Cracking the Code: How Tech Helps Farmers Grow Better Beef

In the southeastern US, raising beef cattle is a big deal. Farmers need to understand how grass grows, how cows eat, and how these things work together. It's a complex puzzle. To make sense of it all, scientists use math models. These models help predict how much cows can gain weight each day when they graze on bermudagrass, a common type of grass in the region.

The Challenge

The challenge is that many things change every day. The weather, the soil, the grass, and even the cows themselves. All these changes affect how much the cows can eat and how much they can grow. Until now, there hasn't been a computer system to estimate these daily changes for cows grazing on bermudagrass.

Introducing DGESS

A new system called DGESS was created to solve this problem. It combines a model for bermudagrass growth with a model for cow growth. The system was tested using data from 33 trials conducted over several years. The results showed that the system is quite accurate. It can predict the weight of the cows and the amount of grass available.

Key Features

• Predicts the nutritional value of the grass.
• Estimates the amount of grass available for the cows to eat.
• Helps farmers and scientists make better decisions about grazing management.

Limitations

However, the system is not perfect. The predictions for how much the cows gain weight each day and the amount of grass available showed more variability. This means that while the system is good, it still needs some improvements.