Pasture measuring device takes out top ag innovation award

Pasture measuring device takes out top agricultural innovation award

An innovative invention co-developed by Massey University and C-Dax capable of lifting the stock carrying capacity of dairy farms by as much as 7 percent has won the agricultural and environmental category at the 2011 Innovators Award.

On the average dairy farm of 126 hectares, this would represent a financial gain from increased production of more than $46,000 at a pay-out rate of $6.05 kg/MS.

The invention has been commercialised by specialist farm equipment manufacturer, C-Dax, and more than 1000 of the devices - the C-Dax Pasture Meter - are already being used on New Zealand farms.

"This award is recognition of the commercial success of the C-Dax Pasture Meter and the innovative genius of the Massey team under Professor Ian Yule that developed the concept," said Greg Shearer, Managing Director of C-Dax.

"Through sensors, the C-Dax Pasture Meter accurately and efficiently measures, tracks and records the amount of pasture on paddocks through GPS and advance information technology.

"Armed with this information the farmer can make flexible decisions about management options such as improved pasture utilisation, more efficient nutrient application and can identify future feed surpluses for hay or silage.

"Ultimately, it leads to farmer's achieving higher farm productivity."

The C-Dax Pasture Meter requires no specialist knowledge to operate and can be towed behind an ATV or quad bike at speeds of up to 20kph. It is capable of taking up to 200 measurements a second.

Dr Robert Murray, Product Development and Innovations Manager for C-Dax and who, as a Massey student was involved with its development, said there is nothing comparable with it anywhere in the world.

"If the entire New Zealand dairy industry was to use the C-Dax Pasture Meter, famers had the capability to lift the value of the country's milk production by as much as $400 million.

"Its capability is being recognised internationally, and we have already sold units into Europe, Australia, the United States and South Africa."

Prior to the development of the pasture meter, farmers relied on traditional plate measurements and had to walk long distances to manually calculate their paddocks from corner to corner.

The New Zealand Innovators Awards are designed to celebrate and recognise great kiwi innovations, inventors and organisations that have invested in developing new products, services and ventures as well as improving the performance of people and teams.

Organised by Bayer New Zealand, Idealog Magazine and Ideas Accelerator, the Awards are run annually and cover a broad range of New Zealand business sectors.
The awards were announced at a ceremony in Auckland in late October.
C-Dax is a stand-alone subsidiary of Ravensdown Fertiliser Co-operative.

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