{"id":1079,"date":"2026-07-30T06:08:21","date_gmt":"2026-07-30T06:08:21","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/?p=1079"},"modified":"2026-07-30T07:27:22","modified_gmt":"2026-07-30T07:27:22","slug":"wintering-beef-on-silage-wa-and-tasmania-cold-season-feeding","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/application\/wintering-beef-on-silage-wa-and-tasmania-cold-season-feeding\/","title":{"rendered":"Wintering Beef on Silage: WA and Tasmania Cold-Season Feeding"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Beef \u00b7 Winter Feeding \u00b7 WA & Tasmania<\/div>\n

How beef producers in Western Australia’s south coast and Tasmania’s midlands are managing winter nutrition on silage \u2014 the specific feeding programmes, silage quality requirements, and bale logistics for cold-season supplementation.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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Winter Feeding in WA and Tasmania: A Different Problem to Northern Australia<\/h2>\n

The winter supplementation challenge for beef producers in WA’s Great Southern (Albany to Esperance region) and Tasmania’s midlands and northwest is the inverse of the northern Australia dry-season problem. In the south, the constraint is not total forage absence \u2014 both regions receive reliable winter rainfall that produces green grass growth from May to September. The constraint is that winter pasture growth in these regions is cold-limited: low temperatures (2 to 12\u00b0C daytime in Tasmanian midlands, 8 to 15\u00b0C in WA’s south coast) reduce pasture growth rates to below maintenance requirements for growing cattle and pregnant cows even when rainfall is adequate.<\/p>\n

A pregnant Hereford or Angus cow in the WA Great Southern in July is on a green paddock with visible grass, but that grass is growing at 8 to 15 kg DM per hectare per day in cold conditions \u2014 roughly half the rate needed to sustain a mob at adequate stocking density. The result is body condition score loss in pregnant cows during the 6 to 8 weeks before calving \u2014 exactly the period when body condition most directly affects calf birth weight, colostrum quality, and post-calving rebreeding performance. Silage baled from the autumn flush (March to May) and fed through June to August supplements this cold-limited pasture growth shortfall.<\/p>\n

This article covers the specific winter supplementation programme for WA Great Southern and Tasmanian beef operations \u2014 the silage quality needed for cold-season pregnant cow nutrition, the bale volumes required for a typical 100 to 250-head operation, and the baling strategy that captures the autumn flush for winter use. For the general framework of silage baling for beef stations across Australia, our article on silage baling for beef cattle stations in drought<\/a> covers the full strategic context.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"WA<\/p>\n

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Winter Silage Nutrition: What Pregnant Cows Actually Need<\/h2>\n
\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n
Cow Class<\/th>\nDry Matter Need<\/th>\nME Required<\/th>\nCP Required<\/th>\nSilage Role<\/th>\n<\/tr>\n<\/thead>\n
Dry cow \u2014 maintenance<\/td>\n8\u201310 kg DM\/day<\/td>\n8.0\u20139.0 MJ\/kg DM<\/td>\n8\u20139%<\/td>\nPrimary roughage<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Mid-pregnancy (4\u20137 months)<\/td>\n9\u201311 kg DM\/day<\/td>\n8.5\u20139.5 MJ\/kg DM<\/td>\n9\u201311%<\/td>\nSupplement cold-limited pasture<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Late pregnancy (8\u20139 months)<\/td>\n10\u201313 kg DM\/day<\/td>\n9.5\u201310.5 MJ\/kg DM<\/td>\n11\u201313%<\/td>\nCritical \u2014 BCS maintenance<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Lactating \u2014 early (0\u20133 months)<\/td>\n11\u201314 kg DM\/day<\/td>\n9.5\u201310.5 MJ\/kg DM<\/td>\n12\u201314%<\/td>\nEnergy and protein support<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n
Growing steers (200\u2013350 kg)<\/td>\n6\u20138 kg DM\/day<\/td>\n9.5\u201310.5 MJ\/kg DM<\/td>\n12\u201314%<\/td>\n0.6\u20130.9 kg\/day gain possible<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/tbody>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n

