The use of indicator paddocks to improve the quality of information for grazing management

Abstract

Data to estimate changes in average pasture cover (APC) provide valuable information to the farm manager for planning and controlling grazing decisions, but may be time consuming to collect. The more frequently the information is obtained the more often can adjustments be made towards attaining targets. APC estimated by sampling a small percentage of the paddocks (indicator paddocks) was compared with estimates based on measurements of the whole farm, as a means of providing reliable and timely pasture budgeting information for the manager of a bull beef unit. Some combinations of indicator paddocks reliably reflected whole-farm-based estimates (r = 0.75 0.99) but were not always practical, or less time consuming, to collect. Application of the indicator paddock technique was estimated to increase annual data collection costs by $300 on the case study farm. Keywords: bull beef, feed budgeting, indicator paddocks, pasture cover