Many livestock decisions are based on experience or “gut feel” and while this may be appropriate most of the time, more confident decisions can be made when some measured information is included in the decision.

MLA, AWI, the Evergraze project and others have spent large amounts of time and money developing decision support tools, but most producers don’t use them because decisions need to be made quickly, or the last thing they want to do is sit in front of a computer.

However, some simple and easy “rules of thumb” and pasture assessment skills can provide an objective balance to decisions on stocking rate or sales strategy.

Calculating feed availability and expected grazing days, allows for the near future to be better estimated and appropriate management put into place early. The aim is to avoid management by crisis and minimise hand-feeding of stock.

Rules of thumb that are easy to remember and accurate enough are:

1 DSE consumes between 1.0 and 1.5 kg DM/hd/day including wastage
600 kg DM/ ha – minimum feed on offer to maintain satisfactory production for dry Merino sheep
800 kg DM/ ha – minimum feed on offer to maintain satisfactory production for a Merino lamb
1,200 kg DM /ha – minimum feed on offer to maintain satisfactory production for a lactating Merino ewe with a single Merino lamb
1,500 kg DM/ha – minimum feed on offer to maintain satisfactory production for a lactating Merino ewe with a single 1st X lamb

Assessing the feed on offer should be done on a regular basis when checking stock. Once the eye is trained it can be a relatively fast process. However, the way to simplify the training is to use an MLA pasture ruler or pasture reference pictures, which can be obtained from MLA and AWI. These tools allow for a better estimation of the pasture herbage mass.

Expected pasture growth rate tables can be obtained from the MLA web site, which provide an adequate estimate of daily pasture growth rates for various locations and times of the year.

With the above information, a fodder budget can be created to provide a basis for short to medium term decision making. The example below outlines a typical calculation which can be made during a spring such as this, to assist in decision making.

Therefore if the stock number on the paddock is 900 or less and the pasture quality is adequate, there is likely to be enough feed available in the next four weeks to carry the lambs to sucker weight.

Or alternatively,

If the lambs don’t make sucker weight in three to four weeks, or seasonal conditions deteriorate, the decision then becomes whether to sell the lambs early at market price, or commit to feeding the lambs and hope for a higher return.

Whether these calculations are done in a structured manner as above, or through gut feel based on experience, is of little consequence. The value in the exercise comes through being proactive and decisive. As stated above, the aim is to avoid management by crisis and minimize hand-feeding of stock because alternative options have expired.

Managing Stocking Rate