Running a small beef herd during a wet season is difficult, especially on smaller properties with limited space, equipment or time. You may not have:
- access to dry ground
- machinery to move or feed stock
- time each day to manage animals effectively.
Use these tips to help manage feed, agistment and pasture during extended wet weather.
Review your budget for cattle feed
Your reasons for running cattle will influence the decisions you make. If your cattle are a hobby or kept as pets, making a financial return may not be your priority. In contrast, if you run your cattle as a business, you may need to make harder decisions, such as selling stock or agisting them elsewhere, to manage costs.
Regardless of your reasons, it’s important to set a clear budget for hand feeding. Understand how much you’re willing to spend and estimate the full cost of a feeding program. Then consider how practical it is to feed your herd in ongoing wet conditions.
Some questions to ask:
- Can you get feed to your cattle every day?
- Can cattle access the feed without becoming bogged or stressed?
When cattle are uncomfortable, wet or covered in mud, they are less likely to eat well. Mud also increases heat loss and disease risk, including foot problems and lameness.
If your budget won’t cover feed for all your animals, consider selling or agisting some. Keeping only your best or favourite stock can help you focus resources and maintain condition. But even this approach has limits, if the season does not improve, you may still need to sell or continue feeding.
In many parts of coastal New South Wales, paddocks may not recover until late September or October. This means hand feeding could be required for 5 to 6 months.
Consider agistment
Agistment is when you move your cattle to another property for feeding and care. It can be cheaper than hand feeding for long periods.
Before choosing agistment:
- talk to your stock agent about availability
- act early, as demand increases in winter
- ask about short-term options on winter crops.
Always have a written agistment agreement. This helps avoid misunderstandings about length of stay, payments and responsibilities.
Feeding cattle during wet conditions
If you decide to feed your cattle, make sure you understand the work involved. You may need to buy 100% of your herd’s feed if no pasture is available.
Some things to think about:
- How much time do you have to feed cattle every day?
- Can machinery access paddocks without causing damage?
- Where will you store hay, grain or bulk feed?
- Do you have feeders to reduce waste and access issues?
- Do you know how to safely feed new types of feed, such as grain?
Feed quantity and quality
A 500kg pregnant cow needs a minimum of 8kg of hay daily, with an energy content of 8.5 megajoules (MJ) of metabolisable energy. That means a herd of 30 cows needs at least 240kg of hay every day.
Quality of feed is important. Poor quality hay will require more volume or supplements to meet nutritional needs. Lucerne, oaten, barley and ryegrass hay are usually good. Couch, cane tops and mature tropical grasses are generally poor. Always ask your supplier for a feed quality test.
| Stock class | Weight (kg) | Grain (12MJ ME) | Hay (8.5MJ ME) | Pit silage (35% DM, 8.5MJ ME) | Bale silage (45% DM, 10MJ ME) | Grain:hay (50:50) | Grain:hay (80:20) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Young stock (gain 0.2kg/day) | 200 | 3 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 4 | 3.5 |
| 250 | 3.5 | 7 | 15 | 9.5 | 4.7 | 4 | |
| 300 | 4 | 7.5 | 17 | 11 | 5.5 | 4.5 | |
| 350 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 19 | 12 | 6.5 | 5.5 | |
| Dry stock (maintenance) | 450 | 4.5 | 7.5 | 18 | 12 | 6 | 5 |
| 500 | 5 | 8 | 19.5 | 13 | 6.5 | 5.5 | |
| 550 | 5.5 | 8.5 | 21 | 14 | 7 | 6 | |
| Pregnant cow (8 months, no gain) | 500 | 7 | 8 | 19 | 18 | 9.5 | 8.5 |
| 550 | 7.5 | 8.5 | 20 | 19 | 10 | 9 | |
| 600 | 8 | Not achievable | >9MJ ME required | 20 | 10.7 | 9.5 | |
| Lactating cow with calf (no gain) | 500 | Not suitable | 8 | Not achievable | 25 | 12 | 10.5 |
| 550 | 8 | Roughage required | 26 | 27 | 13 | 11 | |
| 600 | 9 | Roughage required | 27 | 28 | 14 | 12 | |
| 650 | 9.5 | Roughage required | 28 | 30 | 14.5 | 12.5 |
How many bales you will need
Depending on bale type and feed quality, a 30-head herd needs daily:
- Around 10 small square bales
- 1 round bale (1.2 m x 1.2 m)
- 1 silage bale (same size, higher moisture content)
- Half of a large square bale (depending on weight and density)
Silage bales contain more moisture, not more feed. Moisture content (often 55%) doesn’t replace the need for clean drinking water.
| Hay bale type | Approximate weight range (kg) |
|---|---|
| Small square | 18 to 24 |
| 4 x 4 round | 280 to 330 |
| 4 x 4 round (silage) | 500 to 650 |
| 8 x 3 x 3 (big square) | 400 to 480 |
| 8 x 4 x 3 (large square) | 620 to 650+ |
Using hay feeders can reduce feed waste. Without a feeder, up to 20% of a round bale can be wasted. Feeders need to be moved frequently in wet weather to prevent bogging and damage. <image of feeder>
Feeding requires regular effort. Even with machinery, it can be labour-intensive. Without equipment, you may need to rely on smaller bales, which are more expensive per kilogram.
