Ever wondered how your pastures compare to the rest of Australia? Whether you’re planning stocking rates, exploring agistment opportunities, or simply keeping track of seasonal conditions, Cibo Labs’ satellite tools put the full picture at your fingertips.
Traditional methods like visual checks or pasture cuts can be time-consuming, labour-intensive, and don’t always capture variations across large properties. With satellite imagery from the European Space Agency’s Sentinel-2 combined with Cibo Labs’ advanced analytics and over 7000 field calibration sites, producers can now access accurate, up-to-date estimates of pasture biomass in kilograms of dry matter per hectare (kg DM/ha) for every hectare of grazing land across Australia.
The National Comparison Map allows you to benchmark your property against regional and national averages, monitor seasonal changes, and make confident, data-driven decisions, all without leaving the homestead.
The National Comparison Map: your strategic overview
The National Comparison Map is a free, interactive tool that provides a broad view of pasture conditions across Australia. Updated monthly using satellite imagery, it shows pasture performance and land condition trends across the country.
With the time slider, producers can review historical data back to 2016. This “pasture time machine” allows you to compare current conditions to previous droughts or boom years, helping establish baselines for planning.
By comparing your property to regional and national averages, you can quickly see:
Where feed is holding on and where it’s tightening up
Seasonal shifts across similar environments
How your management decisions are performing against national benchmarks
This big-picture view is invaluable for early-season planning, agistment opportunities, or deciding whether supplemental feed is required.
Decoding the data layers:
The National Comparison Map provides multiple layers of information, each offering unique insights into your feedbase:
Total Standing Dry Matter (TSDM): Measures the total weight of pasture (green + dry) in kg DM/ha. This forms the foundation of your feed budget and is essential for estimating grazing capacity.
Green TSDM: The living portion of pasture drives animal growth and performance. Tracking green TSDM lets you identify high-quality feed and make informed rotational grazing decisions.
Dry TSDM: Non-growing material contributes bulk but has lower nutritive value. High levels may indicate fire risk, prompting preventative measures.
Ground Cover: Indicates the percentage of soil protected by vegetation. Maintaining strong ground cover prevents erosion, improves water infiltration, and supports sustainable land management.
Pasture Growth Deciles: Ranks current pasture against historical data.
Decile 1–2: Signals potential drought conditions.
Decile 5–6: Average seasonal growth.
Decile 9–10: Exceptional productivity.
Example: If your property is in Decile 2 in August, it may be time to reduce stocking rates, consider feed supplementation, or adjust rotational grazing to protect pasture health.
From strategic insights to paddock-level action:
While the National Comparison Map offers a strategic overview, Cibo Labs provides tools to bring these insights directly to your property.
Australian Feedbase Monitor (AFM):
Designed for MLA members, AFM maps your property using your Property Identification Code (PIC) and provides TSDM and ground-cover data at 80-metre resolution. It’s a simple, no-cost way to start monitoring feed at a property scale.
PastureKey:
For paddock-level precision, PastureKey delivers 10-metre resolution. It enables producers to:
Identify underperforming paddocks
Plan rotational grazing with precision
Calculate remaining grazing days
Integrate data with farm-management platforms like AgriWebb for automated feed records
Practical scenario: A producer notices a paddock underperforming compared to the property average. Using PastureKey, they can identify soil fertility issues, pasture composition, or grazing pressure and implement targeted improvements.
These tools complement on-ground knowledge, enabling evidence-based decisions that enhance productivity and resilience.
Practical applications and benefits:
Drought management: Pasture Growth Deciles provide early-warning signals, helping producers implement mitigation strategies before feed shortages become critical.
Feed budgeting: TSDM and green biomass measurements allow accurate calculation of grazing days and stocking rates.
Rotational grazing optimization: PastureKey highlights variation within paddocks, allowing precise rotations that protect pastures while maintaining animal performance.
Seasonal benchmarking: Historical data comparisons allow producers to assess how current management decisions are performing against regional and national trends.
Enhanced profitability and resilience: Data-driven decisions reduce feed waste, protect land condition, and improve livestock performance, ultimately boosting profitability.
Integrating data with on-ground experience:
Cibo Labs’ tools are designed to enhance, not replace, local knowledge. Combining satellite insights with your observations ensures confident decision-making, whether it’s adjusting grazing patterns, preparing for seasonal extremes, or optimising feed allocation.
Example: By comparing your property’s growth deciles with neighboring farms, you might identify opportunities for agistment or adjust stocking rates to match feed availability — all guided by reliable satellite data.
Satellite technology, combined with Cibo Labs’ advanced analytics, is transforming pasture management for Australian graziers. From national benchmarking to paddock-level precision, producers now have the data they need to make informed, proactive decisions.
With the National Comparison Map, Australian Feedbase Monitor, and PastureKey, you can:
See the trends and seasonal shifts across your property
Understand how your management decisions compare to national benchmarks
Make confident, data-driven decisions to improve productivity and resilience
Satellite data turns uncertainty into clarity, helping producers manage through dry periods, capitalise on good seasons, and plan with confidence.
Take the next step
Explore the big picture: Visit the free National Comparison Map
Bring the data to your farm: Visit the AFM
Unlock paddock-level precision: Discover PastureKey