By Andrew Allsop

Having provided agronomy services in South West Victoria for almost 25 years, I’ve seen first-hand how critical autumn pasture planning is for dairy farmers. We all put a lot of time and effort into maximizing herd production, but real profitability comes from getting the basics right in our pastures—ensuring quick winter feed while also setting up for hay and silage production later in the season.

Start with the Fundamentals

Before rushing into sowing, take a step back and assess your pasture system. A well-planned approach to renovation and reseeding ensures that every hectare contributes to milk production efficiency.

  • Soil Testing & Fertility if history of underperforming pastures – Know what’s beneath your feet. Soil fertility drives pasture performance, so invest in soil testing to determine pH levels and nutrient requirements. Address any deficiencies early with targeted applications of lime, phosphorus, potassium, and sulfur. Without this foundation, you’re working uphill.
  • Weed and Pest Control – Nothing competes with newly sown pasture like weeds and pests. A well-timed knockdown spray, combined with proactive pest management, can save thousands in lost productivity. We often see farmers overlook this step, only to struggle with underperforming paddocks later, infested with perennial weeds.
  • Paddock Selection – Identify underperforming paddocks and prioritise renovation where returns will be highest, especially in winter when every extra kilogram of homegrown feed counts.

Choosing the Right Seed for Your System

Not all pasture species perform the same, and autumn sowing presents a key opportunity to select varieties that match your farm’s conditions and grazing requirements. The goal should be to have a combination of quick feed for winter, maintaining pasture quality for silage or hay production later in the season and perennial longevity.

  • Perennial Ryegrass – The backbone of high-performance dairy pastures in medium-high rainfall areas. Varieties such as Matrix, 4Front, and Base have provided excellent cool-season growth and persistence. Newer varieties such as Stampede CM142 and Elevate CM142 are improving animal health and insect tolerance of pastures compared with varieties with older wild type endophytes.
  • Italian & Hybrid Ryegrass – Fast-establishing options like Samurye NEA12, Mohaka AR37 and Frenzy NEA2 give quick winter feed while allowing flexibility for future cropping or pasture renovation. These are great for farmers looking for early grazing without compromising too much on longer-term options.
  • Annual ryegrass – These options are selected for their rapid growth, high yield, and good quality, making them ideal for covering feed gaps, pasture renovation, silage and hay production, and even as a break crop for weed or pest control. With their ability to provide the bulk of their growth through winter and spring, many of these species are ideal for double cropping programs. This enables an early seedbed preparation and sowing of summer crops, then quite often perennial ryegrass in Autumn 2026.
  • Legumes & Herbs – Consider clovers for nitrogen fixation, or plantain and chicory to improve pasture diversity and resilience under variable conditions. This adds another layer of reliability to your pasture system.

Setting Up for Success

Once the paddock is prepped and seed is selected, execution is everything.

  • Sowing Conditions – Timing matters. Ideal soil moisture and temperatures help ensure even germination. Avoid sowing too deep—ryegrass, for example, performs best at a depth of 10-15mm. We’ve seen great pastures fail simply because of incorrect seeding depth.
  • Fertiliser Strategy – Nitrogen boosts early growth, but balanced nutrition is key. A good start includes a combination of phosphorus for root development and sulfur for plant health. The aim is to not only establish quickly but ensure strong regrowth post-grazing.
  • Grazing Management – Newly established pastures need time. Prevent overgrazing to ensure strong regrowth through winter. This is where you set up your pastures to push quality growth into spring and beyond.

Maximising Winter Feed Supply

Winter can be a challenging period for maintaining pasture growth, but planning ahead makes all the difference.

  • Autumn-Sown Annuals – If winter feed is a concern, sowing annual ryegrass or fast-growing cereals like oats can bridge feed gaps. These provide rapid growth without compromising long-term pasture plans.
  • Grazing Rotation – Maintain pasture quality by grazing at the right leaf stage and avoiding excessive trampling in wet conditions, especially in Autumn sown pasture. Letting paddocks recover properly means they’ll be in top shape for later hay or silage cuts.
  • Strategic Nitrogen and Gibberellic Acid Use – Applying nitrogen at the right time (early tillering) enhances growth rates without unnecessary waste. A well-timed application can keep pastures growing right when you need them most.

The Payoff: More Milk/Meat from Homegrown Feed

Investing time in getting the basics right this autumn means setting your pastures up for strong winter performance and, ultimately, more milk and meat from homegrown feed. Take the opportunity now to make informed decisions—your farm’s profitability starts from the ground up.