around accessible track conditions rather than paddock biomass distribution. In the late wet (March to April), identify which paddocks are accessible from gravel or formed tracks without creek crossings — these are your primary baling targets. Paddocks accessible only through wet-season creek crossings wait for the early dry (June to August), when the crop has matured past optimal silage stage. Accept this constraint and plan the accessible paddock area accordingly rather than attempting to bale remote paddocks in marginal track conditions.
What tractor specification is needed for buffel grass baling in the NT?+
The 9YG-1.25A requires 55 to 75 hp at the PTO for buffel grass silage. Four-wheel drive is strongly recommended for late wet-season baling on softening NT clay soils — 2WD tractors regularly bog in the black soil areas of the Katherine and Barkly regions during March to April baling operations. Wide flotation tyres (if available on your tractor) reduce bogging risk significantly on NT red clay and black soil paddock surfaces.
Is there a market for selling NT-produced buffel silage bales to other stations?+
A modest but growing informal market exists for buffel silage bales between NT stations — operations with accessible pasture surplus and baling equipment supply neighbours who have feed deficits. Pricing runs AUD $40 to $80 per bale at the production property, with buyers arranging their own transport. Establishing supplier relationships with 2 to 3 neighbouring stations creates a predictable demand channel that justifies investment in baling equipment beyond purely on-farm need.

9GS-5.0 double-blade mower on tropical grass — handles the dense, thick-stemmed growth of NT buffel grass and tropical pasture species

EverPower Baling Machinery · Condell Park NSW 2200

Discuss Your NT or North QLD Silage Programme

Tell us your station location, available pasture area, and dry-season feed gap — we’ll help plan the baling system for tropical conditions.

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