A systematic approach to better-performing pastures

Every client's paddock is different, but across this region we're seeing the same stresses and the same opportunities: wet winters, compaction, leaching, and now a drier outlook with El Niño building.

Working with a range of clients facing these same constraints, we take a systematic approach and build on each phase as we go. Each phase has to pay for itself before we move to the next: no big spend up front on a five-year promise.

Where we can, we build the pasture's own nitrogen-fixing capacity: legumes and soil biology, rather than relying on it every season. Less fertiliser bought, more consistent pasture, better-performing stock.

See some seed options below

Highland Silage Mix

Highlands Silage Mix is a high-performing, multi-species blend designed to deliver excellent protein and energy for livestock. Its inclusion of nitrogen-fixing legumes helps reduce growing costs compared with traditional monoculture oaten hay.

Long-season Shaftal clovers and ryegrass are selected for their ability to regrow after cutting, extending the pasture window and providing valuable grazing well into the season.

Ingredients: Oats, Vetch, Peas, Annual Ryegrass, Shaftel Clover.

Planting: Sowing depth 10-30mm or broadcast into moist soil making good seed to soil contact.

Timing: Oct-Feb

Summer Silage Mix

High diversity mix of plants working in synergy to produce high quality feed leading to greater live weight gains with a lower cost of production to the traditional mono culture silage crops. Builds organic matter while improving soil structure fixes nitrogen and phosphorous. Wth the diverse mix creating more nutrient density and less weed pressure.

Ingredients: Sweet Sorghum, Millet, Sunflowers, Buckwheat, Forage Rape, Lab Lab, Sunn Hemp.

Planting: Sowing depth 10-30mm or broadcast into moist soil making good seed to soil contact.

Timing: Oct-Feb

Millet

A low-cost summer option designed to deliver fast bulk biomass for silage, or grazing. While nutritional value drops rapidly once it heads out, harvesting early during the vegetative stage provides reliable feed to bridge summer feed gaps. Its dense root system creates excellent topsoil structure while rapid early growth shades out weeds.

Ingredients: 100% Forage Millet (Japanese / Shirohie)
Sowing Depth: 10–15mm into a firm, moist seedbed
Soil Temperature: 16°C+ and rising
Planting Window: October to February
Days to First Harvest/Silage: 35–45 days (Ideal conditions) to 60–70 days (Stressful/Cool conditions)

Fertiliser Requirements*:

At Sowing: Apply 15N : 18P : 10S units/ha (+ trace elements)
Top-Dress (Silage Cut): Apply 40–50N units/ha before rain to drive secondary regrowth

*assuming no recent soil test is available.

A systematic approach to better-performing pastures

Highland Silage Mix

Summer Silage Mix

Millet

ian@growco.ag