Forage Budgeting
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      Understanding Total Standing Dry Matter (TSDM)

      The below diagram illustrates the components of TSDM (measured in kg/ha) to assist with understanding Cibo Lab pasture biomass estimates.

       

      CiboLabs Feedbase Summaries offer detailed insights into your pasture's TSDM, helping you optimize livestock energy intake, manage grazing effectively, and mitigate fire risks. Always combine these summaries with on-the-ground observations for the best results.

       
      Total Standing Dry Matter (TSDM) is reported in kilograms of Dry Matter per hectare (kg/ha). It measures the amount of plant material available without water content. This is crucial as water does not provide nutritional value to livestock and varies significantly across different stages of plant growth.
      TSDM helps you compare feed across different grazing environments consistently. It includes both green and dead plant material but excludes plant litter.

       Importance for Livestock and Grazing Management

      • Energy Requirements: Livestock energy intake is driven by the amount and digestibility of available feed. Fresh, green material tends to be more digestible and higher in energy, making it crucial for weight gain and productivity.
      • Digestibility Decline: As plants mature, digestibility and energy content decrease. Late flowering stages and dead matter primarily maintain weight without promoting growth.

      Example Dry Matter Content in Different Feeds

        • Actively growing lucerne: 15-20%
          • eg: 7000kg/ha (wet) ~ 1500kg/ha dry matter (TSDM)
        • Actively growing cereal crops: 20-30%
          • eg: 15000kg/ha (wet) ~ 4500kg/ha dry matter (TSDM)
        • Partially cured perennial pasture: 60-70%
          • eg: 5000kg/ha (wet) ~ 3500kg/ha dry matter (TSD
        • Hay and straw: ~85%

      Components of TSDM

      The sum of GDM and DDM makes up the TSDM.

      1. Green Dry Matter (GDM): Photosynthetically active, fully digestible plant material.
      2. Dead Dry Matter (DDM): Plant material that is non-photosynthetically active and less digestible.
      3. Total Digestible: represented by the GRAZING DAYS and RESIDUAL components

       

      Total Standing Dry Matter (TSDM) kg/Ha - Definition Diagram

      CiboLabs_PastureTSDM_diagram_v2-2

      Using CiboLabs Feedbase Summaries

      Fractional Cover Analysis:
      • Photosynthetically Active (Green): Currently growing plants.
      • Non-Photosynthetically Active (Dead): Dead leaves and stems.
      • Bare Ground: Areas without vegetation.
      Digestibility and Energy Content:
      • Highly digestible feeds are generally short and green.
      • Dead material is lower in digestibility but still available for grazing, especially useful in planning for rumen stimulation with protein supplementation.

      Fire Risk Management

      • Dead Matter: High levels of dead material increase the risk of intense fires. Monitoring DDM helps you manage fire hazards effectively.

      Seasonal Decile Product

      CiboLabs provides a ranking system to compare current TSDM against historical averages:
      • Low Decile: Current season's TSDM is lower compared to most previous seasons.
      • High Decile: Current season's TSDM is higher compared to most previous seasons.

      Practical Application

      Regularly ground-truth the data by visually inspecting your pastures. This ensures accurate assessment of growth stages and helps in making informed decisions on grazing practices or supplementation needs.