“It just makes decision-making a lot more accurate. You can be proactive instead of reacting when you’ve already run out of grass.” – Jack Groat, Lorraine Station
When Jack and his family arrived at Lorraine Station in 2015, the property was tired after more than a century of heavy use. Ground cover was low, pasture recovery was slow, and rotational grazing alone wasn’t delivering the results they hoped for. Drought years added strain, and by 2023 the family was already seeking agistment as feed rapidly disappeared.
The Turning Point: Data-Driven Confidence
A major shift in Jack’s management came when he began using PastureKey to better understand what was happening across Lorraine Station. While practical changes such as installing more than 80 km of dead-level contour lines were helping water slow, spread and soak into the landscape, supporting the return of native grasses like Queensland bluegrass, forest bluegrass and kangaroo grass, it was PastureKey that provided the clarity behind those improvements.
Instead of relying on visual observation alone, Jack could measure how the landscape was responding, track pasture recovery over time, and make informed decisions with confidence.
“The Cibo Labs stuff allows us to get actual quantifiable data on what we’ve actually got standing in the paddock. It’s not just guesswork anymore.”
Why Cibo Labs & PastureKey Became Essential?
When Jack started his PastureKey service in January 2024, he found it provided the data and outlook he was missing:
Accurate Biomass & Feed-on-Hand Estimates
Jack now receives paddock-level biomass measurements that accurately estimate how many kilograms of feed he has at the end of the growing season. This lets him plan stocking rates, pre-sell cattle when needed, and avoid reactive decisions.
Understanding Animal Use & Paddock Variability
Maps reveal where cattle prefer to graze in large paddocks. When the herd repeatedly favoured northern sections, Jack realised he could split those paddocks, effectively doubling usable area without additional cost, whilst also identifying unfavourable areas for regeneration
“Before you believe a number in a spreadsheet, just go and look at the satellite image.”
Tracking Seasonal Change with Confidence
With updated imagery every five days, Jack can scroll back to clear-sky satellite days and see how pastures have changed over time.
“If your rolling 12-month rainfall drops three months in a row, that’s the time to sell, most people don’t realise it’s (pasture biomass TSDM) actually falling until about six months.”
Fractional cover layers also help him understand photosynthetic activity, frost impacts, and transitions between growth stages. “The fractional cover shows the photosynthetic activity, what’s still green, what’s turned, and how quickly.”
Improved Forage Budgeting & Decision-Making
Jack’s forage budgeting has shifted from rough estimates to precise planning. Instead of hoping cattle will last a certain number of days in a paddock, he now knows and can forecast feed availability across the whole property months in advance.
Jack’s Perspective: A Tool That Amplifies Experience
For Jack, Cibo Labs doesn’t replace his own management skills, it enhances them. Jack’s perspective is straight to the point, and for many producers out there with a shed full of tools he simply explains “You don’t throw your spanners away because you bought a nice socket set. You’ve got to have all the tools in there.”
Outcome: A More Resilient, Data-Driven Grazing Operation
The combination of contouring, regenerative principles, and digital pasture monitoring is delivering:
Even in challenging seasons, Lorraine Station now operates with clarity and control rather than guesswork, as Jack sum’s it up perfectly “We’re all trying to look after the country and the cattle. The more information we’ve got, the better we can do it.”
So at Cibo Labs we say... be like Jack – take a peek at what PastureKey can do for your cattle and country today with a trial on your property.