AU2019100835A4 - A mixed farming management tool - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a mixed farming management tool for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production. The tool includes a receiver for receiving one or more livestock parameters, pastural and crop parameters, and environmental parameters. A forecaster is provided for determining, using the received parameters, a pastural and crop production forecast to feed livestock. Advantageously and preferably, the tool enables dynamic pastural and crop feed production capability to drive ruminant livestock production, incorporating the ability to forecast detailed pastural and crop production options based on plant genetics, soil and water parameters and match this real-time with the feed requirements of livestock of various types, classes and stages of development, as well as determining supplementary feed (hay, silage, crop stubbles, grain and manufactured feeds) requirement. f C') I.) CO ~; A c~) Cu C~) C~)

Description

[0001] The present invention generally relates to a mixed farming management tool.

BACKGROUND [0002] The reference to any prior art in this specification is not, and should not be taken as an acknowledgement or any form of suggestion that the prior art forms part of the common general knowledge.

[0003] Mixed farming incorporating livestock and crop production is attractive to farmers as it represents a diversification of income and risk.

[0004] However, in practice, raising crops and livestock are completely different enterprises. In practice, matching livestock feed demands with pastural and crop production is poorly performed or not performed at all, resulting in a massive loss across the industry.

[0005] The preferred embodiment provides a tool for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] According to one aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mixed farming management tool for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production, the tool including:

a receiver for receiving one or more livestock parameters, pastural and crop parameters, and environmental parameters; and a forecaster for determining, using the received parameters, a pastural and crop production forecast to feed livestock.

[0007] Advantageously and preferably, the tool enables dynamic pastural and crop feed production capability to drive ruminant livestock production, incorporating the ability to forecast detailed pastural and crop production options based on plant genetics, soil

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 and water parameters and match this real-time with the feed requirements of livestock of various types, classes and stages of development, as well as determining supplementary feed (hay, silage, crop stubbles, grain and manufactured feeds) requirement. The management tool may include a graphing tool for graphing the determined pastural and crop production forecast. The graphing tool may concurrently display livestock demand and feed available and livestock feed deficits for various time scales.

[0008] The management tool may include a mapping tool for mapping geographic regions. Each region may be a whole or part of a paddock. The mapping tool may include a selector for selecting a region, and a display for displaying the forecast livestock pasture and cropping feed availability for that region.

[0009] The tool may further include one or more environmental sensors for sensing environmental conditions. The environmental sensors may include a digital weather station grid sending environmental parameters to the forecaster using telemetry. The environmental sensors may include one or more soil sensors and/or incorporate data uploaded from soil and/or plant tissue/ livestock feed quality analysis laboratories.

[00010] The tool may include satellite images to determine one or more of the pastural and crop parameters. The tool may include scales for weighing the livestock to determine one or more of the livestock parameters.

[00011] According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided a mixed farming management method for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production, the method involving electronically:

receiving one or more livestock parameters, crop and pastural parameters and environmental parameters; and determining, using the received parameters, a pastural and crop production forecast of potentially available plant biomass to feed the livestock.

[00012] The method may involve further determining a supplementary feed requirement (for example hay, grain or silage).

[00013] Preferably, the pastural and crop production forecast is for one or more paddocks.

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00014] The environmental parameters may include one or more soil parameters and water parameters. The soil parameters may include any one or more of an agroecological production region and soil fertility status. The water parameters may include soil water status (e.g. poor, average, good), measure of soil water content, irrigation or rainfall, decile rating or general description of present and future seasonal conditions e.g. Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD), Southern Annular Mode(SAM) and Modoli Index (Ml).

[00015] The pasture and crop parameters may include any one or more of the species or variety of plant, an agro-ecological production region, plant dry matter growth rate or feed quality, growth rate as determined by satellite imaging technology and /or laboratory analysis.

[00016] The livestock parameters may include any one or more of stock type (e.g. sheep, beef, cattle, dairy, etc.), stock sexing status (male, female, desexed, etc.), starting or target live or carcass weight or condition score (stock class), joining date (mating), weaning date, sale date, and production (milk, meat, wool (litres, kilograms, $/L, $/kg)).

[00017] The management tool may enable detailed management programs for pasture, crop and livestock production including fertilizer and soil amendment requirements, control of pests and diseases and all associated operational activities and costs, and income in order to clearly specify optimization actions and to fully assess economics of production scenarios.

[00018] The management tool may provide an information platform to connect the different expertise required in planning and execution of mixed farming optimization programs including agronomic and livestock specialists and advisers, farm managers, operational staff and application and service supply contractors.

[00019] Advantageously, the management tool may enable costs in producing feed from pasture and crops to be easily and accurately apportioned to the appropriate livestock and the income from livestock to be apportioned to relevant grazed areas.

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00020] The management tool may enable livestock records to be applied at a group (mob) level or at an individual animal, as the basis for more accurate planning and optimization of production performance.

[00021] The management tool may enable comparative economic analysis of various cropping and livestock enterprise balance scenarios at a whole farm level.

