Food Security - UK

Question 1

Animal Unit

Answer 1

Measure of weight to estimate how many cattle per acre, equivalent to 453.6 kg.

Question 2

How much a cow eats:

Answer 2

75-80% body weight in forage per month

Question 3

Animal Unit Month

Answer 3

Monthly forage demand for 1 AU, or 915 lb of a cow

Question 4

To understand acres required:

Answer 4

Pasture conditions, precipitation, or estimate of forage yield pasture produces

Question 5

What affects pasture yield?

Answer 5

Pasture condition
Precipitaiton zone
Types of forage grown
Grazing system used

Question 6

Range of land required by cows:

Answer 6

8 acres to 0.27 acres

Question 7

Example of estimating cows per acre:

Answer 7

Assume forage yield of 2.2 AUM/acres, or 2000lb, with pasture rest time 1/2 in rotational grazing, assuming 50% utilization rate, multiply AUM by utilization rate, determine total AUM by multiplying monthly field production by size of pasture, divided AUM by average animal units then by total acres.