Stock demand for grass

The individual animal grass demand (KG DM/day) is estimated to be equivalent to 2.5 percent of the animals‘ liveweight in the case of beef cattle.

Individual animal demand can vary from 1.75 percent to 3.25 percent of bodyweight, depending on stage of growth. However, 2.5 percent has been found to be an acceptable average figure for calculation purposes.

For example, a 300 KG steer will have a daily grass demand of:

   300 x 0.025 = 7.5 KG DM/day

In the case of March lambing ewes suckling 1.5 lambs, intake is estimated at 3.5 percent of bodyweight.

A ewe weighing 70 KG will have a daily grass demand of

   70 x 0.035 = 2.45 KG DM/day

The daily grass demand of a dairy cow will depend on size, milk yield and concentrate feed level.

The group demand per day is calculated by multiplying the number of animals in the group by the individual animal demand. It is this information that allows the length of the grazing period in a particular paddock or area to be calculated.