Carrying Capacity
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      3. Carrying Capacity

      Calculating your Benchmark Carrying Capacity using North American units

      How to calculate and set your benchmark carrying capacity.

      MaiaGrazing calculates your actual Stocking Rate (Stock Days per Acre per inch Rainfall) monthly.

      This information is displayed on your Analytics Dashboard in your Stock days per Acre per inch Rainfall chart.

      This information is compared to your Benchmark Carrying Capacity and indicates if your current stocking rate is over or under your benchmark. By developing a benchmark carrying capacity you'll be able to assess changes in carrying capacity due to your management, and also have an early warning system for drought.

      Numbers you will need to know:

      Calculating your Benchmark Carrying Capacity

      There are 2 ways to calculate your Benchmark Carrying Capacity

      1. With a spreadsheet

      2. Manually with pen, paper, and calculator

      1. Benchmark Carrying Capacity - Spreadsheet

      For a spreadsheet to quickly calculate your Benchmark Carrying Capacity please 'Send us a Message' in Intercom and ask the support team to email you a copy.

      2. Benchmark Carrying Capacity - Calculate Manually

      Calculating your Benchmark:

      1. Estimate the Long-Term Carrying Capacity: ______ # acres divide by ______ # head divided by 365 days in a year

      2. Calculate the Days Grazed per Acre: ______ # days grazed divide by long term carrying capacity

      3. Convert Days Grazed per Acre to Animal Unit Days per Acre (AUD) using Standard Animal Unit (SAU) conversion: _____ Days Grazed per Acre multiplied by SAU

      4. Estimate your Average Annual Rainfall.

      5. Stock Days per Acre per 1" Rainfall: _____AUD divide by ______ Average Annual Rainfall.

      For example -

      1. Estimate the Long-Term Carrying Capacity: 20000 # acres divide by 200 # head divided by 365 days in a year = 0.27 LT Carrying Capacity

      2. Calculate the Days Grazed per Acre: 183 # days grazed divide by 0.27 long term carrying capacity = 49 Days Grazed per Acre

      3. Convert Days Grazed per Acre to Animal Unit Days per Acre (AUD) using Standard Animal Unit (SAU) conversion: 49 Days Grazed per Acre multiplied by 1.2 SAU (1200 lb cow) = 58.8 AUD

      4. Estimate your Average Annual Rainfall 16 inches.

      5. Stock Days per Acre per 1" Rainfall: 58.8 AUD divide by 16 inches Average Annual Rainfall = 3.675 SDA per 1" Rainfall (Carrying Capacity Benchmark)

      Setting your Benchmark in the MaiaGrazing program

      • Click on the cog wheel in the top right hand corner of the screen.

      • Click on 'Property Carrying Capacity'.

      setting-cc 

      • Type your calculated carrying capacity in the box at the top left of the screen underneath 'Property Carrying Capacity'

      • Click on 'Save'.

      setting-cc-aud

      What happens then?

      MaiaGrazing will then take you to your Analytics Dashboard where you will see:

      • your Benchmark Carrying Capacity represented as a black straight line (1),

      • your rolling rainfall as a blue line (2),

      • your actual stocking rate represented by a green line (3).

      analyticsDash

      You can now use this benchmark to match your stocking rate to your carrying capacity throughout the year.

      Remember to set your benchmark at a level that is resulting in the farm regenerating through increased ground cover, biodiversity of species and increase water infiltration.

      If you need assistance in calculating and understanding your Carrying Capacity Benchmark please contact the support team.