Managing High-Moisture Pastures - Sheep

Managing High-Moisture Pastures – Sheep

Fully utilising pasture that is high in moisture that usually occurs in a feed gap leads to a higher carrying capacity and higher farm income.

Compare supplementing on high moisture pastures to providing no additional supplement.

Sheep Per Feeder(Required)

When there is some feed on offer in the paddock, the maximum number of sheep per grain/pellet feeder is 200 and depending on the type of hay feeder, it can be the same.

Period of Feeding (days)(Required)

Depending on the region, supplementing through the cold and overcast period can often be 75 days.

Average Grain/Pellet Consumption (g/head/day)(Required)

300g / day is a common ration to supplement through this period.

Total Grain/Pellets Consumed (kg)

Average Straw/Hay Consumption (g/head/day)(Required)

100g / day is a common ration to supplement through this period for a medium frame ewes.

Total Straw/Hay Consumed (kg)

Cost of Grain/Pellets per Tonne ($)(Required)

Enter the cost of your feed ration.

Total Cost of Grain/Pellets Consumed ($)

Cost of Straw/Hay per Tonne ($)(Required)

Enter the cost of your feed ration.

Total Cost of Straw/Hay Consumed ($)

Investment in a Grain/Pellet Feeder ($)(Required)

Current pricing on feeders can be found on our Product Directory.

Investment in a Hay Feeder ($)(Required)

Current price of a CHF is $875+GST and the SGHF is $1550+GST.

Lifespan of the Products (years)(Required)

Please enter a number from 1 to 30.

How long the product is expected to last. Maximum input is 30.

Depreciation Cost ($/year)

Straight line depreciation over two-thirds the combined lifespan of the products with a $0 residual. Assumes the feeders are only used for this period each year.

Filling and Labour Cost ($/tonne)(Required)

Input costs include moving feeders, training stock, filling feeders and organising the purchase of feed.

Total Filling Cost ($)

Increase in Stocking Rate (%)(Required)

Advantage Feeders case studies have showed it is common for the stocking rate of ewes to increase at least 66%.

Daily Cost of the Alternative ($)(Required)

Example: feeding late pregnancy 60kg ewes takes about 1.5kg of feed. If feed is $0.33/kg, this amounts to $0.50/day. This includes filling and labour costs.

Total Cost of the Alternative ($)

Total cost of the alternative to the increased stocking rate (feeding 100%% of the ration to the increased stock carried).

Additional Profit ($)

Additional profit gained through this feeding period.

Payback Period (months)

Number of months for the additional profit to exceed the investment in the products.

Email Address(Required)

Enter your email address to have a copy of these results sent to you.

Boost Stocking Rates with Supplementation

New season pastures often have a high moisture content, causing grasses to break down quickly in the rumen. This can result in nutrients leaving the rumen before they are fully utilised, often visible as soft dung.

Supplementing new pastures with starch and effective fibre helps improve nutrient utilisation and allows farmers to significantly increase stocking rates. Research shows that supplementing ewes with 300 g/day of oats can increase stocking rates by 85%.

Our information sheet provides a brief overview and explains:

How pasture composition can limit production.
The latest science on correcting pasture-related issues.
How to quantify potential gains from complementary feeding.

Additional Considerations Managing High-Moisture Pastures – Sheep

Farming operations are complex, and the following factors are not included in this calculator:

Stocking constraints: During periods of low pasture growth, feed availability can limit stock numbers, especially on mixed farms with stubbles. Better pasture utilisation during these periods allows more stock to be carried on a given area.
Multi-purpose feeder use: Feeders can be reused for other purposes throughout the year, reducing depreciation costs and improving return on investment.
Wool growth and quality: Supplementing ewes during lambing and lactation supports extra wool growth and helps maintain tensile strength, preserving wool value.

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Creep Feeders

Hay Feeders

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