‘Eddy’ on tour

Katestone has just completed the installation of an eddy covariance system at the University of Queensland’s test feedlot. The system, known as ‘Eddy’, is part of a research program investigating heat stress in feedlot cattle. While Katestone measures the atmospheric fluxes of heat, moisture and momentum, the UQ team will be measuring the internal fluxes of the cattle. Together the data will allow for a complete energy budget to be derived, which will ultimately lead to a more accurate representation of accumulation and dissipation of heat in feedlot cattle. By managing heat stress, cattle are more productive and enjoy a higher a quality of life, which is important to everyone.

Eddy will be recording from November 1 2013 to April 1 2014 with a real time uplink to Katestone’s Brisbane office where we will monitor the hourly variations and compare it with our forecast for the site. Our forecast model predicts the same variables that Eddy is measuring, so we can better test the accuracy and sensitivity of our model. We can then incorporate this knowledge into our forecast, improving its performance and providing the best possible service to our clients.

If you would like to learn more about the eddy covariance technique or how Katestone can help you with boundary layer applications or how meteorology impacts your activity, contact the Meteorology and Forecasting Group today.