REGENEREX Operational Group: Holistic grazing planning through integrated digital technology

The result is the characterization and quantification of pasture availability on each participating farm to design holistic and sustainable grazing strategies. The initial pasture characterization will provide detailed information on the botanical composition, seasonality, and actual productivity of each pilot farm. This data is essential to understanding how much forage each area produces and how it responds to different times of the year. Based on this information, a holistic grazing strategy will be designed, tailored to each farm, optimizing herd movement and preventing overgrazing. For livestock farmers, this means having a clear and personalized plan that improves pasture utilization, increases productivity, and reduces costs by adjusting stocking rates to the specific conditions of their farm.

The result is a forage availability modeling study. The preliminary definition of NDVI and the methodology for converting it into biomass will allow satellite images to be translated into useful information for deciding when and where to graze. The developed functions will be adapted to each type of pasture, climate, and livestock species, guaranteeing reliable results in real-world situations. After validation, livestock farmers will be able to know the amount of forage available without needing to measure it in the field, anticipate pasture growth, and better plan herd movements. This will improve productivity and facilitate more efficient and sustainable holistic management.

The result is the installation of virtual fencing and beacon technology using GPS collars, along with practical training for livestock farmers. The preliminary installation of the virtual fencing and beacon system will allow for testing its functionality under real-world conditions and adapting it to the specific characteristics of each pilot farm. This phase ensures that the devices work correctly for cattle, sheep, and goats, guaranteeing accurate livestock location and reliable virtual boundaries. Once operational on all farms, farmers will be able to move their herds without the need for physical fences, reducing handling time and improving grazing management. The installation report will include practical lessons learned and recommendations for a quick and effective implementation on any extensive farm.

The result is the validation of the functionality of the virtual fencing and marking technology for holistic grazing planning and management. Preliminary validation on pilot farms will allow researchers to test how cattle, sheep, and goats react to the virtual fences and holistic grazing plans. This phase is crucial to ensure the system is safe, practical, and understandable for the animals before its rollout to more farms. The generated documentation will include monitoring protocols, species-specific reports, and management recommendations, making it easy for any livestock farmer to replicate the system with adjustments tailored to their specific circumstances. With the adaptation confirmed, users will be able to implement regenerative management with greater confidence, improve livestock control, and optimize pasture use.

The result is the design, development, and integration of parameters into a digital system for intelligent holistic grazing planning. The initial software design will define what data the system needs, how it is processed, and how it is displayed to the user, ensuring an intuitive and useful tool for grazing planning. The preliminary integration of AgriSat satellite data will add key information such as estimated biomass, NDVI trends, and pasture distribution in each paddock. With the digital system fully defined, livestock farmers will be able to know the actual availability of forage, anticipate management decisions, and optimize herd movements. This will reduce costs, improve productivity, and facilitate daily management through objective and up-to-date information.

The result is the generation of virtual fences and the extrapolation of data into reports for farms. The initial software development will allow for the creation of virtual fences compatible with different platforms and the easy visualization of grazing plans. The final tool will integrate these elements into an operating system connected to the Digital Farm Logbook, facilitating the automatic recording of paddock usage and compliance with administrative obligations without extra work. For livestock farmers, this means less time spent on paperwork, greater control over herd movements, and more efficient management of grazing cycles. The technical manual and direct access to the tool will allow for its rapid implementation on any extensive farm.

The result is the functional and technical validation of the comprehensive holistic grazing planning system under real-world field conditions. Validating the system will allow for field testing to determine whether it truly improves productivity, management, and animal welfare on pilot farms. To this end, clear and easily measurable indicators will be defined, along with observation protocols and practical evaluation tools. Surveys and interviews will help gather the genuine opinions of farmers and technicians regarding its usefulness and ease of use. Thanks to this validation, professionals can be confident that the system works under real-world conditions, understand its benefits, and decide how to implement it on their own farms to optimize grazing and reduce costs.

The result is the transfer and training of the comprehensive holistic grazing planning system. The transfer materials will allow livestock farmers to learn step-by-step how to implement the grazing system through user-friendly manuals, guides, videos, and publications. Their development and validation will ensure that each tool is clear, practical, and useful on the farm. Workshops and training sessions with field demonstrations will be held where users can ask questions, see results, and share experiences. This will facilitate the adoption of the system, improve pasture management, and reduce operating costs. Download records, attendance data, and surveys will allow us to measure which content works best and adapt the training to the sector's actual needs.

The outcome of this dissemination effort will be improved internal communication among the members of the Operational Group. Strong internal communication will enable the Operational Group to work in a coordinated, rapid, and efficient manner from the project's inception. The communication plan will facilitate streamlined online meetings, task tracking, and more fluid decision-making among all members. For participants, this translates to saving time, avoiding coordination errors, and always having access to up-to-date information. The improved internal organization will allow for more confident progress, adherence to deadlines, and a more effective response to any project needs, ensuring that all actions related to the dissemination, validation, and implementation of the grazing system proceed smoothly and without delays.

The dissemination outcome will be the development of outreach tools for the operational group, aimed at various social actors and public and private institutions that may be potential users or stakeholders in the sector. The project will create clear and accessible tools so that livestock farmers and organizations can easily understand the grazing system and how to implement it. A project website, visual materials, and an active social media strategy will be launched to explain the system's benefits and showcase real-world examples. The launch event and participation in trade fairs will provide opportunities to answer questions live and see the technology in operation. These actions will enable any professional to quickly identify the system's advantages: improved grazing organization, greater herd control, reduced costs, and easy access to useful and up-to-date information to enhance their farm management.

The goal of this outreach effort is to disseminate the integrated grazing system to all extensive livestock farms nationwide, thereby differentiating and gaining recognition for the technology throughout the livestock sector. This will allow any extensive livestock farm to learn about and benefit from the new grazing system thanks to widespread dissemination through social media, traditional media, and livestock fairs. The results will be presented in a user-friendly way through videos, webinars, and direct meetings, demonstrating how the technology can save time, improve livestock management, and increase pasture productivity without requiring additional infrastructure investment. At fairs and workshops, step-by-step instructions will be provided on how to implement the system on real farms. For livestock farmers, this means accessing practical information, comparing their operations with others, and discovering solutions that reduce costs and improve daily management.

The dissemination outcome will be the organization of training sessions on the integrated system and an internationalization plan for the GO's results. The project will offer practical workshops and a real-world pilot experience where livestock farmers can see how the integrated system improves livestock management, reduces costs, and facilitates daily operations thanks to virtual fencing and intelligent grazing planning. Success stories will be showcased, and explanations will be given on how to apply the technology to any extensive farm. Furthermore, national and international dissemination will provide access to new opportunities and insights from other countries. Professionals will be able to leverage these results to increase pasture productivity, reduce losses, and easily comply with digital obligations.