Calibration for Pasture Cover and Growth Rates

Post-model calibration adjusts Pio’s pasture cover and growth rate readings based on your farm’s actual observations.

What is Post-Model Calibration?

Post-model calibration adjusts Pio’s pasture cover and growth rate readings based on your farm’s actual observations.

Why is this Useful?

If you find that Pio’s pasture covers are consistently higher or lower than what you see on your farm, this calibration can align Pio’s readings with your observations. This is particularly helpful for farms with tropical pastures or crops like lucerne.

How Does It Work?

  1. Initial Check: Ensure your farm generally agrees with Pio’s readings but has consistent discrepancies in pre- and post-grazing covers.
  2. Request Calibration: Contact our support team to request the calibration.
  3. Provide Data: Share your observed pre-grazing and post-grazing covers.
  4. Adjustment: We will calculate and apply the calibration using your data.
  5. Update: Pio’s readings will be adjusted to reflect the calibration, and the pasture growth rates will follow accordingly.

Example Calculation

For instance, if Pio’s model shows:

  • Pre-grazing cover: 3300
  • Post-grazing cover: 1600

And your observations are:

  • Pre-grazing cover: 3000
  • Post-grazing cover: 1700

We use these to 4 pasture cover numbers to adjust Pio's model output.

Understanding Calibration: The Rising Plate Meter Analogy

Think of post-model calibration as adjusting the formula in a rising plate meter. Much like a rising plate meter doesn’t account for changes in pasture characteristics—such as the difference between vegetative and reproductive stages (grass going to seed), or seasonal factors like high moisture content in winter and higher dry matter percentage in summer—Pio’s calibration is a “set and forget” adjustment.

Just as you wouldn’t frequently change the formula for a rising plate meter, calibration is a one-time process to handle consistent discrepancies in pasture cover readings across the year. It’s not something you adjust regularly, and it ensures that Pio’s pasture cover readings remain reliable over time, no matter the seasonal variations or pasture conditions.

How to Request Calibration

Please note that this calibration is a one-time adjustment, not something to be done with each reading or seasonally. Therefore, it’s crucial to be confident in the accuracy of the pasture cover assessments you provide in your request.

  1. Initiate a conversation with us via the in-app chat bubble or by emailing support@pasture.io.
  2. Submit a request for post-model calibration of your pasture covers.
  3. Include both your observed pre-grazing and post-grazing covers as well as what Pio's model normally provides.

Once we receive your request, we will handle the rest and update your farm’s readings accordingly.

For further assistance, please contact our support team.