Beef + Lamb New Zealand has a new online tool to predict, two weeks in advance, how the grass will grow on individual farms.

Farmers can also sign up for a free email pasture growth rates forecast for their region. Developed specifically for New Zealand sheep and beef farmers, the tools will help farmers make better feeding decisions, sooner.

The Pasture Growth Forecaster is a model that calculates pasture growth from the environmental conditions experienced at a site or region.

Environmental conditions, including climate-rainfall, soil temperature, solar radiation and potential evapotranspiration are used to calculate the amount of water in the soil and the potential for pasture growth rate.

The tool's soil water-holding capacity and soil fertility data is used to calculate how much water is available for plant growth and the productivity of the site.

The forecasts are calibrated to growth rate data measured from whole farms rather than sites. Whole-farm growth rates take into account the effect of low producing areas, such as swamps, sidlings, scrub, tracks, and fence lines. They are therefore lower than those measured, for example, in pasture cages, but are more realistic for farm feed budgeting.

To find out more visit, the Beef + Lamb New Zealand website: www.beeflambnz.com