June 18, 2001 -- The Australian research organization CSIRO Livestock Industries has developed technology that uses satellite images to measure the amount of feed available in pastures and how fast it grows and is making the information available on a new Web site. Farmers in Western Australia are taking part in pilot studies designed to test both the delivery of information and how successfully the information can be used to improve farmers' management decisions and bottom lines.

"For the first time, the results of some of this new technology will be available to farmers over the Internet" says Dr. David Henry, project leader. "We are launching a Web site - in collaboration with Agriculture Western Australia and the Department of Land Administration - where the growth rate of pastures will be presented as averages for each shire, and where possible, the information will be updated weekly. This will be a test year for us, to see how the technology performs and to make improvements where necessary. We will also be assessing the use of the information by farmers."

The new Web site is the first in a suite of satellite-based pasture management tools, which in future years may assist farmers with management decisions such as grazing rotations, feed budgeting, fertilizer application and other precision agriculture techniques for the grazing industry.

Satellite-based pasture management tools in future years may assist farmers with management decisions such as grazing rotations, feed budgeting and fertilizer application.

"We have increased our pasture utilization and overall fleece value by $8.93 per head, and our return per hectare, by strip grazing our young sheep and hence increasing the stocking rate threefold," says Roger House, a wool producer at Muradup, Western Australia.

"Other groups who will benefit from the technology include regional shires, government, agribusiness, banking and finance," says Dr. Henry. "The technology can assist them in rural strategic planning, land valuation and assessment, and insurance."

The accuracy and robustness of the technology is also being tested in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. Find out more on this CSIRO Web site.