Two sheep in a dry paddock near Lake George, New South Wales

Handy tools

DSE & stocking rate calculator

How many DSE are you running? Pick each mob's class from the standard dry sheep equivalent tables, add the head and your grazing area to see the total, DSE per hectare and how it sits against your own carrying capacity.

Your mobs

One row per mob or class of stock. Leave head at 0 for rows you don’t need. Ratings change with weight, growth and whether stock are pregnant or lactating, so pick the closest class for the time of year you are planning.

Mob 1: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head
Mob 2: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head
Mob 3: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head
Mob 4: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head
Mob 5: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head
Mob 6: class of stock

Head

Own rating DSE/head

“Own rating” is only used when the class is “My own DSE rating” - for horses, alpacas, other breeds or a figure from your adviser.

Your country

Grazing area ha

The area these mobs graze. 1 acre = 0.405 ha.

Carrying capacity DSE/ha

Optional: the DSE per hectare your country carries in an average season - your own records or your adviser’s figure.

Your stock

1,460DSE in total

3.7DSE per hectare

890head

Your stock add up to 1,460 DSE: 3.7 DSE per hectare across 400 ha. Add the carrying capacity you use for this country to compare.

DSE by mob

Merino ewe 55 kg, pregnant, single × 600 @ 1.4: 840 DSE (58%)
Merino weaner 30 kg, growing 100 g/day × 250 @ 1.2: 300 DSE (21%)
Dry cow or steer at maintenance, 500 kg × 40 @ 8: 320 DSE (22%)

DSE per acre (for older titles): 1.48
Your country carries
Same feed as this many 400 kg dry cows (7 DSE): 209

Link to these numbers

What is a DSE?

One DSE is the feed energy a 50 kg Merino wether needs to hold its weight (condition score 3). Every other class is rated against it, so sheep, cattle and goats can be added up and compared.
Ratings change through the year. A 50 kg ewe is 1 DSE when dry but about 2.5 when feeding a single lamb. Work out your DSE for each season - lambing and calving are usually the peak.
Stocking rate = total DSE ÷ grazing hectares. Carrying capacity is what your country can run in an average season without going backwards - it depends on rainfall, soil, pasture and how it is managed.

See the DSE rating tables we use

From Making More From Sheep, Tool 12.14 (AWI and MLA): the sheep table is for adult Merino ewes; cattle tables are “MLA, adapted by AWI and MLA”; goats are from “MLA Going into Goats, adapted by AWI and MLA”. The goat buck figure is a 1.5-2 range in the table - we use 2.

Sheep

Class	DSE
Wether, 50 kg, holding weight (the 1 DSE standard)	1

Merino ewes (adult)

Class	DSE
Merino ewe 35 kg, dry or empty	0.8
Merino ewe 35 kg, pregnant, single	1
Merino ewe 35 kg, pregnant, twins	1.2
Merino ewe 40 kg, dry or empty	0.9
Merino ewe 40 kg, pregnant, single	1.1
Merino ewe 40 kg, pregnant, twins	1.3
Merino ewe 40 kg, lactating, single	2.1
Merino ewe 40 kg, lactating, twins	2.9
Merino ewe 45 kg, dry or empty	0.9
Merino ewe 45 kg, pregnant, single	1.2
Merino ewe 45 kg, pregnant, twins	1.4
Merino ewe 45 kg, lactating, single	2.3
Merino ewe 45 kg, lactating, twins	3.2
Merino ewe 50 kg, dry or empty	1
Merino ewe 50 kg, pregnant, single	1.3
Merino ewe 50 kg, pregnant, twins	1.5
Merino ewe 50 kg, lactating, single	2.5
Merino ewe 50 kg, lactating, twins	3.4
Merino ewe 55 kg, dry or empty	1.1
Merino ewe 55 kg, pregnant, single	1.4
Merino ewe 55 kg, pregnant, twins	1.5
Merino ewe 55 kg, lactating, single	2.7
Merino ewe 55 kg, lactating, twins	3.7
Merino ewe 60 kg, dry or empty	1.2
Merino ewe 60 kg, pregnant, single	1.4
Merino ewe 60 kg, pregnant, twins	1.6
Merino ewe 60 kg, lactating, single	2.9
Merino ewe 60 kg, lactating, twins	4.1
Merino ewe 65 kg, dry or empty	1.2
Merino ewe 65 kg, pregnant, single	1.5
Merino ewe 65 kg, pregnant, twins	1.7
Merino ewe 65 kg, lactating, single	3.1
Merino ewe 65 kg, lactating, twins	4.3

