The Rotational Planner is currently available to Australian customers as an additional add-on to purchase, on Compliance or Performance plans. To purchase, visit the AgriWebb Marketplace in the Web App.
There are two add-ons available, to cater for different needs - the Movement Planning add-on (available for Compliance level subscriptions) and the Grazing Planner add-on (available for Performance level subscriptions).
The features for the Rotational Planner and Grazing Chart will differ, depending on the chosen add-on. In this article, we show both sets of functions relevant to the add-ons.
Create a new Rotational Plan on the Web App
There are two methods of creating a new rotational plan, via the Farm Map or via the Grazing tab in the main menu.
Farm map
Click the green 'Add' button in the top left of the map
Select 'Create rotation'
Grazing Tab
Select the Grazing tab from the main menu.
Click 'Create rotation' in the top right corner.
Creating a Rotational Plan
Grazing Planning add-on: For those with the Grazing Planning add-on, when creating a plan, you will have the option to select the Plan Type as the first step.
The options allow you to manually enter the number of grazing days associated with the plan OR to use one of the automatic forage observation methods to populate the grazing days. The options available are:
More detail on the calculations behind these methods are found in this section below.
For those with the Movement Planning add-on, you will not need to choose a plan type.
When filling out the form for a new plan, consider the following:
Create a rotation starting today or a future date. Make sure to click 'confirm' on the date selector.
Assign a user to this plan to complete the planned livestock movements
Set a target rotation period and a default rest period for the whole plan. (These fields are optional depending on plan type).
Select the livestock you want to include in this rotation during this stage OR create the plan and add the livestock in later.
Click 'Save'
Paddock Selection and Planning
Now you will be able to select the paddocks you want to have involved in the rotational plan and the order that they will be grazed in.
For the Movement Planning Package or Manual Plan Type option:
Select paddocks using the drop down option
Enter the number of grazing days for each paddock (for the Grazing Planning Package you will be able to track rest days and additional data points)
Note you will only be able to select from a list of paddocks which are currently active on the farm.
For the Grazing Planning Package:
Select paddocks using the drop down option
Enter the relevant data points to the plan type you have selected. Some will be auto-populated based on current data within AgriWebb.
Observe and update the auto populated values as you work through your plan.
See this section below for details on how each column in the table is calculated, depending on the method you use.
Adjusting the View
You are able to adjust the view from the top right corner, choosing between a split view, full view or shifting to a side bar view.
Conflicts within a rotation
Different coloured bubbles will indicate conflicts within the plan.
The orange bubble will indicate conflicts with other rotational plans you may have created, allowing you to either continue the plan with both mobs moving through at the same time or changing the path of the current rotation.
The blue bubble indicates a conflict with the rest period. This bubble will highlight the amount of time needed to ensure the paddock is meeting your desired rest period.
Interpreting the planner - colour codes for different periods
Green bubbles - This indicates the grazing period.
Grey bubbles - This indicates rest periods.
Blue - This indicates conflicts with rest periods.
Orange bubbles - This indicates conflicts with other rotational plans you've created.
Bubbles with strikethroughs - This shows when a paddock has been used multiple times in a rotation.
Edit a Plan
On the Web App, on the rotational planner page, click 'View' on the right hand side (Actions column).
Within the window that appears, click 'Edit plan'.
This will take you to the original 'planning screen' where you can adjust paddocks, rest periods and other details about the plan.
Click save to make sure your changes are saved correctly.
Deleting a Plan
Click into the rotational planner planner page and select the plan which you'd like to delete.
The rotation dialogue box will then show all of the grazing details of the plan which is taking place, in the top left hand corner you will then see the dialogue to delete the plan.
Grazing Planning Package - Plan Types and Forage Observation Methods
As the Grazing Planning package is linked to the Performance level plans that leverage the various forage records within AgriWebb, some of these will be available data points when creating a rotational plan. The following section outlines how each forage observation method is calculated as you select them for the Rotational Plan Type.
How is the FOO method calculated?
This plan type is driven off forecasted available FOO, current pasture growth rate and the residual you want left in the paddock.
