User Guide – Individual Pasture Measurements

The Measurements section in IdeasFarm records forage availability in each pasture. These records are essential for planning grazing, silage, and evaluating forage utilization efficiency on the farm.

Measurements Screen (Records List)

The table shows all measurements taken in a pasture, with the following fields:

Field	Description
Date	Day the measurement was taken.
Kg/DM/ha	Estimated dry matter available per hectare.
Action	Indicates the pasture status at the time of measurement: Entry → Forage available before animal entry or cutting. Exit → Residual after grazing or silage. Post-Grazing → Measurement taken after animals left, for more accurate residual assessment.
Grass Height (cm)	Average forage height measured in the pasture, in centimeters.
Method	Technique used for measurement (cut, plate meter, satellite, ruler, other).
Days Post-Harvest/Sowing	Days since the last harvest, sowing, or cut.
Growth Rate (Kg/DM/ha/day)	Estimated growth speed during the period.
Projected Measurement	Future projection of available forage based on growth rate.
Work Time (hrs) and Cost ($)	Resources invested in taking the measurement.
Observations	Space for additional notes.

New Measurement Form

In the form, the user can:

Select the measurement method (cut, plate meter, satellite, ruler, other).
Enter the date and measured Kg/DM/ha.
Record grass height in cm at the time of measurement.
Define the action (entry, exit, or post-grazing).
Add work time, observations, and record type (manual or automatic).

Important Notes

IdeasFarm automatically records measurements at two points:
- ✔️ Entry: at the start of grazing or silage.
- ✔️ Exit: at the end of the event, with the available residual.
The user can complement these records with a post-grazing measurement to more accurately assess the actual forage left in the pasture.

Practical Tips

Post-Grazing: recommended when validating grazing efficiency and checking if sufficient residual remains for pasture recovery.
Grass Height: a low residual in cm indicates risk of overgrazing, which may affect future growth rates.

📌 With this data, IdeasFarm enables planning rotations, avoiding overgrazing, calculating appropriate stocking rates, and projecting forage availability accurately.