Managing stocking rates is critical for healthy pastures and profitable livestock production. In Australia, many farmers ask “how many cows per acre?” or “how many acres per cow?”. The most accurate way to answer those questions is with the Dry Sheep Equivalent (DSE).
Mobble’s DSE Calculator makes it simple to compare different classes of livestock and plan stocking rates across your property.
A DSE represents the feed demand of a 50 kg Merino wether maintained in good condition.
By using DSE, Australian farmers can:
Questions like “how many cattle per acre in Australia?” are common, but they don’t consider livestock weight, class, or seasonal conditions. DSE does.
Using DSE helps you:
A mob of 50 pregnant Merino ewes at 60kg equals about 71 DSE. This means their feed demand is equivalent to 71 dry sheep. Farmers often ask “how many acres per cow?” — with DSE you can calculate it precisely, based on your paddock’s carrying capacity.
How many cows per acre in Australia?
It depends on rainfall, pasture type, and livestock weight. In high-rainfall zones, you may carry 1–2 cows per acre. In drier regions, stocking rates are much lower. DSE provides a more accurate way to calculate this across your farm.
How many acres per cow should I plan for?
The number of acres per cow varies with soil fertility and climate. Instead of a blanket figure, use the DSE calculator to work out stocking pressure specific to your paddocks.
What is a stocking rate calculator?
A stocking rate calculator helps farmers compare different mobs and species by using a standard unit (like DSE). This avoids overgrazing and improves land health.
Is DSE only used in Australia?
Yes. Other countries use different measures: Animal Units (AU) in the USA, Stock Units (SU) in New Zealand.
Mobble is more than just a DSE calculator. It helps farmers:
By combining stocking rate calculations with Mobble’s record-keeping, you can answer “how many cattle per acre” on your property with real data, not guesses.