Question 1

How many hectares do I need per cow in the UK?

Accepted Answer

For a dairy cow grazing approximately 200 days per year on medium-quality lowland grassland with rotational grazing, you need roughly 0.25–0.35 ha per cow for grazing alone. Including the land needed to grow winter silage (for a 165-day housing period), total land requirement rises to 0.45–0.65 ha per dairy cow. Suckler cows require slightly less — typically 0.35–0.55 ha total depending on winter feed strategy. These figures vary significantly with grass yield, grazing management, and whether silage is bought in or grown on-farm.

Question 2

How many sheep per hectare in the UK?

Accepted Answer

Stocking rate for sheep varies enormously by land type. On good lowland grassland, 10–14 ewes per hectare is typical for rotational grazing during the main grazing season. On marginal lowland, 6–10 ewes per hectare. On upland/hill ground, as low as 1–3 ewes per hectare. These figures are for grazing only — if you are also growing winter forage on the same land, effective stocking density for the grazing area will be higher. AHDB recommend calculating based on annual DM production rather than a fixed ewes-per-hectare rule.

Question 3

What is grass utilisation and why does it matter?

Accepted Answer

Grass utilisation is the percentage of grass grown that is actually eaten by livestock. Not all grass produced ends up in the animal — some is trampled, fouled, or allowed to go to seed. Set stocking systems typically achieve 55–60% utilisation. Good rotational grazing achieves 70–75%. Intensive strip or mob grazing can reach 78–82%. The difference between set stocking and rotational grazing means a farm using rotational grazing needs roughly 20–25% less land to support the same herd — or can carry 20–25% more animals on the same land.

Question 4

Do I need to include silage ground in my land calculation?

Accepted Answer

Yes — if you are housing animals over winter and growing your own silage, the land required to produce that silage must be included in your total land calculation. This is one of the most commonly overlooked elements when farmers assess land requirements. A farm housing 100 cows for 165 days might need 30–40 ha just for silage production, on top of 25–35 ha for grazing. This calculator includes both grazing land and conservation land in the total figure.

Question 5

What annual grass yield should I use for my farm?

Accepted Answer

UK annual grass DM production typically ranges from 7 t DM/ha on upland/hill ground to 14–15 t DM/ha on intensively managed lowland farms. Most UK lowland farms achieve 9–12 t DM/ha under standard management. If you have had soil tests done and apply fertiliser to target, use the higher end of the range. If your grassland is unimproved permanent pasture with limited inputs, use the lower end. AHDB's Grass+ app provides regional growth curves that give a more precise annual estimate for your area.

Question 6

What are the NVZ rules on stocking density?

Accepted Answer

In Nitrate Vulnerable Zones (NVZs), total nitrogen output from livestock must not exceed 170 kg N/ha/year across the farm holding (250 kg N/ha for farms that have applied for a derogation). This is calculated from animal numbers and type — dairy cows produce approximately 85–90 kg N/head/year, beef cattle 40–70 kg N/head/year, and sheep 8–12 kg N/head/year. This NVZ N-loading limit may constrain your stocking density independently of the grass-based land requirement calculated by this tool. Use the NVZ Compliance Check tool to assess your N-loading position separately.

Question 7

Does this calculator account for buffer feeding or bought-in feed?

Accepted Answer

This calculator assumes all feed comes from the farm — grazing from your land and silage/winter forage grown on your land. If you buy in silage, straw, or concentrate to supplement, the actual land required will be less than the figure shown. Use the "Winter feed: grow on farm vs buy in" decision when interpreting results. If you buy in all winter feed, you only need the grazing land figure. If you grow all winter feed on-farm, you need the full total including conservation land.

Animal	Low (ha/head)	Typical (ha/head)	High (ha/head)	Notes
Dairy cow	0.35	0.50	0.70	Includes silage ground. Lower = intensive system with bought-in feed.
Suckler cow	0.40	0.60	0.90	Includes calf. Higher end = upland/less productive ground.
Beef store (12–24m)	0.20	0.30	0.45	Depends heavily on days housed and silage source.
Lowland ewe	0.06	0.10	0.18	Includes twin lambs. Rotational grazing reduces land needed.
Hill/upland ewe	0.25	0.50	1.50	Wide range — very dependent on hill ground quality.
Horse / pony	0.40	0.60	1.00	Horses are inefficient grazers — higher land per head than cattle.

Land Requirement Calculator

Animal type

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Grass yield (t DM/ha/year)

Grazing system

UK Stocking Rate Reference

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