Forage planning: how much hay and grazing you need

In short

• The housed or no-grazing winter lasts roughly 150–180 days in a cool upland climate, and up to 200 days in hill country and the northern US and Canada.
• For winter, allow roughly 400 kg of hay per goat, 350 kg per sheep and 2,000–2,500 kg per cow (880 lb, 770 lb and 4,400–5,500 lb).
• A meadow gives roughly 3–5 tonnes of hay per hectare (1.2–2 tons per acre) from two cuts; the plan works with 4 t/ha.
• Add 10–20 % reserve to every sum for a long winter, a dry summer and spoilage.
• Grazing is the cheapest forage, but in July and August it often stops growing; your plan needs a summer reserve.
• Fit the animals to the forage, not the forage to the animals: land and hay first, then the herd.

What's inside

Chapters

1. Forage: the terms you need
2. How much hay per animal
3. How long the winter without grazing lasts
4. How much land you need
5. The forage year month by month
6. Make or buy
7. Space for hay
8. Plan by size of holding
9. Common mistakes
10. Printable checklist

Worksheets

• Hay calculator per animal
• Area calculator
• Forage budget by month
• Sketch of forage fields
• Forage cost sheet
• Forage-year calendar