SiloSure feed monitoring aims to boost NZ farm efficiency, safety
GrainSure and Nutrinza have entered a five-year partnership to roll out a feed-silo monitoring system across New Zealand, aiming to improve visibility, safety, and efficiency for farmers and the broader feed supply chain. The system, marketed as SiloSure, uses solar-powered sensors and digital tools to help farmers monitor on-site feed levels and to enable suppliers to optimise deliveries.
Supply chain gains
The SiloSure solution provides instant data on feed quantities remaining in silos, reducing the need for farmers to physically check levels. This approach supports planned deliveries rather than emergency supply runs, and has the potential to lower operating costs for both farmers and feed suppliers by making deliveries more efficient and reducing mileage for logistics fleets.
Feed suppliers granted access to data can pre-plan deliveries, capitalising on fuller loads and streamlining transport. This can help reduce costs and waste, and mitigate disruptions in feed availability that may impact farm productivity.
Farm operations
For farmers, the SiloSure system offers real-time visibility into silo contents via a mobile application. The platform provides live feed level readings, trends in usage, and predictive alerts about when feed stocks will run out. Automated notifications prompt timely feed orders, aiming to minimise the risk of costly production losses due to empty silos.
The sensors and related hardware are designed for durability in New Zealand conditions and can be installed across a range of silo types and farm scales. According to early users, installation and ongoing support from Nutrinza have enabled efficient adoption and benefits in day-to-day operations.
Product feedback
Farmers have reported time savings and improved feed management since adopting the technology. Josh A, who uses the system, said: "I am using the app daily to check my fill levels. It is great that I don't have to climb the silo regularly just to check grain levels manually and has saved me lots of time. Now I just have to check the fill level on my phone and I know when to order."
Gavin H, another user, said: "You can not manage what you do not measure! As we feed multiple blends at the same time from three silos to specific groups throughout the year, focusing on animal health and individual animal performance, to ensure that the best possible financial response is achieved. This system enables me to ensure we never run short."
Health and safety
The system also addresses on-farm safety by reducing the need for manual silo inspections, which often require climbing and can present health and safety hazards. SiloSure aims to remove this risk through automated monitoring.
"Manually monitoring silos is time consuming. It's also a health and safety concern for farmers and their staff having to climb up the silo to check feed levels. Removing that risk, along with the risk of lost milk production due to feed running out, is a real game changer," said Warren Morritt, Managing Director, Nutrinza.
Predicting losses
For dairy farmers, running out of feed can have a rapid and significant impact on production. Mark Simon, Managing Director, GrainSure, said: "Just 24 hours without feed can reduce the next day's milk production by around 30% and take up to a week to recover. That's about $7,000 in lost revenue on an average NZ dairy farm. GrainSure helps farmers avoid those entirely preventable losses."
Industry milestone
"We're proud to be the technology solution behind SiloSure. Farmers have been asking for a practical, reliable solution for years - and together we're delivering it," said Simon.
