Wednesday, 16 November 2011 15:56

Pasture meter wins innovation prize

Written by 

C-DAX HAS won a 2011 Innovators Award for the pasture meter it developed with Massey University.

The award was made in the agricultural and environmental category of the contest, run annually by Bayer New Zealand, Idealog magazine and Ideas Accelerator.

C-Dax says the pasture meter can lift the stock-carrying capacity of a dairy farm by 7%. On a farm of 126ha this gain would equate to $46,000 at a pay-out rate of $6.05 kg/MS, the company says. At least 1000 of the pasture meters are now used on farms.

"This award recognises the commercial success of the pasture meter and... the Massey team under Professor Ian Yule that developed the concept," says Greg Shearer, managing director of C-Dax.

The pasture meter accurately measures, tracks and records the amount of pasture on paddocks via GPS and data technology. "With this information the farmer can make flexible decisions about... pasture utilisation and more efficient nutrient application, and can identify feed surpluses for hay or silage," Shearer says. "Ultimately, it leads to higher farm productivity."

The pasture meter can be towed behind an ATV at up to 20km/h, making up to 200 measurements per second.

C-Dax spokesman Robert Murray, who as a Massey University student was involved in the meter's development, says nothing compares with it anywhere in the world. "We have sold units to Europe, Australia, the US and South Africa."

www.pasturemeter.co.nz

More like this

App helps get best out of pasture

Ever wondered what the financial result would be if you let pasture weeds get away on you? There's now a tool to find the answer.

Turn over a new leaf

Your cows don’t know it yet, but their life is about to change, for the better. So is yours.

Featured

Rural backlash over plan to cut police staffing

Federated Farmers North Canterbury president Bex Green says two public meetings held this week should have made it loud and clear that rural families and businesses are concerned about proposed staffing changes at NZ Police.

DairyNZ thanks farm staff

August 6 marks Farm Worker Appreciation Day, a moment to recognise the dedication and hard mahi of dairy farm workers across Aotearoa - and DairyNZ is taking the opportunity to celebrate the skilled teams working on its two research farms.

Editorial: Getting RMA settings right

OPINION: The Government has been seeking industry feedback on its proposed amendments to a range of Resource Management Act (RMA) national direction instruments.

National

Machinery & Products

» Latest Print Issues Online

The Hound

Trop de Paris!

OPINION: Your old mate's ear has been chewed off recently by farmers voicing their displeasure with the National Party, particularly…

NZ vs Aussie beef

OPINION: Your old mate hears that at a recent China Business Summit, PM Christopher Luxon delivered a none-too-subtle "could try…

» Connect with Rural News

» eNewsletter

Subscribe to our weekly newsletter