Monitoring pastures using satellite remote sensing

Abstract

The strategic use of quantitative pasture information is critical for optimising feed resource utilization for the grazing industries in medium-high winter rainfall regions of Australia. It also offers significant potential to produce agricultural commodities such as wool to a budgeted specification. Satellite technology can provide comprehensive pasture biomass and growth rate information on a spatial basis at a paddock, farm or regional level and national scale, delivered near real time via the Internet or fax. This paper reports the satellite-based pasture products developed by CSIRO Livestock Industries and some of their on-farm applications.