TASMANIAN data research and analysis group Sense-T has spent the past two years watching grass grow and, more importantly, when it's likely to stop.
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The results of the organisation's activities are set to prove beneficial for the state's dairy farmers, who could use a newly developed program to provide more certainty in their operations.
Sense-T's Beef and Dairy Project has seen software developed that not only monitors grass growth levels but predicts when it is set to stop.
Sense-T acting director Amanda Castray said the $1.9 million program was a joint initiative between the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, CSIRO and the University of Tasmania.
"Being able to predict future pasture growth will be valuable in helping dairy farmers to make better decisions about managing their herds, as well as their production and costs," Ms Castray said.
"The Sense-T pasture predictor will particularly benefit those parts of Tasmania where dairy is already strong of growing rapidly.
"We're looking at providing online pasture growth predictions for a number of areas across Tasmania, based on data gathered at various sites across the North-West, North-East, Northern Midlands and Derwent Valley."
It is understood that, once developed, the organisation will push its program on a national scale.
"Sense-T is currently working with TIA and CSIRO to fine-tune the way the data on future pasture growth will be displayed and accessed by users," Ms Castray said.
"We're hoping to be able to make the prototype tool publicly available through the Sense-T website in late-March or early April."
The program will not only predict pasture growth, but identify when cows were are heat and monitor their grazing behaviour.
DairyTas executive officer Mark Smith said the program would assist in providing surety for dairy farmers.
"It will give farmers greater information on what their feed situation will be like in the immediate future based on certain predictions," Mr Smith said.
"There will be a short talk about the program at Tasmania Dairy Conference, there will be more information available on this — it's a good opportunity for Tasmanian dairy farmers and other farmers to see it."
