Managing High-Moisture Pastures - Cattle

Managing High-Moisture Pastures – Cattle

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.

Cattle Per Feeder(Required)

When there is some feed on offer in the paddock, the maximum number of cattle per grain/pellet feeder is 50 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 (kg/head/day)(Required)

1kg / day is a common ration to supplement through this period.

Total Grain/Pellets Consumed (kg)

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

0.5kg / day is a common ration to supplement through this period for a medium frame cows.

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 the hay feeders can be found on the PRICES page.

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 cows to increase at least 66%.

Daily Cost of the Alternative ($)(Required)

Example: feeding cows 10kg/day at a feed cost of $175/tonne is $1.75/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 high moisture content, causing grasses to break down quickly in the rumen. This can result in nutrients leaving the rumen before being 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 2-year-old steers with 1 kg of barley can increase stocking rates by 50%.

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 – Cattle

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, particularly on mixed farms where livestock utilise stubbles. Better pasture utilisation allows more stock to be carried on a given area.
Multi-purpose feeder use: Feeders can be used for other purposes throughout the year, lowering depreciation costs and improving return on investment.

Grain Feeders

Creep Feeders

Hay Feeders

Accessories

Spare Parts

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