Producer Profile - Matt & Kerri Kenny

The Challenge

This Central Queensland family business manages more than 10,000 hectares under a rotational grazing system. With livestock performance central to profitability, they combine practical experience with satellite-backed data, and have been using the Australian Feedbase Monitor for over two years.

Before AFM, feed budgeting and stocking alignment relied on consultant advice, satellite and ground estimates, and physical paddock inspections. While effective, it required significant time and created pressure, particularly across multiple properties and during seasonal variability. The business was spending around 20 days per year on pasture assessments.

Managing properties separated by distance increased the risk of missing critical events like frost, where delayed action could directly impact cattle performance.

The Turning Point

Although AFM was already part of the business, a frost event on a property 250km away became the moment its full value became clear.

AFM detected the frost impact before any visible decline in livestock performance. That early visibility prompted the team to act immediately, putting out nutritional lick at a critical time for heavy steers. What could have been a reactive response became a proactive decision, and the results were measurable.

The Outcome

Because the Kennys acted early, steers weighing 600–710kg maintained strong average daily gains of 0.8–1.9kg/day, averaging 1.2kg/day over the final 48 days of their growth cycle. Instead of potentially losing up to 1kg/day, they finished an estimated 2.2kg per head better off.

Beyond that single event, AFM has reduced annual pasture assessment time significantly.

Biomass estimates closely match on-ground checks, giving the team confidence when planning stocking rates, grazing rotations, and seasonal strategies. The shift has been practical and measurable: less manual workload, faster decisions, stronger stocking alignment, and significant time and cost savings.

The Bigger Picture

With consistent pasture visibility across more than 10,000 hectares, this operation has moved from reactive management to proactive control. Instead of waiting to see the impact of seasonal change on livestock, they can act early, protecting performance, reducing stress, and building resilience into their grazing system.

Outcomes

• AFM detected a frost event 250km away before any visible livestock performance decline, enabling proactive supplementary feeding that protected steer weight gain
• Steers averaged 1.2kg/day ADG over the final 48 days, finishing an estimated 2.2kg/head ahead of where they would have been without early intervention
• Annual pasture assessment time reduced from 20 days to 4 days
• Biomass estimates consistently align with on-ground checks, supporting confident stocking rate and rotation planning across 10,000+ hectares
• Operation shifted from reactive seasonal management to proactive, data-informed decision-making

 AFM has transformed the Kennys’ operation from time-intensive, reactive management to a more efficient, proactive system where critical decisions can be made early and with confidence. By turning data into timely action, they’re protecting livestock performance, saving time, and staying consistently ahead of seasonal risk.