Livestock equivalents
This page provides the values used by DPIRD, the Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage and the Pastoral Lands Board (PLB) for converting types and classes of stock to standard stock units. For sheep and other small stock we use dry sheep equivalents (DSEs); for cattle and other herbivores we use cattle units (CUs).
- We recommend using DSEs for small stock (sheep, goats, kangaroos) in the northern and southern rangelands.
- We use CU for large stock (cattle, horses, camels) in the northern and southern rangelands.
Please note: DPIRD is moving to use the nationally accepted and scientifically supported AE livestock unit. The definition of a CU has become inconsistent over time, is not based on livestock energy requirements, and can underestimate actual energy and feed requirements. See the references below for more information.
Using the livestock class equivalence tables
Use these equivalence values with caution:
- The values vary with size of the animals, growth rates, and reproductive rates. Higher growth rates and higher reproductive rates will have higher equivalence values.
- CUs in the northern rangelands and in the review by Petty et al (2018) are based on a 450 kg steer, and in the southern rangelands is generally based on a 400 kg steer.
- Carrying capacity in the southern rangelands not covered by Petty et al (2018) were determined in DSEs, and have been converted to CUs using 7DSEs = 1CU. There could be 2 problems with this – there is no sound research to show that this conversion is right, and there is limited data for cattle grazing values on southern rangeland pastures.
Livestock classes in standard units
Class of stock | Cattle units |
---|---|
Herd/Breeder Bulls (>2 years) | 1.5 |
Breeder cows (>2 years) | 1.4 |
Steers and spayed cows (>2 years) | 1 |
Steers and heifers (1 to 2 years) | 0.86 |
Weaners (<1 year) | 0.6 |
Calves at foot | 01 |
1 Calves at foot are included in the Breeder cow class
Class of stock | Dry sheep equivalent | |
---|---|---|
Merino | Meat breeds | |
Rams | 1.5 | 1.5 |
Ewes (breeder flock) | 1.3 | 1.4 |
Wethers/non-breeding ewes | 1 | 1 |
Weaners | 0.8 | 0.8 |
Lambs at foot | 0 | 01 |
1 Lambs at foot are included in the Ewes (breeder flock) class
Class of stock | Dry sheep equivalent |
---|---|
Bucks | 1 |
Does | 1 |
Wethers/non-breeding does | 0.7 |
Kids at foot | 01 |
1 Kids at foot are included in the Does class
Using livestock equivalents
Managers can use the estimated stocking rate in livestock equivalents in several ways:
- Comparisons with the current carrying capacity (CCC) of the lease – the long-term carrying capacity in the current pasture conditions, estimated by DPIRD and supplied by PLB.
- Short term comparison with the estimated seasonal feed on offer.
To maintain or improve pasture condition, the stocking rate must be less than the seasonal carrying capacity of the pasture. In other words, livestock removal of forage must be less than the sustainable amount of food on offer (allowing for utilisation levels and recovery needs). Stocking above the CCC for extended periods is likely to reduce productivity of the most valuable pastures.
Short-term feed budgeting requires detailed information of the business enterprise, stock types, stock classes, feed quality and amount on offer, safe utilisation rates and the intended liveweight gain of the stock.
We recommend using local and specialist advice to support your estimates of stocking rate and grazing pressure.
References
- McLennan, S 2015, Nutrient requirement tables for Nutrition EDGE Manual, Meat and Livestock Australia, Sydney, Australia, viewed 26 July 2021.
- McLennan SR, McLean I and Paton C (2020) 'Re-defining the animal unit equivalence (AE) for grazing ruminants and its application for determining forage intake, with particular relevance to the northern Australian grazing industries', Meat and Livestock Australia, North Sydney, Australia, accessed 26 July 2021.
- Petty, S, Blood, D, Addison, J and Petty, E (2018) Potential carrying capacity review, Spektrum Consulting report for Landgate, Western Australia, accessed 26 July 2021.
- Sainz RD et al (2013) Performance, efficiency and estimated maintenance energy requirements of Bos taurus and Bos indicus cattle, In Oltjen J.W., Kebreab E., Lapierre H. (eds) 'Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production', Energy and protein metabolism and nutrition in sustainable animal production, vol 134. Wageningen Academic Publishers, Wageningen, accessed 26 July 2021.
- Terence J Dawson, Adam J Munn 2007, 'How much do kangaroos of differing age and size eat relative to domestic stock?: implications for the arid rangelands', Animals of Arid Australia: Out on their own?, eds. Chris Dickman, Daniel Lunney, Shelley Burgin, Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, accessed 26 July 2021.
- van Gool, D, Angell, K & Stephens, L (2000) 'Stocking rate guidelines for rural small holdings, Swan Coastal Plain and Darling Scarp and surrounds, Western Australia', Miscellaneous publication 2/00, Department of Agriculture and Food, Western Australia, Perth, accessed 28 July 2022.
- Future Beef (nd) Application of updated animal equivalents (AE) approach, Future Beef, accessed 3 May 2023.
- Bush Agribusiness (n.d.) Animal unit methodology, accessed 3 May 2023.