Western Dairy has awarded a grant to University of Western Australia student Matthew Rowbottom for his research proposal investigating the effectiveness of unmanned aerial vehicles, or drones, in monitoring the growth of pasture biomass on dairy farms.
“Different ways of assessing pasture growth in the field already exist and the most common is visual judgement based on experience,” said Matthew.
“The aim of my project is to develop a quick method of assessing pasture biomass and help improve the efficiency of grazing management. Drones offer the potential of creating a predictive visual precision tool that will inform farmers how much feed is on offer.
“Ultimately I hope my research project will show the benefits of drones as a non-invasive pasture management technique requiring minimal effort and extra learning from time-poor farmers,’ said Matthew.
Matthew’s project will be located at Rodwell farms, a dairy property near Boyanup in WA and the research will take place over the next three months finishing in July.
Matthew, who intends to make a career in dairy extension after university, will be demonstrating the use of drone technology at Western Dairy’s Dairy Innovation Day on April 30 hosted by Rob Hortin, of Hortin’s dairy (between Albany and Denmark).
High-resolution images of Matthew with a drone are available and an interview can be arranged.
Source: DairyAustralian