Sign up for a free SPACE™ service trial
Assess the benefits of SPACE™ without being charged during a four week free trial period
Good pasture management is vital to maximising your farm’s productivity and profitability, but current measurement tools aren’t always adequate. They can be time-consuming and results can vary depending on who’s doing the measuring.
That’s why we’ve created SPACE™ service – a New Zealand first for pasture measurement. You get detailed pasture data, from images taken by satellites, emailed directly to you. So you don’t have to do the hard yards.
- Time saving – measure your pasture without walking the farm
- Convenient – get pasture data emailed directly to you
- Objective – carry out measurements using one, repeatable method
- Integrated – upload pasture data automatically to MINDA Land & Feed
Now available throughout New Zealand.
SPACE™ upgrade
LIC SPACE™ has had an upgrade. See what improvements LIC have made to the service that will enhance your pasture and cover evaluation experience.
For more information, see the Pasture Growth Forecaster section below.
How the SPACE™ service works
Satellites currently pass over New Zealand daily. Once you’re signed up to the SPACE™ service, we will start receiving images of your farm from the satellites. When the weather and satellite positioning allows a clear image of your farm to be taken, it is analysed, and a detailed pasture data report will be sent to you the next day.
It’s a game-changer for pasture management, utilising an algorithm developed by LIC scientists to estimate pasture cover for New Zealand farmers.
The SPACE™ report includes:
- an image of your farm which presents pasture cover variation by colour, showing differences across the farm and within each paddock;
- an image of your farm showing any areas covered by shadow and cloud;
- a detailed feed wedge; and
- the latest paddock ranking and estimated dry matter per hectare (kgDM/ha) for each.
LIC SPACE
One giant leap for pasture management.
As with most pasture measurement systems, limitations based on weather conditions are to be expected.
Although our satellites pass over New Zealand daily, we will only send you a satellite report if the satellite captures a clear image of your farm so we have usable information about your pasture.
As weather conditions (including cloud and haze) and satellite positioning can restrict the satellite’s ability to get a clear image, the frequency of your reports will vary. Every time the satellite captures a clear image of your farm, you will receive a report the next day.
The new Pasture Growth Forecaster (see below) allows us the fill the gaps when longer periods between satellite reports occur.
The Pasture Growth Forecaster (PGF) is a statistical mathematical model that calculates pasture growth from the environmental conditions experienced at a site. These environmental conditions include soil temperature, solar radiation, potential evapotranspiration, rainfall, soil water holding capacity and fertility. These climate data are provided by NIWA’s Virtual Climate Network Stations (VCNS).
Virtual Climate Station (VCS) data provide estimates of climate for the whole of New Zealand at a 5km grid scale. These data are run through the Pasture Growth Forecaster to calculate the historical pasture growth rates experienced within each grid.
The model, when provided with measurements of actual cover uses these in a learning algorithm to improve accuracy. This improvement is achieved by adjusting the models mathematical parameters such factors as soil fertility and soil water holding capacity. SPACE provides pasture cover data of good accuracy within the low to medium cover range and this feedback to the model continually improves accuracy over time as the model learns about the paddock.
The LIC SPACE system uses a combination of satellite data and PGF data to produce pasture reports for days where satellite data is not available, and to estimate readings for paddocks with high dry matter that would otherwise be impacted by spectral saturation.
The example is a six day gap between last satellite report and an estimated cover report.
Industry Initiative
Good pasture management is the key to farm profitability. DairyNZ and B+LNZ are confident that pasture growth forecasts will help farmers make better decisions on supplementary feeding, grazing rotations, silage making and nitrogen management. Funded by DairyNZ, B+LNZ and the Ministry for Primary Industries through the Primary Growth Partnership.
FarmWise have reviewed the SPACE™ service and endorse the use of it to obtain pasture measurement data. FarmWise are specialists in helping you optimise pasture and farm resources.
If you would like to discuss how to use the measurement data to achieve pasture optimisation talk with a FarmWise Consultant.
SPACE™ Prices
The SPACE™ service is an annual subscription, which is charged monthly. The price you pay is based on farm size (ha) and includes access to the complete SPACE™ service toolkit, including reports, Cropwise Imagery and Pasture Vibe.
|
Farm size (ha) |
Price (per annum) +gst |
|
|---|---|---|
|
Farm size (ha) 0-50 |
Price (per annum) +gst $1185 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 51-80 |
Price (per annum) +gst $1740 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 81-100 |
Price (per annum) +gst $2305 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 101-150 |
Price (per annum) +gst $2590 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 151-200 |
Price (per annum) +gst $2870 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 201-300 |
Price (per annum) +gst $3150 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 301-400 |
Price (per annum) +gst $3435 |
|
|
Farm size (ha) 401+ |
Price (per annum) +gst $3435 + $5/ha |
The SPACE™ service is subject to LIC’s Service Rules. A copy of the Service Rules can be found here. Please note these are subject to change so please check this link regularly for an updated version.
Pricing effective 1 June 2023.
All prices exclude GST.
Questions about the SPACE service? Call us today.
P: 0800 772 234
E: [email protected]
The LIC pasture evaluation service, SPACE™, assists you to estimate the amount of dry matter on the mapped paddocks on your farm. LIC will use its best endeavours to ensure that the results in SPACE™ reports are as accurate as possible.
The SPACE™ service relies on information from sources, some of which are not controlled by LIC, and clear images of your farm. Availability of clear images is affected by weather conditions and satellite positioning. LIC makes no representation as to how frequently you will receive a SPACE™ report as this is subject to the satellite capturing a clear image of your farm.
The calculations in SPACE™ reports are based on standard farm pasture grasses grown in standard farm conditions. Uncommon grasses or non-grass vegetation, shadowing or localised geographical conditions may affect the dry matter calculation. The SPACE™ service is supplied to you subject to the LIC Service Rules.
Sign up for a free SPACE™ service trial
Assess the benefits of SPACE™ without being charged during a four week free trial period