Column Name | Description |
Paddock | Paddock name |
Hectares (Ha) or Acres (Ac) | Paddock area in hectares or acres. Can be adjusted in Farm Settings |
Days since grazed | Days since stock were last in the paddock |
Today’s Feed on Offer (FOO) | Today’s feed on offer (kg DM/ha). This is pre-populated based on available data for the paddock, but can be updated when creating a plan. |
Pasture Growth Rate (PGR) | The daily pasture growth rate for the paddock today. This is pre-populated based on available data for the paddock, but can be updated when creating a plan.
Note: the PGR will be the same from today’s date, this cannot be forecasted to change. |
Target residual | The residual feed you want left in the paddock. This is pre-populated based on available data for the paddock, but can be updated when creating a plan |
Forecasted entry FOO | Today’s feed on offer (FOO) + pasture growth rate (PGR) up until the grazing period start date. |
Grazing days | This is calculated based on the forecasted entry FOO. Entry FOO - Target residual divided by animal load/area - PGR. Note: The grazing days are total available, you can adjust the grazing days to override the calculated value at any time. |
Forecasted exit FOO | The expected feed on offer left in the paddock after the grazing period. |
Rest days | Target rest days for the paddock, this will reflect on the chart so you can make sure paddocks get enough recovery. |
How is the Stock Days method calculated?
This plan type is driven off the available SDH or DDH, paddock size, target rest period and the number of paddocks selected in the rotation. Grazing periods can be adjusted as required.
Column Name | Description |
Paddock | Paddock name |
Hectares (Ha) or Acres (Ac) | Paddock area in hectares or acres. Can be adjusted in Farm Settings |
Days since grazed | Days since stock were last in the paddock |
Est SDH or DDH | Estimated stock days or DSE days per hectare |
Grazing days | Grazing days will be calculated based on the estimated SDH and paddock size and will aim to keep you on track to your target rest. Note: You can adjust the grazing days to override the calculated value at any time. Simply use the ‘undo’ icon to revert back to the AgriWebb calculated plan. |
Consumption | SDH or DDH that will be consumed over the planned grazing days. Note: A red arrow will appear when you are planning to consume more than the available feed. |
SDH (last 12m) | SDH or DDH consumed over the last 12 months |
How is the Paddock Rating method calculated?
This plan type is driven off the paddock rating (1-10), target rest period and the number of paddocks selected in the rotation. Graze periods can be adjusted as required.
Column Name | Description |
Paddock | Paddock name |
Hectares (Ha) or Acres (Ac) | Paddock area in hectares or acres. Can be adjusted in Farm Settings |
Days since grazed | Days since stock were last in the paddock |
Rating (1-10) | Your paddock rating of 1-10. 5 being your average paddock and then enter other paddock ratings from there |
Grazing days | Grazing days will be calculated based on the paddock rating and paddock size and will aim to keep you on track to your target rest. Note: You can adjust the grazing days to override the calculated value at any time. Simply use the ‘undo’ icon to revert back to the AgriWebb calculated plan. |
Consumption | SDH or DDH that will be consumed over the planned grazing days. Note: A red arrow will appear when you are planning to consume more than the available feed. |
SDH (last 12m) | SDH or DDH consumed over the last 12 months |
FAQs
How does the new grazing add on work with current grazing features on performance plans? | Performance plans grazing functionality focuses on forage records (FOO/PGR/Residual) and basic reporting. The grazing add on is focused around planning paddock rotations and is not linked directly to your forage data. |
What happens if you go off plan? | When recording moves, you can choose to adjust the plan in various ways by for example pushing out the plan to retain future planned graze lengths inserting a paddock if moving to a different location than planned. |
What happens with my plans in a live session?
| If the draft matches the next planned paddock on a plan, those animals will continue on plan. Any animals drafted into a different paddock will be removed from the plan. |
What happens when splitting a mob? | If splitting a mob, the part of the mob left in the paddock will be automatically removed from the plan (same goes for if moving some of the individuals on a plan, those left behind will be removed from the plan) |