Feed wedge guide: how to read and use a pasture wedge

A feed wedge turns a farm full of pasture readings into a clear picture of where feed sits today, and which decision may need your attention next.

When you have dozens of paddocks, a list of pasture covers can be hard to hold in your head. A feed wedge arranges those readings so you can compare paddocks at a glance, see how they sit against your targets and discuss the next move with the people involved in the grazing plan.

The chart is useful because it makes the distribution of pasture visible. It can help you decide which paddock is likely to be grazed next, recognise a developing surplus or deficit and keep the grazing plan aligned with what is actually on the farm. It remains a decision-support tool: the best action still depends on stock needs, pasture quality, access, weather, soil conditions and your knowledge of the farm.

What is a feed wedge?

A feed wedge is a grazing chart that ranks paddocks by average pasture cover, usually from the highest cover to the lowest, for a selected point in time. Each bar represents a paddock. The height of the bar shows its pasture cover, while a target line provides a reference for the distribution of feed you are aiming to maintain across the grazing round.

Depending on where you farm, you may hear the same core chart called a pasture wedge, grass wedge or grazing wedge. The units and local terminology can vary, but the purpose is similar: to turn paddock measurements into a farm-wide view that is easier to interpret.

Pasture.io adds a predictive layer to the standard feed wedge. Its machine-learning pasture model combines satellite observations, local weather and forecasts, soil conditions, pasture history and recorded activities such as grazings and fertiliser applications to estimate current and near-term paddock covers. The Pasture Feed Wedge brings those estimates into one farm-wide view.

How to read a feed wedge chart

A useful way to read a feed wedge is to work through five steps:

1. Check the selected date and the data behind it

Start by confirming which date the chart represents and whether the relevant paddock readings, grazings, harvests and exclusions are current. A clean-looking wedge built on stale or incomplete records can give a false sense of certainty. If a paddock has been shut for silage, is unavailable or has not been measured, make sure that context is visible before acting on the ranking.

2. Read the paddock bars from high cover to low cover

The bars show how pasture is distributed across the farm at the selected time. Paddocks at the high-cover end generally carry more pasture than those at the low-cover end. The order gives you a quick comparison, but the tallest bar is not automatically the next paddock to graze. Check pasture quality, grazing history, access, herd allocation and any planned activities before finalising the order.

3. Compare the bars with the target line

The target line connects the pre-grazing and post-grazing cover targets used for the farm. It represents the feed distribution you are working towards across the round. Bars well above the line can signal a possible surplus or a paddock getting ahead of grazing demand. Bars below it can indicate a developing deficit, a slower-than-expected recovery or a gap that needs investigation.

4. Look at the shape of the whole wedge

Avoid reading one bar in isolation. A broad group of paddocks above the target line tells a different story from one exceptional paddock. Likewise, several paddocks below the line may matter more than a single low-cover paddock with a known explanation. The overall shape helps you judge whether the issue is paddock-specific or farm-wide.

5. Turn the pattern into a decision

Ask what needs to change now: the next grazing choice, area removed for conservation, supplement use, stocking demand, rotation length, target settings or the timing of another measurement. Record the decision, then revisit the wedge as pasture growth, demand and paddock availability change.

What the target line does (and does not) tell you

The target line is a reference, not a pass-or-fail test for every paddock. A paddock may sit above or below it for a valid reason: recent weather, differing soil type, a reseeding programme, conservation plans, irrigation, an animal-health constraint or an intentional change in rotation.

When the grazing round is relatively stable, the line makes it easier to see where paddock covers are diverging from the distribution you want. When the round is being lengthened or shortened, or conditions are changing quickly, use the wedge alongside a rotation planner, feed budget and current farm observations. The chart can reveal the pattern, but it cannot explain every cause.

Average pasture cover (APC) summarises the average cover across the area included in the calculation. The wedge adds distribution: two farms—or two weeks—can have a similar APC while the spread of feed across paddocks looks very different. That is why APC and the wedge work well together. For more detail on how APC is calculated and used, see Pasture.io’s guide to average pasture cover. For a practical routine that brings average pasture cover, growth, demand, residuals and paddock order together, see how to turn pasture data into clearer grazing decisions.