Why Body Condition at Calving Determines the Following Year’s Performance<\/h3>\n

The most consequential nutritional period for a beef breeding cow is the 8 weeks before calving \u2014 the pre-partum phase. Cows that calve at body condition score 2.5 or below (thin) produce calves with 10 to 15% lower birth weights, have lower colostrum immunoglobulin concentrations, and take 40 to 60 days longer to resume cycling post-calving than cows calving at BCS 3.0 to 3.5. In a spring-calving WA Great Southern or Tasmanian beef herd, this means that every pre-partum feed shortfall in July and August directly depresses weaning rates and rebreeding performance for the entire following year. The cost of one BCS unit lost in late pregnancy is estimated at AUD $120 to $180 per cow in combined weaning rate and rebreeding impacts \u2014 far above the silage cost that would have prevented it.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Autumn Baling Strategy: Capturing the Feed for Winter<\/h2>\n

The March to May Window in WA and Tasmania<\/h3>\n

The autumn growth flush in WA’s Great Southern (March to May) and Tasmania’s midlands (April to June) produces the highest-quality annual pasture growth from perennial ryegrass, phalaris, and subclover stands. Cutting at this time captures: crude protein of 14 to 18% from actively growing ryegrass and legume pasture (above what is achievable in winter cuts from the same stand), ME of 10.0 to 11.0 MJ\/kg DM from the high digestibility of young regrowth, and WSC content of 12 to 18% DM that supports reliable lactic acid fermentation without inoculant risk.<\/p>\n

For a 150-head cow-calf operation in WA’s Albany region calving in August to September, the winter silage requirement is: 150 cows \u00d7 10 kg DM silage per day \u00d7 60 days supplementation = 90,000 kg DM. At 180 kg DM per 1.25 m bale: 500 bales. A 30-hectare block of established perennial ryegrass yielding 3.5 tonnes DM per hectare in the autumn flush produces 105 tonnes DM \u2014 enough for 583 bales, comfortably covering the winter programme with a 15% buffer.<\/p>\n

The 9YG-1.25A variable-chamber round baler<\/a> handles the autumn perennial ryegrass and subclover silage crops typical of WA Great Southern and Tasmanian operations \u2014 variable chamber pressure accommodates the range of windrow weights from a first autumn cut to a third autumn cut without manual adjustment.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\"9YG-1.25A<\/p>\n

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Cold-Season Storage and Feed-Out: What Changes in Winter<\/h2>\n

Storage Advantages in Cold Climates<\/h3>\n

WA Great Southern and Tasmanian winters provide one important silage storage advantage over warmer Australian regions: low ambient temperatures (2 to 12\u00b0C) dramatically slow aerobic deterioration on opened bale faces. A silage bale opened in Tasmanian midlands winter conditions in July can remain stable on the exposed face for 3 to 5 days before visible heating or mould development begins \u2014 compared to 12 to 24 hours in Queensland or NT summer conditions. This extended feedout stability allows operations to open larger 1.25 m bales and feed from them over 3 to 4 days without the quality loss that the same bale would suffer in warm-climate feedout.<\/p>\n

