Contrary to popular belief, miniature cattle don't need "much less" feed than standard beef animals.
Cross grazing is proving to be a popular concept amongst lifestylers, but the total area being grazed needs to be enough for ALL stock units - cross grazing does not cancel out the units being cross grazed.
We have prepared the below as a rough guide to help you calculate if you can add some mini cows to your cross grazing programme.
The number of stock units per hectare varies depending where you are in the country and the type of land (steep or flat) and the growth rates.
If you are in the North Island on hill country stock units are 6-10 per hectare. For more fertile and less steep hill country stock units are 7-13 per hectare. If you have easy contour that is regularly fertilised with good growth rates stock units are 8-15 per hectare.
High producing grasslands in the South Island have a stocking rate of 9-14 units per hectare.
Miniature cattle are generally slow growing, so a heifer, steer or bull is approximately 3.7 units per animal.
An in calf or lactating cow is approximately 4.4 units per animal, and youngstock from 135-270kg is 3.5 units per animal.
If you are also running a freezer beast or two, they will be up to 4.7 units by the time they are ready for processing and you will likely have another one or two coming in behind at 3.5 units each.
If you are planning to cross graze with sheep, each sheep is approximately 1 unit.
If you are adding horses to the mix, a pony in light work or turned out is 6 units, a small hack (up to 15.2 hands) in light work is 8 units, add a foal and the total is 10 units. A large hack in light work is 12 units, add a foal and the total is 14 units.
Alpaca and llama are up to 2 stocking units per animal and goats are up to 2 stocking units per animal depending on breed and size and supplementary feed.
As an example, if you are in the North Island, on 3 hectares of land with good growth, your stocking level is about 11-12 units on average so your total stocking rate is about 36 units.
If you already have six sheep, that is 6 units, if you also have a freezer beast and one for a friend and two beef weaners that is another 16.4 units so you're at 22.4 units. Add the kids ponies at 6 units each for another 12 units and you are at 34.4 units - probably not enough to add two mini cows to the mix.
We are very careful and considered about the homes our animals go to, so please don't be offended if we ask questions about how much land you have to graze and how many other animals you have and then tell we don't think it is enough to add two minis.
These stocking rates are also important to consider when buying from a breeder. If a breeder tells you that they find their cattle don't eat much and you can fit any more than three per hectare without a robust supplement plan - they are probably underfeeding their stock.
There are issues that result from underfeeding stock - especially if you intend to breed.
If you have any questions please don't hesitate to get in touch or you can join our group on Facebook.
