Article Summary: Measuring pasture growth takes the guesswork out of grazing. From simple tools like grazing sticks to advanced satellite apps, regular measurement helps farmers plan rotations, allocate feed, and keep ryegrass in its most productive growth stage for better livestock performance and sustainable paddocks.
Measuring your ryegrass pasture isn’t just a chore for the clipboard crowd – it’s a practical way to make grazing decisions that protect your pastures, keep your herd well fed, and reduce the risk of running short on feed. This guide explains why measurement matters, walks you through simple methods – from a grazing stick to satellite imagery – and shows how knowing your pasture growth helps you act before problems arise.
Why Measuring Pasture Matters
In rotational grazing systems, the saying “you can’t manage what you don’t measure” holds true. Without actual measurements, it’s easy to overestimate or underestimate how much grass is available in a paddock. This can lead to overgrazing – which slows regrowth and reduces pasture quality – or under-utilisation, where grass becomes too mature, loses nutritional value, and is trampled or wasted.
Regular measurement takes the guesswork out of grazing. It helps you:
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Set rotation lengths based on actual feed supply rather than habit or gut feel.
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Allocate grazing areas precisely to match herd demand.
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Detect slowing growth early, especially during dry periods, so you can act before feed shortages occur.
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Maintain post-grazing residuals that allow pastures to recover quickly.
For example, if weekly measurements show your pasture cover dropping steadily in late summer, you can bring in supplementary feed, adjust stock numbers, or slow the rotation before you hit a critical shortfall.
Tools and Techniques for Measuring Pasture
Farmers have a range of options to measure pasture growth – some simple, others more advanced. The method you choose depends on budget, time, and the level of accuracy you need.
Grazing Stick
A grazing stick is essentially a ruler marked with height and density guidelines. To use it:
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Walk through the paddock and take around 20 random readings.
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Insert the stick vertically into the sward and record grass height.
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Use the stick’s conversion chart to estimate pasture mass in kilograms of dry matter per hectare (kg DM/ha).
It’s inexpensive and easy to carry, but requires a bit of time and manual calculation and accuracy isn’t very consistent.
Rising Plate Meter
A rising plate meter has a weighted plate that slides up a central shaft as it rests on the grass. The compressed height is recorded automatically and converted to kg DM/ha using a built-in formula. It’s faster than a grazing stick and reduces calculation errors, but it costs more - but worth it.
Both tools are useful for determining:
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Pre-grazing mass – how much feed is available before animals enter.
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Post-grazing residual – how much is left after animals leave.
As a guideline, ryegrass paddocks with around 2,500–3,000 kg DM/ha before grazing are in a good range. If you consistently measure below 2,200 kg DM/ha, you may be rotating too quickly. Leaving a residual of 1,500–1,700 kg DM/ha helps protect the plant’s energy reserves and supports rapid regrowth.
Making It Easier with Technology
While manual tools are effective, technology now allows farmers to measure pasture without setting foot in the paddock. For example, our very own Pasture.io app uses satellite imagery and machine learning to estimate pasture biomass for each paddock on your farm.
Over 200 satellites can capture images of your property almost daily. The app processes these images to provide:
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Accurate pasture cover estimates in kg DM/ha for each paddock.
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Feed wedge graphs, showing which paddocks have the most feed available.
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Automatic updates, removing the need for weekly pasture walks.
This is especially helpful for hard-to-reach paddocks or during wet weather when manual measurement is impractical. The app integrates measurement with grazing management, helping you decide when to move the herd, when to conserve surplus feed, and when to introduce supplements.
Turning Measurements into Decisions
Whether you use a stick, a plate meter, or satellites, the real value of measurement is in how you use the data. Tracking changes over time helps you refine your grazing plan so that:
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Pastures stay in their most productive growth phase.
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Livestock have a consistent and high-quality diet.
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You reduce waste and maximise the feed grown on your farm.
In short, measuring your pasture is about making timely, informed decisions – reducing guesswork, improving utilisation, and supporting sustainable grazing for the long term.
Until we meet again, Happy Grazing!
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2025-06-05