Using a feed wedge to choose what to graze next

The high-cover end of the wedge is the natural place to start looking for the next grazing. From there, apply the practical filters that a chart cannot fully represent: pasture quality and composition, days since grazing, stock class, access, water, weather exposure, soil condition and any activities already planned for the paddock.

The aim is not to follow the ranking blindly. It is to make the comparison faster and the reasoning clearer. If you choose a paddock that is not first in the ranking, record why. That creates a useful shared history for the farm team and makes the next review easier.

In Pasture.io, Pio Says Graze provides a related ranking based on cover and time since grazing or harvest, with feed available used as a small tie-breaker. It can narrow the shortlist, but the final choice remains a farm decision.

For more information on Pio Says Graze, see our help article: How Pio Says Graze ranks paddocks.

Recognising a pasture surplus

A surplus appears when more pasture is available than the current grazing demand is likely to use while maintaining quality and the desired round. On the wedge, you may see several higher-cover paddocks sitting above the target line or pulling away from the rest of the distribution.

Possible responses include bringing a paddock forward in the grazing order, removing suitable paddocks from the round for silage or hay, changing demand or revisiting the plan. The correct response depends on the size and likely duration of the surplus, pasture quality, weather and conservation capacity. Acting on one high bar without checking the rest of the farm can turn a temporary difference into the wrong decision. For a seasonal New Zealand example, see how to build an autumn pasture surplus ahead of slower winter growth.

Recognising a pasture deficit

A deficit appears when pasture supply is falling behind demand or the desired cover profile. Several paddocks below the target line, a thin high-cover end, or a gap before the next paddocks are ready can prompt an earlier review.

The response might involve extending the round, adjusting demand, using supplementary feed wisely, revising targets or protecting pasture recovery. If the apparent deficit is unexpected, first check for missing readings, excluded paddocks or unrecorded activities. On farms using field-collected measurements, such as a plate meter or tow-behind pasture meter, that may mean remeasuring an uncertain paddock or bringing the next farm walk forward. Remeasuring won’t fix the deficit, but it can help confirm whether the gap is widening or easing and whether the changes you make are working.

💡Tip: Pasture.io satellite plans automatically update pasture cover estimates when a new satellite image is available. When a usable image is unavailable (e.g. because of cloud), the Cloudy Days Model helps fill the gap with modelled cover estimates until fresh imagery becomes available.

A customer example: separating today’s feed decision from long-term paddock performance

Logan Haynes’ experience shows two different jobs that are easy to blend together. Historical paddock records help him compare performance over time and decide where soil testing, regrassing or undersowing may be needed. The feed wedge answers a different question: when current feed is in surplus, which paddocks can confidently leave the grazing round for conservation?

The useful lesson is the workflow: use historical paddock information for long-term improvement decisions, and use the feed wedge to compare current paddock covers and act on the farm’s present feed position.

Current-state view versus historical paddock performance

A feed wedge compares paddocks with one another at a selected point in time. That makes it well suited to questions such as:

• Where is feed concentrated?
• Which paddocks are approaching grazing?
• Is a surplus or deficit developing?

It is not the best view for asking whether one paddock has underperformed over a month, season or year. For that job, use paddock-level records and a historical date range to review measures such as growth rate, grazing history and other relevant events. Keeping these two jobs separate prevents a current ranking from being mistaken for a long-term performance trend.

How Pasture.io’s feed-wedge views support planning

Pasture.io’s Pasture Feed Wedge is linked to the selected farm date. Past dates show the wedge at that point; future dates show how the estimated distribution may change using modelled covers and recorded activities. These near-term estimates draw on local weather and forecasts, soil conditions and pasture history. Compare them with what you see on farm and keep records and plans current.

You can filter the feed wedge by paddock tags, herd, paddock use or irrigation status, then select the paddocks relevant to the decision you are making. You can also sort the view, show every paddock at the same width or scale the bars to paddock area, and view the total feed available.

If you need to discuss the grazing plan with staff or an adviser, you can download the chart as an image and share it. For step-by-step instructions, see Working with the Pasture Feed Wedge. Prefer to see the Pasture.io feed wedge in action? Watch this walkthrough of the different display options and how they can help you compare pasture cover and available feed across the farm.

