Ashley crops 1200 hectares at Urania. He used to run a piggery and sheep, but with poor pig prices moved to all cropping in the past year.

The land cropped is usually a third wheat, a third barley and then a third legumes, mainly canola with a few peas and chickpeas.

Ashley has been involved with the Southern Precision Agriculture Assocation since its inception seven years ago.

He started down the 'precision ag' path in 1996 when he began yield mapping. A protein meter was added to his header in 2002.

"I then got into guidance systems and in 2004 went to full auto steer," he said.

Ashley started using a Yara precision nitrogen sensor last season.

"I was fortunate enough that friend of mine had a mate in England who had one to spare," he said.

"He sent it out for me try and I started trialling it last year.

"I trialled half a dozen paddocks last year and this year used it with all of my canola, I've done a bit of wheat with it and still have some barley to do."

The original Yara sensor Ashley trialled was a 'passive' system, which could only be used in sunlight hours.

"There is a new sensor which has an active light source, that can be used 24/7," he said.

"It will be released commercially in Janaury next year."

* Extract from a full report in Stock Journal, August 14 issue.