Free calculator · stocking rate

How many animals do you run per hectare?

Enter how many animals you have, their average weight and how much pasture they use, and we give you the stocking rate in animal units.

With sample numbers: replace them with yours.

Groups
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How it is calculated

AU = kilos of live weight ÷ 450 (about 1,000 lb). One animal unit is a 450 kg animal, as in the app’s paddock module. The kilos of all groups are added up, turned into AU and divided by the area. 1 hectare = 2.47 acres.

How many AU your pasture can carry depends on the forage and the season. You find that out by measuring forage, which the app does with a quadrat or by pasture height.

Questions

What is the ideal stocking rate?

There is no single number for every operation: it depends on the forage, rainfall and management. Measure your forage and match the stocking rate to what your pasture really grows.

Why 450 kg?

It is the most common yardstick for comparing animals of different sizes: a 450 kg cow is 1 AU and a 300 kg steer is 0.67.

Let AURA keep track for you

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