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Precision Livestock Management: An Example Of Pasture Monitoring In Eastern Australian Pastures Using Proximal And Remote Sensing Tools

¹G. Levow, ²H. M. van Es, ³G. E. Donald, ⁴M. G. Trotter, ⁵D. W. Lamb

1. Agronomic Technologies Corporation
2. Department of Crop and Soil Sciences, Cornell University
3. CSIRO Australia
4. University of New Engalnd
5. University of New England

Pasture monitoring Australian rangelands by Remote Sensing

G.E.Donald.

CSIRO Livestock Industries, Locked Bag 1, Armidale NSW, 2350 Australia

A series of spatial models and datasets were jointly developed to estimate pasture biomass as feed on offer (FOO®) and pasture growth rate (PGR®) in the south-west region of Western Australia. Pastures from Space® is a collaborative project between CSIRO Livestock Industries, the Western Australian Departments of Land Information (DLI) and Agriculture and Food Western Australia (DAFWA). The convenience of obtaining daily temporal continental scale imagery from AQUA/TERRA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and historically from the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (NOAA AVHRR)provided the key to monitor spatial variation in pastures at paddock and regional scale. Since 2003, weekly continental MODIS NDVI composites have played a major role in the formulation and distribution of PGR® to farmers due to the much improved ground resolution and the improved spectral sensitivity of the 250m² NDVI to photosynthetic material. Continental gridded weekly climate information is provided by the Bureau of Meteorology. More recently MODIS derived FOO® have been included and it is envisaged that in 2010 continental PGR® and FOO® will be available. FOO® and PGR® estimates provide farmers with information to assist with sustainable stocking rates and paddock rotation rates. Continental and regional data supplied in a temporal and spatial format provides information on whether areas are either improving or in decline. These data are used by the Australian government to assist identifying farming areas requiring drought assistance. Availability of within paddock PGR® and FOO® reflect potential grazing areas. Farmers find those paddocks with sustained and above potential production may be suitable for crop. Currently, the project is delivering to farmers maps of spatial distribution of PGR® weekly at the regional, catchment and farm scale via the internet (www.pasturesfromspace.csiro.au).

Keyword: Remote sensing for grazing livestock

G. Levow H. M. Van es G. E. Donald M. G. Trotter D. W. Lamb Precision Livestock Management Oral 2010