| Requirements for 30 head/day | Example cost | Daily cost | Weekly cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 small square bales | $20/bale | $200 | $1,400 |
| 1 round bale | $125/bale | $125 | $875 |
| Agistment | $9/head/week | $39 | $270 |
Feeding grain safely
Grain feeding can help, but it must be managed carefully. If you haven't fed grain before, seek advice. Introduce grain slowly to avoid grain poisoning, which can kill cattle. If cattle miss a feeding day, reintroduce the grain slowly again.
Options for buying grain:
- 20 kg bags (easy to handle, more expensive)
- 500 kg or 1000 kg bulk bags (need equipment handle and to bucket grain out)
- Bulk delivery from feed mills (usually minimum 2 tonnes, requires somewhere to store the grain).
Calculating grain intake
Weigh the bucket or container used to feed grain when it is full. If you are using a self-feeder, mark the feeder at a known level and restrict access to a low intake setting. Monitor how many days it takes the cattle to consume that amount.
Then divide the total feed by the number of days and then by the number of animals. For example, if 500 kg of grain is eaten in 7 days by 30 cattle:
500 ÷ 7 = 71.4 kg per day ÷ 30 cattle = approximately 2.3 kg of grain per head per day.
Self-feeders and safe access
Self-feeders provide safe, consistent access to grain. Place them on stable ground, such as gravel, mats or concrete, to reduce bogging. Make sure the area around the feeder can also be accessed safely, or ensure the feeder can be moved easily.
Supplementing cattle feed with lick blocks and molasses
Lick blocks, dry licks and liquid molasses supplements help meet nutritional needs in cattle. They usually contain minerals, salt, molasses and sources of protein. Common products include Anipro and Truegraze.
These supplements help correct specific nutritional deficiencies. Cattle usually consume them in small amounts, typically between 100g to 500g per head each day, depending on the product. For liquid supplements, intake can be up to 2kg per head daily.
Only use these supplements when cattle still have enough access to pasture, hay or silage. Supplements do not replace adequate feed sources. Never rely solely on lick blocks or molasses supplements instead of fodder.
Calculating feeding costs
Understanding feed costs can help you manage your budget more effectively. Start by working out the cost per kilogram for each feed type. Divide the total price by the weight, then multiply by how much each animal eats per day.
Example:
- Grain at $600 for 1,000kg = $0.60 per kg. If each cow eats 3kg per day, that is $1.80 per cow per day.
- Hay at $125 for 280kg = $0.45 per kg. If each cow eats 8kg per day, that is $3.60 per cow per day.
In this example, the total feed cost is $1.80 (grain) + $3.60 (hay) = $5.40 per cow per day.
Keep in mind this is just one scenario. Feed prices and availability will vary by region and season. It is also important to factor in freight, storage and waste.
Monitor cow condition
Keep an eye on body condition. If cows begin losing weight, it may be time to increase feed or reduce herd size. This protects animal welfare and avoids long-term health issues.
Monitor pasture
Make decisions early to avoid long-term pasture damage. Seek expert advice or visit the Meat and Livestock Australia website for pasture management resources.
An adult cow with a calf needs 15kg of dry matter per day, or 2,250kg over 5 months. If your paddocks have less than this amount available per hectare, you need to reduce stocking or supplement feed.
As a guide:
- With 1,125kg/ha available, allow 2ha per cow.
- Below 700kg/ha, cattle can’t eat enough, regardless of space, because pasture is too short.
Sowing winter pasture and ryegrass
Ryegrass is a popular option for winter forage on the NSW North Coast. It is a high-quality feed that can help maintain cattle condition when summer pastures are dormant.
Ryegrass can be difficult to establish in very wet years. When paddocks are too wet to access with machinery, sowing and fertilising may not be possible. This limits establishment and growth.
To get the most from a ryegrass crop, consider the following:
- Sow early. Ideal sowing time is late March to April. Planting later than June reduces yield and may not be cost-effective.
- Use a soil test. Apply fertiliser based on test results, ryegrass needs nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium to thrive.
- Choose the right paddock. Avoid areas that are still waterlogged. Ryegrass requires well-drained soil and good seed-to-soil contact.
- Prepare to feed in the meantime. It takes 6 to 8 weeks after sowing before ryegrass is ready to graze. Supplementary feed will still be needed in the short term.
Be aware that even under good conditions, ryegrass may not provide enough forage for your entire herd. It's best used as part of a broader pasture and feeding strategy.
Seek advice from a local agronomist or livestock officer if you're unsure about whether sowing ryegrass is suitable this season.
Contact Local Land Services NSW
Our team welcome your enquiries, feedback and comments. Contact our team
Our website is in the final stages of migrating to nsw.gov.au.
Use the search function to find the information or resources you need.