Wet Conditions and Feeding Infrastructure<\/h3>\n

Winter feeding in WA’s south coast and Tasmania involves heavy rainfall (annual averages of 500 to 800 mm, with July and August among the wettest months) that creates muddy feeding sites and potential for hoof disease and lameness in cattle standing in wet mud at silage bale feeding points. Concrete or compacted gravel feeding pads adjacent to the silage storage area, combined with temporary electric fence exclusion from the storage pad, prevent the pugging, lameness, and silage contamination that occurs when cattle are fed directly in the paddock through heavy winter rain.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Frequently Asked Questions<\/h2>\n
\nCan I use wrap silage as the sole feed for pregnant cows in a WA winter?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Silage can be the sole supplementary feed alongside winter pasture, but typically should not replace pasture entirely for pregnant cows \u2014 the combination of cold-limited pasture intake (3 to 5 kg DM per day from pasture) plus silage supplementation (5 to 8 kg DM per day) provides a better nutritional outcome than silage alone at equivalent DM because the pasture contributes a different fermentation substrate and particle size profile to the rumen. Fully housed or sacrifice-paddock systems where silage is the sole roughage can work but require higher-quality silage (ME above 10.0 MJ\/kg DM, CP above 12%) and careful BCS monitoring.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nHow many weeks before calving should I begin silage supplementation?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Begin silage supplementation 8 to 10 weeks before the expected calving date \u2014 earlier than many producers assume. The critical BCS gain from pre-partum supplementation takes 6 to 8 weeks to show as improved body condition; starting 4 weeks before calving is too late to prevent BCS loss that has already accumulated. Monitor BCS at 12 weeks pre-calving and begin supplementation immediately if cows are at or below target BCS 3.0.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nWhat is the right silage quality for Tasmanian beef in winter?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Good-quality perennial ryegrass-subclover silage from a Tasmanian autumn cut, baled at 40 to 50% DM with LAB inoculant, typically tests: pH 3.9 to 4.3, ME 10.0 to 11.0 MJ\/kg DM, CP 14 to 18%, NDF 48 to 58%. This quality comfortably meets the requirements of late-pregnancy cows at a supplement rate of 5 to 8 kg DM per cow per day alongside winter pasture.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nHow should I adjust silage supplement rate when winter pasture growth improves?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Monitor pasture cover fortnightly from June onward. When pasture cover exceeds 1,800 kg DM per hectare and growth rate exceeds 15 kg DM per hectare per day (typical in WA Great Southern in mid-August), reduce silage allocation by 30 to 50% and allow cows to substitute the improving pasture for silage. Continuing full silage allocation when pasture is adequate produces excessive body condition score gain in late-pregnancy cows \u2014 increasing calving difficulty risk. Adjust dynamically rather than running a fixed silage allocation through the winter period.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n
\nCan silage baling in autumn also produce hay for the same winter programme?+<\/span><\/summary>\n
Yes \u2014 many WA Great Southern and Tasmanian operations produce both silage (from the first autumn cut, when moisture is too high for reliable hay making) and hay (from subsequent autumn cuts in April to May when drying conditions improve). Running both products from the same paddock area gives flexibility: silage for the June to July wet cold period when aerobic stability at feedout is not a concern, and hay for the August to September period when temperatures are rising and opened baleage deteriorates faster.<\/div>\n<\/details>\n<\/div>\n

\"9YCM-850<\/p>\n

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EverPower Baling Machinery \u00b7 Condell Park NSW 2200<\/div>\n

Discuss Your WA or Tasmanian Winter Feeding Programme<\/h2>\n

Tell us your herd size, calving date, and autumn pasture area \u2014 we’ll help calculate the silage volume and equipment specification for your winter supplementation programme.<\/p>\n

Request a Quote<\/a> About EverPower<\/a><\/div>\n
+61 2 9708 3322<\/a> \u00a0|\u00a0 \u2709 sales@silage-baler.com<\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Beef \u00b7 Winter Feeding \u00b7 WA & Tasmania How beef producers in Western Australia’s south coast and Tasmania’s midlands are managing winter nutrition on silage \u2014 the specific feeding programmes, silage quality requirements, and bale logistics for cold-season supplementation. Winter Feeding in WA and Tasmania: A Different Problem to Northern Australia The winter supplementation challenge […]<\/p>","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[35],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1079","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-applications"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1079","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1079"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1079\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1082,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1079\/revisions\/1082"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1079"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1079"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/silage-baler.com\/pt\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1079"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}