Value of sheep pasture, and the relationship between pasture production and stocking rate

Abstract

Relationships are presented between pasture production measured by the rate-of-growth technique, and ‘present average’ and ‘top’ farmer stocking rates on sheep farms. Data were obtained from the New Zealand Land Resource Inventory Survey. One stock unit corresponds to a pasture production of 748 kg/year for the ‘average’ farmer and 575 kg/year for the ‘top’ farmer. Used to increase stocking rate, each additional kg of pasture is worth 3 and 4 c/kg respectively at 1984 prices. Used to increase per animal performance, its value is 40–55% less for the ‘average’ farmer and 0–25% less for the ‘top’ farmer (1.5–2 and 3–4 c/kg respectively). Stocking rates relate more closely to autumn production than to annual production or to that of any other season.

Keywords:

• stocking rate
• sheep production
• pasture growth
• carrying capacity