In this episode of Hay Matters from Feed Central and LocalAg, host Jon Paul Driver chats with Marty Conroy, the Agronomy Services lead for Northern Australia at Barenbrug Seeds. From his base in Northern NSW, Marty offers a practical look at tropical pasture systems across Queensland, the NT, and northern NSW. He unpacks the science behind C3 and C4 grasses, explains how feed quality directly impacts profitability, and highlights the untapped potential of pasture management and modern breeding programs.

• Pasture breeding is shifting focus toward fibre quality, seasonal fit, and regional adaptability in tropical systems.
• C4 grasses like Rhodes and panicum are critical in the north, with planting tied to rainfall and temperature windows.
• Feed quality drives intake, weight gain, and returns, making it as much about profit as nutrition.
• Breeding is being accelerated through genomic tools, improving local performance and reducing development time.
• C4 pasture management - especially grazing and cutting intervals - remains underutilised despite the potential for a strong return on investment.
• Strategic input use, like nitrogen, can deliver returns that rival financial investments.
• Benchmarking paddock performance year-on-year is key to making smarter decisions in unpredictable seasons.