[00022] The income may be derived from grain or sale of livestock grown on feed proportionally allocated, grazed crop (grain and graze), fodder crop and pasture.

[00023] Advantageously and preferably, the management tool enables income and cost of both crop and animal enterprises to be proportionate allocated to provide a whole farm economic comparison of different crop/ feed supply allocation and livestock and input cost parametrization scenarios.

[00024] The method may involve further determining assess current and potential stocking rate from feed allocated, livestock number, type and class from the scenario enterprise balance.

[00025] Any of the features described herein can be combined in any combination with any one or more of the other features described herein within the scope of the invention.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [00026] Preferred features, embodiments and variations of the invention may be discerned from the following Detailed Description which provides sufficient information for those skilled in the art to perform the invention. The Detailed Description is not to be regarded as limiting the scope of the preceding Summary of the Invention in any way. The Detailed Description will make reference to a number of drawings as follows:

[00027] Figure 1 is a schematic view of mixed farming management system in accordance with an embodiment of the present invention;

[00028] Figure 2 shows a graphing tool of the system of Figure 1;

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00029] Figure 3 shows a mapping tool of the system of Figure 1; and [00030] Figure 4 is an example of a change in feed conversion efficiency (FOE) from matching feed production to livestock requirement using the management system of Figure 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS [00031] According to an embodiment of the present invention, there is provided a mixed farming management system 100 (i.e. tool) for managing livestock feed demands and pastural crop production as shown in Figure 1. The system 100 includes a server receiver 102 for receiving one or more livestock parameters 104a, crop parameters 104b and environmental parameters 104c, 104d. A computer forecaster 106 is provided for determining, using the received parameters 104, a pastural crop production forecast to feed livestock.

[00032] The forecaster 106 may include software in the form of executable instructions for display on either personal computer or application software (i.e. an App) for a mobile phone 108. The system 100 also includes a database 109 for storing the parameters 104 and forecasts. Advantageously, the system 100 provides the forecast for assisting the farmer 110 with managing livestock feed demands and pastural crop production. The system 100 enables dynamic pastural/crop feed production capability to drive ruminant livestock production, incorporating the ability to forecast detailed pastural/crop production options based on plant genetics, soil and water parameters and match this real-time with the feed requirements of livestock of various types and stages of development, as well as determining supplementary feed (hay, grain) requirement.

[00033] The system 100 further includes environmental sensors 112 for sensing environmental conditions. The environmental sensors 112 include a digital weather station grid 114 sending environmental parameters 104c (e.g. wind, temperature, rainfall, etc.) to the forecaster 106 using telemetry. Similarly, the environmental sensors 112 also include soil sensors 116 for sending soil parameters 104d. The system 100 can also incorporate data uploaded from soil and/or plant tissue analysis laboratories.

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00034] The system 100 also includes a satellite connection 118 for providing satellite images to determine the crop parameters 104b such as growth rate. Additionally, the system 100 includes electronic weighing scales 120 for weighing the livestock to determine one or more of the livestock parameters 104a.

[00035] Turning to Figure 2, the management system 100 includes a graphing tool 200 for graphing the determined pastural crop production forecast 202. The graphing tool concurrently displays livestock demand 204 and forecasted feed available 202 over time.

[00036] Turning to Figure 3, the management system 100 also includes a mapping system 300 for mapping geographic regions in the form of paddocks 302. The mapping system 300 also includes a selector (e.g. mouse) for selecting a paddock 302, and a display 304 for displaying the real-time forecasted number of days of feed for that paddock 302. Another display 306 displays environmental or other parameters 104.

[00037] A mixed farming management method for managing livestock feed demands, pastural crop production and supplementary feed requirement (for example hay, grain or silage) using the system 100 is now described.

[00038] Initially, the receiver 102 receives the livestock parameters 104a, crop parameters 104b and environmental parameters 104c, 104d in real-time for processing.

[00039] The livestock parameters 104a include any one or more of stock class (e.g. sheep, beef, cattle, dairy, etc.), stock sexing status (male, female, desexed, etc.), starting or target weight, joining date (mating), weaning date, sale date, and production (milk, meat, wool (litres, kilograms, $/L, $/kg)).

[00040] The crop parameters 104b include any one or more of the species or variety of plant, an agro-ecological production region, plant dry matter growth rate or feed quality, growth rate as determined by satellite imaging technology. The tool integrates the effect of pastural feed quality on the feed conversion efficiency and resultant production rate for ruminant livestock.

[00041] The environmental parameters 104c include one or more soil parameters and water parameters. The soil parameters may include any one or more of an agro2019100835 29 Jul 2019 ecological production region and soil fertility status. The water parameters may include soil water (e.g. poor, average, good), measure of irrigation or rainfall, decline or seasonal conditions.

[00042] Next, the forecaster 106 processes the received parameters to determine the pastural crop production forecasts 202, 304 to feed the livestock and any supplementary feed requirement. The pastural crop production forecast 304 is for the selected paddock 302.

[00043] For example, target meat/milk/wool production is used to determine ruminant feed requirement in terms of Dry Matter of plant material, derived from stored standard Metabolisable Energy requirements for Stock Class from established industry research.

