Africa Estate Farm Tools
How many cattle can this farm carry?
The veld hectares divided by the long-term grazing capacity norm gives the large stock units the farm carries; the Act's table turns that into cows, sheep, goats or game. Add your own herd to see how it stands against the capacity, with a safety margin and a drought year.
1. The veld and the norm
leave out lands, yard and dense bush.
Mean values of the official long-term grazing capacity map (DAFF 2016/2017).
From the provincial map or your grazing capacity certificate; it replaces the biome default.
2. What you want to run
A cow with a calf at foot needs more: Meissner's table gives 1.4 LSU for a 450 kg cow with calf and 1.55 for 525 kg. Choose "Cow or heifer" for the Act's value or enter your own herd below.
3. Your current herd (optional)
Assumptions used (change any of them)
Planning choice, not a published norm: stock below the long-term capacity.
Planning choice: the map's values are for veld in good condition.
- Capacity = veld hectares divided by the norm (CARA regulation 11). One LSU = a 450 kg animal gaining 0,5 kg a day.
- Norms: DAFF Long Term Grazing Capacity Map for South Africa 2016/2017 (GG 41870, GN 898, 31 Aug 2018). Grazing capacity norms: Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Long Term Grazing Capacity Map 2016/2017.
- LSU per animal: CARA regulations, Table 2 (GN R.2687 of 1985, in force 1 April 1986); cross-checked with Meissner, Hofmeyr, Van Rensburg and Pienaar (1983), Tech. Comm. 175, via FAO and SASAS 2017.
- Sheep: Herselman, M.J., Grootfontein ADI, Evaluation of large stock unit equivalents for sheep: the Act's values and the study's values are both shown.
The answer
Enter the veld hectares and choose the norm to start.
Large stock units
0
Cow or heifer
0
With 30% margin
0
Drought year
0
Grazing farms for sale
Africa Estate cattle and grazing farms, newest first.
What this does not tell you
- A long-term norm for veld in good condition (DAFF map, 2018). Your farm's grazing capacity certificate, a veld survey or the Resource Auditor's determination replaces it.
- Tree cover and browsing are not in the norm; a bushveld or game farm needs a separate assessment.
- The Act's sheep values overstate ewe numbers for Dorper and Afrino (Grootfontein); both values are shown.
- The safety margin and the drought factor are planning choices, not published norms.
Sources
- Conservation of Agricultural Resources Act 43 of 1983, regulations 10 and 11 (grazing capacity and stocking) (1984-05-25)
- DAFF Long Term Grazing Capacity Map for South Africa 2016/2017 (GG 41870, GN 898, 31 Aug 2018) (2018-08-31)
- CARA regulations, Table 2 (GN R.2687 of 1985, in force 1 April 1986) (1986-04-01)
- Meissner, Hofmeyr, Van Rensburg and Pienaar (1983), Tech. Comm. 175, via FAO and SASAS 2017
- Mokolobate, Scholtz et al. (2017), Explaining the principle of large stock units, SASAS AAHRD vol 10 (2017-11-20)
- Herselman, M.J., Grootfontein ADI, Evaluation of large stock unit equivalents for sheep (2010-11-30)
Estimate, not advice. Confirm every figure with your bank, attorney and tax practitioner before a decision.