Get reliable rangeland science

The Australian Feedbase Monitor (AFM) is a new grazing management tool that gives Australian land managers satellite insights into their feed capabilities. It is an online portal codeveloped between CiboLabs and Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) to improv e the understanding and management of Australia's pasture and fodder feed base. The portal is free to MLA members and supported through a broad-based extension program. We used over 5000 site-based total standing dry matter (TSDM) measurements from pasture cuts, rising plate meter transects and expert observation to build a satellite-based TSDM estimate with similar accuracy to the field observations. This model produces national TSDM estimates every five days based on the previous 30 days of imagery. The coincident application of a fractional cover model allows the TSDM estimates to be partitioned into green and dry components, allowing additional applications such as pasture quality estimation, bushfire risk assessment and ground cover analysis. Based on the European space agency Sentinel-2 satellite, these products are available back to 2017. This enables producers to understand the trends in their fa rms' pasture production, including rainfall, ground cover, and biomass, to place this season in the context of previous years. As part of this tool, training and extension programs have been developed to support producers using the data for feed budgeting and to improve planning to respond to seasonal changes. This data is also used to identify underperforming areas of the farm or areas that may benefit from management changes. Further enhancements are planned to support a greater range of visualisations, farm metrics, and comparisons, which will drive adoption and help producers understand this tool's benefits and limitations.