Dean Capes (Farm Manager)
Dean manages a dairy farm for Aurora Dairies in Victoria, Australia.
EVI satellite image, which is one of the many indices used on Dean's dairy farm.
NDVI satellite image, which is one of the many indices used on Dean's dairy farm.
Improved Decision-Making
As a dairy farmer, Pasture IO has significantly improved my daily decision-making process on the farm. The platform provides accurate and instant pasture readings, which has helped me save on feed costs, maintain optimal grazing conditions, and manage my herd's feed intake more efficiently. This has ultimately led to increased milk production and healthier cows.
Time-Saving and Increased Accuracy
Before using Pasture IO, we relied on AgriNet and manual pasture walks to estimate the grass cover in our paddocks. Now, with Pasture IO, we have real-time data that's more accurate and saves us time. The platform is usually only about 50 to 100 kg off our manual estimates, which is impressive considering the size of our operation. This has helped us become more confident in our pasture management decisions.
Better Utilisation of Resources
With Pasture IO, we can quickly adjust our feeding strategies based on the current conditions. For example, during a cold snap or when we know a paddock has a shorter grass cover, we can easily decide to feed a bit of extra silage to our cows. This helps us maintain their milk production and overall health without over- or underfeeding them.
Auto Grazer and GPS Trackers
Using the Auto Grazer function with GPS trackers on our cows has streamlined our pasture management. This automated system saves time and eliminates manual data recording, creating a closed-loop approach that efficiently aligns grazing events with fertiliser withholding periods. The combination of satellite-backed pasture measurements and GPS tracking has revolutionised how we manage our farm.
Team Collaboration
Pasture IO has also improved collaboration among our team members. Currently, both I and my 2IC use the platform to monitor our pastures and make informed decisions. We plan to train more team members to use Pasture IO, which will further enhance our farm's productivity and efficiency.
Corporate Reporting
Pasture IO has simplified the reporting process for our corporate team. They can now easily access and analyse the data from the platform, giving them a better understanding of our farm's performance and cost efficiency. This has led to improved communication and decision-making at the management level.
Support and Training
The Pasture IO team has been very supportive in helping me learn and navigate their platform. As an older dairy farmer learning new technology, I appreciate the user-friendly interface and the guidance provided by the Pasture IO team. I believe that with proper training and support, more farmers like me can benefit from this amazing tool.
Recommendation
I highly recommend Pasture IO to any farmer looking to optimise their pasture management and improve overall farm productivity. The platform has made a significant difference in our farm operations, and I'm confident it can do the same for others in the industry.