Increase pasture utilisation on part of your property

When trying to increase pasture utilisation, start off with one or two paddocks as a trial, to practise pasture and stock assessment skills and feed budgeting. It may be the better land classes or paddocks where there are obvious signs of poor utilisation (too much dead pasture, low legume content).

It is often best to make incremental lifts towards your stocking rate target which will allow you to increase confidence and build skills. For example, you might decide to increase the stocking rate in winter by 10% this year, based on analysis of the average pasture supply curve and the amount of dead pasture left in paddocks. One option could be to retain an older age group of ewes or more wethers, rather than purchasing stock if the risk of introducing disease is a concern.