Algorithm for cows: Luxembourg launches digital tool for sustainable pasture management

Pastoralism and dairy production remain the backbone of Luxembourg's agriculture. And although cows graze the same way they did a century ago, the technology that manages these processes has come a long way. Luxembourg's Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Wine has unveiled a new online tool called "Méi Weed", available on the www.agrimeteo.lu platform. The aim of the tool is to optimise green space management taking into account climatic conditions and grass growth forecasts.

Successful pasture management requires not only knowledge of the current condition of the land, but also an understanding of how much grass will grow in the coming days. This is important for both balanced animal feeding and sustainable land use.

"Méi Weed" uses agrometeorological data from the AgriMeteo platform to simulate daily grass growth on specific sites. The model takes into account weather conditions, soil type and other padoclimatic parameters specific to Luxembourg. In this way, farmers can estimate the amount of available green mass in advance and plan grazing and animal feeding in a more accurate and environmentally friendly way.

This is particularly important in the context of climate change, when traditional methods of pasture management are becoming less and less reliable. Forecasts can prevent both under-utilisation and over-utilisation of sites, while maintaining their productivity and biodiversity.