[00044] Figure 4 shows an example of a change in feed conversion efficiency (FCE) from matching feed production 202 to livestock requirement 204 using the management system 100. Matching feed quality (12 MJ/kg Dry Matter rather than 8MJ/kg DM) with live weight gains of 0.8kg/day have been shown to be improved to 1.5kg/day in more controlled systems [00045] Scenarios of Plant Dry Matter production from crop and pasture to meet the animal production targets above are applied against varying Soil and Water regimes stored in the paddock database 109.

[00046] The integration of soil/water/plant/animal parameters 104 enables the relationship between different soil/water/plant and feeding management skill options and the resultant meat/milk/wool production to be learned for the diversity of situations that exist within Mixed Farming operations. These more accurate relationships for particular situations are then used as the basis for optimisation scenarios in future.

[00047] Profitability and resource use efficiency can be measured in terms of:

i. $ Production return per hectare ii. $ Production return per mm water iii. Risk management; $ Production return per $ working capital

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00048] Farm profit outcomes can be optimised based on the most efficient use of soil, water, plant, livestock and related natural resources, while recording management and treatments as the basis of a transparent food supply chain.

[00049] The system 100 back-calculates from Targeted Liveweight/Milk production to determine daily MJ/DM and feed quality requirement, then matches this requirement with the most cost-effective paddock feed source based on soil/water/plant (NDVII Rainfall/Growth) models that will come up with DM/ha or MJ/ha production forecast from different paddocks 302 (Feed cost $/MJ, presented in a spatial platform).

[00050] The farmer/adviser 110 is then able to modify this ‘matched solution’ based on other practicalities and there is traceability throughout the system 100 in order to record key treatments and performance metrics. Advantageously, the system 100 results in improved farm profitability, reduced overgrazing, improvement in soil health, reduced greenhouse gas (GHG), and improved risk management.

[00051] The management tool 100 enables detailed management programs for pastural/crop and livestock production including fertilizer and soil amendment requirements, control of pests and diseases and all associated operational costs and income in order to clearly specify optimization actions and to fully assess economics of production scenarios.

[00052] The management tool 100 also provides an information platform to connect the different expertise required in planning and execution of mixed farming optimization programs including agronomic and livestock advisers, farm managers, operational staff and application contractors, [00053] Advantageously, the management tool 100 enables costs and in producing feed from pasture and crops to be easily and accurately apportioned to the appropriate livestock and grazed area.

[00054] The management tool 100 also enables livestock records to be applied at a group (mob) level or at an individual animal, as the basis for more accurate planning and optimization of production performance.

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 [00055] A person skilled in the art will appreciate that many embodiments and variations can be made without departing from the ambit of the present invention.

[00056] For example, the system 100 can further incorporate Mob treatments and Virtual NLIS tracking of individual Mobs. The system 100 can also further incorporate Virtual Drafting Yard (Ul) to enable drafting based on history of past treatments and future feed requirements.

[00057] In one embodiment, artificial intelligence can be incorporated whereby the system 100 establishes relationships between management inputs and agricultural production performance as the basis for continuous improvement.

[00058] In compliance with the statute, the invention has been described in language more or less specific to structural or methodical features. It is to be understood that the invention is not limited to specific features shown or described since the means herein described comprises preferred forms of putting the invention into effect.

[00059] Reference throughout this specification to One embodiment’ or ‘an embodiment’ means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, the appearance of the phrases ‘in one embodiment’ or ‘in an embodiment’ in various places throughout this specification are not necessarily all referring to the same embodiment. Furthermore, the particular features, structures, or characteristics may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more combinations.

Claims (5)

1. A mixed farming management tool for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production, the tool including:

a receiver for receiving one or more livestock parameters, pastural and crop parameters, and environmental parameters; and a forecaster for determining, using the received parameters, a pastural and crop production forecast to feed livestock.

2. A mixed farming management tool a claimed in claim 1, including a graphing tool for graphing the determined pastural and crop production forecast, the graphing tool concurrently displaying livestock demand and feed available and livestock feed deficits for various time scales.

3. A mixed farming management tool a claimed in claim 1 or claim 2, including a mapping tool for mapping geographic regions, each region being a whole or part of a paddock, the mapping tool including a selector for selecting a region and a display for displaying the forecast livestock pasture and cropping feed availability for that region.

4. A mixed farming management tool a claimed in any one of the preceding claims, further including:

one or more environmental sensors for sensing environmental conditions, the environmental sensors including any one or more of a digital weather station grid sending environmental parameters to the forecaster using telemetry, one or more soil sensors, or data uploaded from analysis laboratories;

satellite images to determine one or more of the pastural and crop parameters; and scales for weighing the livestock to determine one or more of the livestock parameters.

5. A mixed farming management method for managing livestock feed demands and pastural and crop production, the method involving electronically:

receiving one or more livestock parameters, crop and pastural parameters and environmental parameters; and determining, using the received parameters, a pastural and crop production

2019100835 29 Jul 2019 forecast of potentially available plant biomass to feed the livestock.