Number 137 October 2008

Measuring pasture growth rate

This R & D Brief outlines an improved method for measuring pasture growth that
takes account of variations in pasture quality on typical sheep and beef pastures.
It describes research in which a Rising Plate Meter and a Pasture Probe were used
to measure pasture growth rate. This was done by using the difference in readings
between the start and end of the growing period. Pasture intake was also measured
using the difference in readings before and after grazing. New multipliers were
developed to apply to the readings, to take into account seasonal changes in pasture
quality.

Study to test accuracy Why use these tools

of pasture measuring to measure pasture
tools growth?
This project developed calibrations for the Rising Plate • Sheep and beef farmers often assess pasture growth
Metre and Pasture Probe so they can accurately measure rate by eye appraisal. However, measuring pasture
pasture growth rates for sheep and beef pastures. growth rate using a tool is more accurate and registers
changes before they are obvious to the eye.
These two tools had been developed for the dairy industry
and were set-up for dairy pastures, not sheep and beef
Advantages of being accurate:
pastures which are much more variable in quality.
• Better matching of feed supply with stock demand (e.g.
The work was funded by Meat & Wool New Zealand and
alter stocking rates before stock lose weight or pasture
carried out by AgResearch during 2007.
gets too long)

• Build a picture of the annual growth pattern so a plan

to maximise utilisation of the pasture grown can be
implemented.
The project successfully
developed calibrations
so that sheep and beef
farmers can use the tools
with confidence.
The Rising Plate
Meter has the simplest
calibration method.
 Figure 2: Rising Plate Meter
Ways to measure
pasture growth
Pasture can be measured either directly, such as cutting
and weighing, or indirectly using measurement devices.
(a) ‘Cut and dry’ direct method
Pasture is harvested from cages (to exclude stock) or
from paddocks between grazings. An area of grass is
mown/trimmed down to two to three cm. It is then left
to regrow, then mown down to same height. This mown
portion represents the change in mass over the growing
period. Pasture is dried and weighed to find out the dry
matter (DM) percentage.

To calculate the daily pasture growth rate

Pasture growth rate (kgDM/ha/day)

= Fresh weight of grass (g) x dry matter% (as decimal) x 10
Width m x length m

Then divide the answer by the number of days.

Figure 1: Pasture cage before cutting The change in meter reading can then be used to calculate
average daily pasture growth rate simply by using a
multiplier of 157.

For example:
Meter reading 1 May = 4 cm
Meter reading 16 May = 10 cm
Difference = 6 cm
Pasture growth rate: 6*157/15 days = 63 kg DM/ha/day
The project found that the multiplier of 157 should be used
with the Farmworks Rising Plate meter all year round on
all types of pastures. This method can be used to measure
pasture growth rate in a cage or in small marked areas in
ungrazed paddocks.
This method was tested using data collected from farms
and research sites in the North Island and Winchmore
Research Station in Canterbury.
(c) Pasture Probe method
The Pasture Probe measures the capacitance of the
pasture, an indicator of its surface area and therefore
its mass. The changes in probe reading in mass from
one week to the next can be used to calculate average
daily pasture growth rate.

See the Q-Graze manual from Meat & Wool New Zealand
for more details. The draw-back of this method is that it is
slow.
(b) Change in Rising Plate Meter reading method
The Rising Plate Meter measures a pasture’s height
and resistance to compression. It can be used to
measure a change in meter reading by changing the
setting on the meter to record centimetres (not mass).
For example:
Capacitance meter mass reading 1 May = 1500 kg DM/ha
Capacitance meter mass reading 16 May = 2000
Change in meter reading = 500 kg DM/ha
The change in probe reading is then multiplied by the
multiplier to get seasonally adjusted change in mass. For
example, pasture growth rate: 500*0.85/15 = 28 kg DM/ha/
day
Figure 3: Pasture Probe A Pasture Measurement calculator (with the multipliers
already built in) is available on the Meat & Wool New
Zealand website and the Land and Environment Planning
CD available from Meat & Wool New Zealand in December.

Summary
The Rising Plate and Pasture Probe ‘change in
meter reading’ methods are more accurate in
measuring pasture growth rate than the traditional
method of cutting to ground level and drying.
Dead matter builds up over time in the base of the
pasture. As it is usually not grazed by stock it is best
not to include it in pasture measurements.
Results show the Rising Plate doesn’t need
recalibrating throughout the year but the Probe does.
Farmers using the Rising Plate Meter can use the
same multiplier all year round (i.e.= 157) to calculate
pasture growth.

