Would you like a better idea of how much pasture you will have on farm over the next six months, its quality, and how that will impact livestock performance?
Ag360.com.au, developed at the University of New England (UNE), has been providing important insights to livestock producers since 2020, utilising a customised local climate forecast, individual property management records and scientifically validated soil moisture, pasture growth and animal performance models.
Ag360 is offered free via the UNE-hosted Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub.
Armidale Node Manager Lu Hogan says by combining the scientifically validated sources and models with data entered by the landholder for their location, Ag360 put graziers on the front foot in terms of planning for the future.
“More than 900 producers across Australia are now using the free tool in both desktop and mobile app (iOS and Android) formats to be better prepared and make more informed decisions about stocking rates, animal turnoff, animal purchases, supplementary feeding and protecting pastures and soils from overgrazing,” she said.
Ag360 user Richard Post uses the program to better manage the pastures available for his seedstock stud (Glenavon Angus), commercial cattle herd selling feeder weight progeny and a prime lamb enterprise turning off stock at kill weights, at Outer Bald Blair, east of Guyra NSW.
“If I look at calendar 2023, Ag360 was always well in advance predicting a below average rainfall pattern through until the end of calendar 2023,” Mr Post said.
“And it was predicting that from early on in the year. We used Ag360 as a key tool as to how we would set our business up for that dry environment.
“We actually made some early de-stocking calls to try and match that lower rainfall period through our winter months and into spring. We knew that we would be overstocked a little bit in spring, and as a result, we made plans in advance to send stock on agistment to southern New South Wales, which is exactly what we did.”
Mr Post says Ag360 didn’t only help them plan and prepare for dry weather, it helped to continually recalibrate the business.
“In 2024, Ag360 predicted a normal or above average spring in our immediate area, and we were able to plan ahead to raise our stocking rate to capture that really good period as well,” he said.
Ms Hogan says the recently released app took the functionality of Ag360.com.au from the desktop to the paddock.
“We’ve listened to feedback from our graziers across the country, to make Ag360 available when they are out and about, not just in their offices,” Ms Hogan said.
“Ag360 is designed to support on-the-ground decision-making with accurate, customised data that’s always at your fingertips.”
The Ag360 app provides six-monthly forecasting customised to within 5km of the property, records management information such as, mobs & numbers, key management dates, veterinary treatments, grazing and agronomy records and much more.
In a world-first achievement, all this information is combined with the climate forecast to predict soil moisture, pasture availability and animal weights, on a daily basis, for the next six months. Ag360’s scenario planning tools put graziers on the front foot allowing investigation of the impact of changes to the management program.
Ms Hogan says an important factor during the developed was Ag360, was building in the capacity for graziers to track how the rainfall forecast stacked up against actual on-property rainfall, giving graziers the ability to check the accuracy of the forecasts.
UNE CASI Programme Manager Johan Boshoff says the unique six-month forecast provided by Ag360 utilised precise scientific models developed by the University of New England (UNE), to provide reliable, location-specific insights tailored to a 5km grid.
“Ag360 is designed to be a go-to tool for graziers, supporting them to make on-farm management easier, more informed, and backed by science. It’s free, easy to set up, and support is always available to help you get the most out of the app,” Mr Boshoff said.
“Looking ahead, the next phase of the app will offer offline access – perfect for when you’re out of range – with content syncing once coverage is available,” he said.
Developed by CASI, UNE’s Data Transformation Hub, the app development was supported by the Australian Government’s Agricultural Innovation Hubs program. The Armidale Node of the SQNNSW Innovation Hub receives funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Ag360.com.au and the mobile app are integrated, customised to your location, free to use, and easier than ever to integrate into your farming routine. No need to wait, register today and take advantage of its powerful new features and support to get set up.
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