When you want to test a specific what-if question, the Scenario Feed Wedge is a useful tool. The Scenario Feed Wedge helps you test different growth and demand assumptions to see how they would affect your feed wedge over the next 1–4 weeks, without changing any grazing records or farm history.

For more detailed instructions, see our help guides here: Working with the Pasture Feed Wedge and What is the Scenario Feed Wedge?

When the wedge needs another tool beside it

A feed wedge is strongest when it is part of a simple planning system. Add another tool or check when:

• the grazing round is being lengthened or shortened significantly
• growth and demand are changing quickly through a seasonal transition
• you need to test alternative growth, demand or paddock-exclusion assumptions
• you need a detailed feed budget rather than a visual distribution
• readings are incomplete or some paddocks are unavailable
• you are reviewing one paddock’s historical performance rather than comparing paddocks now
• the farm team needs to turn the chosen action into a shared grazing plan.

The wedge helps you see the current pattern. A Scenario Feed Wedge helps explore assumptions. A grazing planner turns an intended sequence into a workable plan. Paddock records help explain performance over time. Used together, they support a more complete decision without pretending the software knows everything happening on farm.

Common feed-wedge traps

Using stale readings. The ranking may no longer represent the farm. Check the selected date and current readings for all relevant paddocks before interpreting the chart.

Treating the target line as a rule. A valid farm constraint may explain an exception. Use the line as a reference and investigate the pattern.

Grazing the tallest bar automatically. Cover is only one part of grazing readiness. Check pasture quality, time since grazing, access, stock needs and planned activities.

Calling one high paddock a surplus. One paddock may be an exception. Read the shape of the whole wedge and consider likely growth against demand.

Using the wedge as a history chart. A snapshot cannot establish a long-term trend. Use paddock-level records and a suitable date range to review historical performance.

Assuming the future view is certain. Projected covers depend on model inputs, weather forecasts, soil conditions, farm records and the forecast horizon. Use future and scenario views as estimates, then revise the plan as actual conditions change.

A practical feed-wedge routine

A repeatable routine is more useful than a complicated one. Each time you review the wedge:

• Confirm the date, included paddocks and current readings for all relevant paddocks.
• Read APC and the overall distribution together.
• Compare the bars with the target line and identify meaningful exceptions.
• Shortlist the next grazing options, then apply farm context.
• Check whether a surplus or deficit needs action now or closer monitoring.
• Record the grazing, conservation or feed-plan decision.
• Review again after a material change in pasture growth, demand, weather or paddock availability.

The objective is not a perfect wedge. It is a current, shared view that helps the team notice changes early and make the next decision with clearer evidence.

Feed wedge questions farmers often ask

Is a feed wedge the same as a grass wedge or pasture wedge?

Generally, yes. Feed wedge, pasture wedge, grass wedge and grazing wedge are regional names for the same core chart: paddocks ranked by pasture cover against a reference line. Always check local units and how the software defines the included area.

Does the first paddock on the wedge have to be grazed next?

No. The ranking provides a starting point. Pasture quality, time since grazing, access, stock requirements, ground conditions and planned activities can justify a different choice.

How does a feed wedge relate to average pasture cover?

APC summarises average cover across the included area. The wedge shows how that feed is distributed between paddocks. Use both: the average tells you the broad position; the wedge shows where the difference sits.

Can a feed wedge predict pasture growth?

Pasture.io’s predictive view estimates how paddock covers and the farm-wide distribution may change over the near term. Its machine-learning model uses local weather and forecasts, soil conditions, pasture history and recorded farm activities. The Scenario Feed Wedge tests alternative growth and demand assumptions. Neither removes uncertainty, so compare forecasts with on-farm observations and update the inputs as conditions change.

Can I use the wedge to compare one paddock across the season?

Not as the primary method. Use paddock-level historical views and records for that question. Use the wedge to compare paddocks with each other at a selected point in time.

From pasture readings to the next decision

A good feed wedge does not make the season predictable. It makes the farm’s current feed position easier to see, explain and revisit.

Keep the measurements and targets current. Read the chart as a whole. Apply the realities you can see on farm. Then record the next action so the plan and the pasture stay connected.

Want to take your pasture management to the next level?
Explore how Pasture.io brings pasture readings, feed wedges, grazing plans and farm records together.

- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2026-09-24