Ways to measure
pasture intake by
The project found that, for the GrassMaster II Probe,
different multipliers should be used for different months. For
example you should multiply it by 1.22 for readings taken
stock (i.e. what they
during October to December, 1.17 for January to March,
0.85 for April to June and 0.84 for July to September. are eating each day)
These multipliers were set using data from the 80 (a) The Rising Plate Meter is a good way to measure
PasturePlan™ farms (gathered by farmers from 2002 to pasture intake.
2006).
The change in rising plate readings taken before and after
Figure 4: The multipliers for the Pasture rotational grazing was recorded when two mobs of cattle
Probe vary because pasture quality varies were shifted on two farms (Hawkes Bay and Manawatu)
during the year. over many months. One hundred measurements were
taken before cattle were put on the block and again when
cattle were removed.
The Manawatu pastures were green but the Hawke’s Bay
pastures were recovering from drought. Pastures were
predominately low fertility.
The results showed good agreement in the estimate of feed
intake between the change in Rising Plate method and
more complex methods of measuring pasture intake.
This method of measurement is only suitable for rationally
grazed pastures (e.g. could be used to check feeding levels
of pregnant stock).
First calculate the change in meter reading. Subtract the
post-grazing meter reading from the pre-grazing reading to
get the change in meter reading.
Figure 5: Multipliers for GrassMaster II Then, to get feed intake per head for each day:
Pasture Probe, according to season
Feed intake kgDM/hd/day =
MULTIPLIER
(Change in meter reading*157 *paddock area)
OCTOBER TO DECEMBER 1.22 (stock number *number of days)
JANUARY TO MARCH 1.17
The Rising Plate Meter is recommended as a suitable tool
APRIL TO JUNE 0.85 to measure both pasture growth rate and pasture intake on
sheep and beef pastures.
JULY TO SEPTEMBER. 0.84
(b) The Pasture Probe is more complicated to use Q-Graze calculator
when measuring pasture intake This will calculate quality of pasture from farmer’s visual
estimates and predict liveweight gain.
Pasture Probes only give the option of kgDM/ha as an
ForageMaster manual and CD.
output and getting the probe reading is more difficult than
These tools help farmers select plant types that suit
getting the meter reading for the Rising Plate Meter.
particular environments and management systems, and to
Use the calibration equation for the probe to calculate the get them successfully established.
probe readings before and after grazing. Then use the
FeedSmart package
difference between readings to estimate the feed intake by
The FeedSmart package contains a manual presenting the
applying the multipliers (see Figure 5).
principles around feed planning and three tools that assist
with feed planning. They are -
Summary • Pasture Growth Forecaster
Both tools can be used to estimate what stock have This predicts pasture growth rate differences using
eaten (i.e. intake) but the simplest method is the climate data.
Rising Plate Meter.
• Cost of pasture calculator
This allows the real costs of growing pasture to be
Getting started established for each farm.

• Cost and profits from feeding supplements model

The annual pattern of pasture growth needs to be This determines the cost and benefits of supplements
measured in areas representative of the main land types for finishing lambs and cattle.
(e.g. dry faces, hills, flats).
Suggested strategy: Further research
(1) Decide on the tool you want to use to measure pasture. Other pasture measurement tools currently being
Stockists of Rising Plates and Probes can provide researched are –
training. • C-Dax machine which measures pasture height on a
sled pulled by a quad motorbike.
(2) Establish whether you want to measure in ungrazed
paddocks or set up cages. • Satellite imagery to measure pasture cover.
(3) Set a plan of the paddocks to be tested and when. • Machine to measure quality directly in the paddock.
(4) Record the results in a spreadsheet or diary.
Acknowledgements & more information
(5) Use historic pasture growth rates to help create a Meat & Wool New Zealand funded this study into the
feed budget looking forward (like Farmax™, AgNZ or accuracy of indirect pasture measurement tools.
Stantial versions). This improves the accuracy of the
feed budget. The work was carried out by AgResearch.
For copies of the resources phone Meat & Wool New
(6) Enjoy being more aware of pasture growth rates on the Zealand on 0800 696 328 or visit www.meatandwoolnz.
farm. It will help make stock purchase/sale and grazing com. A copy of the Pasture Measurement Multiplier
decisions more timely. It will help ensure stock get calculator is available on the Meat & Wool New Zealand
feed properly and, on the other hand, feed doesn’t get Land and Environment Planning CD (released December
wasted. 2008).
(7) Enjoy better profitability as a result. Contact:
Annette Litherland
AgResearch
Resources from Meat (06) 351 8204
annette.litherland@agresearch.co.nz

& Wool New Zealand Phyllis Mangin

Meat & Wool New Zealand
(04) 474 0693
Pasture Quality Handbooks Phyllis.Mangin@meatandwoolnz.com
‘Pasture Quality Principles and Management’ and ‘Pasture
Quality Visual Assessment’ handbooks contain information
on measuring pasture quality, how much animals eat and
why, and measuring and predicting pasture quality and
feed energy. There is also a brief section on estimating
the economics of maintaining pasture quality along with a
discussion on grazing strategies.

Document produced by Meat & Wool New Zealand Limited. Phone 04 473 9150. All due care has been taken in preparing this information, however Meat & Wool New Zealand Limited does not guarantee its accuracy,
and opinions expressed can change without notice. To the extent possible Meat & Wool New Zealand Limited’s liability is excluded, and persons acting in reliance on the information do so at their own risk.