Merino weaners

Class	DSE
Merino weaner 15 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.4
Merino weaner 15 kg, growing 50 g/day	0.5
Merino weaner 15 kg, growing 100 g/day	0.6
Merino weaner 15 kg, growing 150 g/day	0.8
Merino weaner 20 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.5
Merino weaner 20 kg, growing 50 g/day	0.6
Merino weaner 20 kg, growing 100 g/day	0.8
Merino weaner 20 kg, growing 150 g/day	1
Merino weaner 25 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.6
Merino weaner 25 kg, growing 50 g/day	0.7
Merino weaner 25 kg, growing 100 g/day	0.9
Merino weaner 25 kg, growing 150 g/day	1.1
Merino weaner 30 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.6
Merino weaner 30 kg, growing 50 g/day	0.9
Merino weaner 30 kg, growing 100 g/day	1.2
Merino weaner 30 kg, growing 150 g/day	1.4
Merino weaner 35 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.7
Merino weaner 35 kg, growing 50 g/day	0.9
Merino weaner 35 kg, growing 100 g/day	1.3
Merino weaner 35 kg, growing 150 g/day	1.5
Merino weaner 40 kg, growing 0 g/day	0.8
Merino weaner 40 kg, growing 50 g/day	1
Merino weaner 40 kg, growing 100 g/day	1.3
Merino weaner 40 kg, growing 150 g/day	1.5

Cattle - Bos taurus (British/European)

Class	DSE
Weaned calf gaining 0.25 kg/day, 200 kg	5.5
Weaned calf gaining 0.25 kg/day, 250 kg	6.5
Weaned calf gaining 0.75 kg/day, 200 kg	8
Weaned calf gaining 0.75 kg/day, 250 kg	9
Yearling gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	7
Yearling gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	8
Yearling gaining 0.75 kg/day, 400 kg	10
Yearling gaining 0.75 kg/day, 500 kg	11
Dry cow or steer at maintenance, 400 kg	7
Dry cow or steer at maintenance, 500 kg	8
Dry cow or steer gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	8
Dry cow or steer gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	8
Bullock at maintenance, 400 kg	8
Bullock at maintenance, 500 kg	9
Bullock gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	12
Bullock gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	14
Pregnant cow (last 3 months), 400 kg	9
Pregnant cow (last 3 months), 500 kg	11
Wet cow with a 0-3 month calf, 400 kg	14
Wet cow with a 0-3 month calf, 500 kg	18
Wet cow with a 4-6 month calf, 400 kg	18
Wet cow with a 4-6 month calf, 500 kg	22
Wet cow with a 7-10 month calf, 400 kg	22
Wet cow with a 7-10 month calf, 500 kg	28

Cattle - Bos indicus (Brahman type)

Class	DSE
Weaned calf gaining 0.25 kg/day, 200 kg	4.8
Weaned calf gaining 0.25 kg/day, 250 kg	5.7
Weaned calf gaining 0.75 kg/day, 200 kg	7
Weaned calf gaining 0.75 kg/day, 250 kg	7.8
Yearling gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	6.2
Yearling gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	7
Yearling gaining 0.75 kg/day, 400 kg	8.7
Yearling gaining 0.75 kg/day, 500 kg	9.6
Dry cow or steer at maintenance, 400 kg	6.2
Dry cow or steer at maintenance, 500 kg	7
Dry cow or steer gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	7
Dry cow or steer gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	7
Bullock at maintenance, 400 kg	7
Bullock at maintenance, 500 kg	7.9
Bullock gaining 0.25 kg/day, 400 kg	10.6
Bullock gaining 0.25 kg/day, 500 kg	12.3
Pregnant cow (last 3 months), 400 kg	7.9
Pregnant cow (last 3 months), 500 kg	9.7
Wet cow with a 0-3 month calf, 400 kg	12.3
Wet cow with a 0-3 month calf, 500 kg	15.8
Wet cow with a 4-6 month calf, 400 kg	15.8
Wet cow with a 4-6 month calf, 500 kg	19.4
Wet cow with a 7-10 month calf, 400 kg	19.4
Wet cow with a 7-10 month calf, 500 kg	24.6

Goats

Class	DSE
Goat weaner, 20-40 kg (weaning to 1 year)	0.7
Dry doe, 30-40 kg	0.75
Breeding doe, 40-60 kg, lactating	1.2
Breeding doe, 40-60 kg, single kid	1.5
Breeding doe, 40-60 kg, twin kids	1.9
Buck, 60-80 kg (table range 1.5-2; we use 2)	2

An estimate from published average ratings and your own numbers - not advice on how many stock to run. Breeds, wool cut, weather and pasture quality all change what stock really eat. For carrying capacity and stocking rates in your district, talk to your state agriculture department, a local agronomist or a livestock adviser (see the farming regions guide). Nothing you type is stored or sent anywhere. Short of feed? Try the feed budget calculator or the grazing rotation planner; dry times help is in the farm help directory.

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