Grazing land stocking rate
Management Activity
In this context, stocking rate can be defined as the amount of land allocated to each grazing animal for a specific time period. Stocking rate influences animal performance, pasture recovery, long-term pasture production and long-term pasture species composition. Stocking rates should represent a balance between grazing pressure (pasture demand) and carrying capacity (pasture supply). The ultimate goal should be to optimise both animal and pasture production over the long-term, as opposed to maximising only one of these. In general, improved pastures can support higher stocking rates than native/unimproved pastures.
The direct impacts of over stocking may include:
- Reduced ground cover
- Soil nutrient loss
- Soil structure decline
- Soil organic matter loss
- Increased soil compaction
- Increased invasion of environmental weeds
- Increased invasion of production system weeds
The impacts of under stocking may include:
- Build up of pasture growth
- Increased fire hazard
- Reduced livestock productivity per hectare
- Increased ground cover
Last updated 7 September 2010
