Getting Started with Rotation - Setting up Your First Farm.
(Tip: Print this page to have it available to direct your data entry sequence.)
Having logged on for the first time your initial screen will be the Farm Data Page
1) First Page - Farm Data
A) Enter data into the Farm Setup table
Farm Setup Data - Input Description
a) Run Identification - Identifies the run by any description you choose
b) Farm Name - Name of the farm or unit being simulated.
c) Area of Property(ha) - Surveyed farm area in hectares
d) Number of Paddocks - Number of paddocks to be included in rotation
e) Period Commencing d/m/yy - Tomorrows date i.e. Start day of new rotation
f) Run Length (days) - Number of days wanted in rotation plan
g) Number of Herds/Mobs - Number of herds or mobs for this plan
B) Next enter data in the Paddock Setup Table
Paddock Setup Data - Input Description
a) Threshold Grazing Cover - This is the target minimum cover grazing level which suits your farm's requirements and your experience as a grazier.
b) Maximum Grazing Cover - This is the maximum cover that suits your farm's requirements based on your experience as a grazier.
c) Residual Mowing Cover - This is the amount of cover left after mowing or harvesting your paddocks.
d) Minimum Harvesting Cover - This is the level or above at which paddocks will be removed from the selection list and notionally harvested. This cover must be set above the maximum grazing cover level to prevent a program conflict.
e) Median Cover - This is an important input which sets the centre of the double S growth curve of the individual paddocks daily growth rate. It is normally set at a point approximating the level of cover where the maximum daily growth rate occurs. Actual daily growth rates should not be confused with average daily growth rates.
C) Next enter the data in the Stored Feed Reserves Table
(Tip: These boxes hold the actual feed reserves on hand at the commencement of a simulation run.)
Stored feed Reserves -Input description
a) Hay - Reserves of hay conserved (kg of DM).
b) Grass Silage - Reserves of Grass Silage conserved (kg of DM).
c) Maize Silage - Reserves of Maize silage conserved (kg of DM).
d) Feed Grains or Concentrates - Reserves of meals or concentrate feeds (kg of DM).
D) Next enter the data in the Fodder Crops table
(Tip: These boxes record the area and DM per ha in green feed crop grown at the time of the running of the simulation)
Green Feed Fodder Crops
a) Fodder Crops - enter the area in crop.
b) DM/HA - enter the total DM available per Ha.
c) Total DM - this will total automatically total.
E) Next enter data in the Harvested Feed table
(Tip: These boxes record the yield and harvest period for feed surpluses generated by the simulation. The harvesting periods must be set with no overlap.)
Harvested Feed Data
a) Hay Conservation - % DM stored is an estimate of the stored DM as hay after allowing for harvesting losses.
b) Silage Conservation - % DM stored is an estimate of the stored DM as hay after allowing for harvesting losses.
c) Saved Standing Feed - This is the simulation's third feed reserve store where paddocks with covers greater than "maximum grazing cover’ are held out of the rotation selection process. These paddocks can be re introduced in later simulations by raising the "maximum grazing cover" input figure.
F) Next enter data in the Nitrogen Application table
(Tip: This box sets the yield ratio of Kg's of DM per Kg of N then the number of days rest before N boosted growth commences followed by the number of days of N response in the daily growth rate.)
Nitrogen Application Data
a) N Boost Rate - Yield ratio of DM per unit of N.
b) Resting Days - The number of days before a response in the daily growth rate.
c) Response Days - The number of days of response from the N application.
G) Farm - Base Data page. Final Setup Action
a) Click Enter upon completion of all entries in relevant boxes on Farm - Base Data page.
b) Screen automatically reloads with Summary Page.
2) New Page - Summary
Summary Report:
a) Check that the summary report contains the correct information for you farm.
b) Revise by clicking Farm Data on Header Bar and return to Farm data entry page.
c) Click enter if revision was necessary and return to the Summary Page
(Tip: Note warning box at top of data input pages identifying in red and in sequence the pages requiring further data to be entered before running the simulation.)
3) New Page - Stock & Policies
Stock & Policies:
a) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Stock & Policies page.
b) Click Enter
4) New Page - Feeding
Feeding:
a) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Feeding page.
b) Click Enter to enter global data or ...
c) Click Herd or mob name to enter feeding data on a daily basis if required.
d) Click enter
5) New Page - Paddocks
Paddocks:
a) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Paddocks page.
b) Click Enter
6) New Page - Growth Rates
Growth Rates:
a) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Growth Rates page.
b) Click Enter
7) New Page - Cover
Covers:
a) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Covers page.
b) Click Enter
Optional further input pages
(Tip: You have an option here to add Nitrogen inputs or purchase outside feed for additional supplementation reserves for your simulation)
8) New Page - Nitrogen:
Nitrogen Application
a) Click Nitrogen on the header. (Not necessary on first or any run.)
b) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Nitrogen Application page.
c) Click Enter
9) New Page - Feed Purchases
Feed Purchases:
a) Click Feed Purchases on header. (Not necessary on first or any run.)
b) Enter your data into the data boxes by following the tips and actions set out at the head of the Feed Purchases page.
c) Click Enter
Run the Simulation - RUN
(Tip: With all the relevant data listed above entered, the simulation is ready to be RUN.)
a) Click RUN
Reports
11) New Page - Rotation Summary and additional Reports List
(Tip: Rotation Summary Report is automatically loaded when the simulation is run. All other reports must be selected from the Reports list at the bottom of the rotation Summary Report. To select these further reports either tick the boxes to down load a group of reports or click the report name to down load an individual report.)
Reports List:
a) Rotation Summary: A rotation report without supplementation but with ingoing and outgoing paddock covers.
b) The Supplemented Rotation: A rotation report which includes supplementation but no paddock covers.
c) Available Feed: A report summarising feed grown, consumed and stored plus average covers and total feed available.
d) Saved Pasture: A report on those paddocks exceeding maximum cover but not harvested.
e) Paddock Summary: A report on the daily activities of each paddock of the farm.
f) Nitrogen Applied: A report on the status of paddocks that have had N applied.
g) Harvesting Plan: A report on the schedule of paddock to be harvested.
h) Feed Purchases: A report on scheduled feed purchases to be added to feed reserves for the farm.
(Tip: Some of these reports for large simulations can take a number of minutes to load on slow connections.)
Reports Action:
a) Select the required report.
b) Review the report on screen
c) If necessary revise feeding rates, supplementation or growth rates by returning to pages 4, 3, or 6 to modify your plan and rerun your simulation.
d) When a printout is required click the print icon for a printed copy.
(Tip: Having established your farm's Base Data regular users may now find the next tutorial "Regular Use of Rotation" sufficient to guide their regular use of Rotation.)
