Rotational Grazing Paddock Planner

Sheep, goats & mixed small-ruminant homestead — paddock count, size, hay deficit & season cost in one place

🐑 Your Herd

Animal type Avg wt (lbs) Head

AUE = avg weight ÷ 1,000 lbs. Based on NRCS/UNL standard: 1 AU = 1,000-lb beef cow consuming ~26 lbs DM/day.

🌿 Pasture & Rotation

Exclude barns, pens, sacrifice area & steep/rocky sections.

Poor pasture ≈ 700 | Fair ≈ 1,200 | Good ≈ 1,800–2,500 lbs DM/acre per rotation.

"Take half, leave half" = 50%. Intensive rotation can reach 60–70%; never exceed 70%.

1–3 days is ideal for quality & parasite control. Max 7 days for small ruminants.

≥45 days recommended for sheep/goats to break Barber Pole worm cycle (larvae die off ~30–45 days). Cattle can use 30–35 days.

Used only to price any forage deficit. Leave at 0 to skip cost estimate.

📊 Your Grazing Plan

Add animals and pasture details above — results update instantly.

How to Use This Planner

This planner covers the complete rotational grazing math for small homesteads with sheep, goats, or mixed small-ruminant herds — from Animal Unit Equivalents through to paddock count, paddock size, and seasonal hay cost. It works for single-species flocks and mixed herds (e.g., ewes + wethers + does + laying hens).

  1. Build your herd — Enter each group of animals with their average body weight and head count. Use the preset species buttons or add custom rows. The planner converts each group to AUE (Animal Unit Equivalents) using the NRCS standard (weight ÷ 1,000 lbs).
  2. Enter your pasture details — Total grazeable acres (ha), forage yield per rotation visit, utilization rate, and graze/rest days. For small ruminants, start with a 45-day rest period to suppress parasite larvae.
  3. Read your plan — The results panel shows total AUE, daily DM demand, minimum paddock count, ideal paddock size, total acres required, and whether your land can sustain the herd. If it can't, you'll see the hay deficit and estimated seasonal supplement cost.
  4. Save or share — Print a clean PDF summary, copy the link (state is saved in the URL), or share directly to social.

The Formulas Explained

Animal Unit Equivalent (AUE)

The NRCS and University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension define AUE as body weight (lbs) ÷ 1,000, relative to a 1,000-lb beef cow consuming ~26 lbs dry matter per day. A 150-lb ewe = 0.15 AUE. A 100-lb yearling wether = 0.10 AUE. Total herd AUE = sum of (head × AUE) for all groups.

Paddock Count

Penn State Extension formula: Paddock count = ⌈(rest days ÷ graze days) + 1⌉. This ensures one paddock is always in use while all others are resting. With 45 rest days and 3 graze days: (45 ÷ 3) + 1 = 16 paddocks.

Paddock Size

Paddock acres = (herd DM/day × graze days) ÷ (forage yield × utilization rate). Herd DM/day = total AUE × 26 lbs. This is the size each individual paddock should be for the herd to graze it to the target residual height in the allotted graze days.

Total Acres Required vs. Available

Total acres needed = paddock count × paddock size. Compare this to your available acreage. If it exceeds what you have, the planner calculates the forage deficit and, using your hay price, the seasonal supplementation cost.

Why 45 Days Rest for Sheep and Goats?

The Barber Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) is the primary internal parasite threat for small ruminants in warm/humid climates. Infective larvae deposited in feces can persist on pasture for roughly 30–45 days before dying off. Returning animals before this window closes re-infects them. A 45-day rest period is the key non-chemical management lever for reducing worm burden — and it's why sheep/goat rotations require more paddocks than equivalent cattle systems.

Forage Yield Reference Guide

Forage yield means the dry matter (DM) available per acre at the point animals enter a paddock (before grazing). Rough regional benchmarks:

Use conservative (low) estimates for planning; it's easier to have surplus forage than to deal with overgrazing. Contact your local NRCS office or university extension for regional benchmarks.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many paddocks do I need for rotational grazing sheep and goats?

The standard formula is: Number of paddocks = (rest days ÷ graze days) + 1. For small ruminants, a 45-day rest period is recommended to break parasite cycles. With 3 graze days per paddock: (45 ÷ 3) + 1 = 16 paddocks. Shorter graze periods improve forage quality but require more paddocks and fence setup.

What is an Animal Unit Equivalent (AUE) for sheep and goats?

AUE = body weight (lbs) ÷ 1,000, per NRCS and UNL Extension standards. A 150-lb ewe = 0.15 AUE, a 200-lb doe = 0.20 AUE, a 100-lb wether = 0.10 AUE. Chickens are so light their grazing impact is negligible individually, but a flock of 50–100 still adds up and is included here. 1 AU baseline = a 1,000-lb beef cow consuming ~26 lbs DM/day.

Why does rest period matter for sheep and goat parasites?

Barber Pole worm (Haemonchus contortus) larvae hatch from fecal eggs on pasture and survive for roughly 30–45 days. A minimum 45-day rest period between grazings allows most infective larvae to die before animals return, significantly reducing parasite burden without relying solely on chemical dewormers. This is why small-ruminant systems need more paddocks than cattle systems of the same scale.

How do I calculate paddock size for sheep and goats?

Paddock size (acres) = (herd total DM intake per day × graze days) ÷ (forage yield per acre × utilization rate). Total herd DM per day = total AUE × 26 lbs. For example: 20 ewes averaging 140 lbs = 2.8 total AUE, consuming 72.8 lbs DM/day. With 3 graze days, 1,500 lbs/ac yield, 50% utilization: paddock = (72.8 × 3) ÷ (1,500 × 0.5) = 0.29 acres (~12,600 sq ft).

What forage yield should I enter?

Forage yield is the dry matter your pasture produces per acre per grazing rotation visit. Poor pasture ≈ 600–900 lbs DM/ac; fair ≈ 1,000–1,500 lbs/ac; good ≈ 1,500–2,500 lbs/ac. Use the lower end for your first season and refine from observation. ATTRA's Grazier's Math guide and your local NRCS office can provide regional estimates.

How much hay will I need if my pasture is too small?

If total pasture cannot supply enough forage days, you'll need supplemental hay. Daily deficit = herd DM demand per day − pasture can supply per day. Multiply by deficit days and divide by 2,000 to get tons. This planner calculates the deficit automatically and multiplies by your hay price to give a seasonal supplement budget.

Estimate for planning only. Results are based on published NRCS Animal Unit methodology and Penn State Extension paddock formulas. Actual forage yields, animal intake, and parasite pressure vary significantly by region, breed, season, and management. Consult your local NRCS office or university extension service for site-specific grazing plans. Not a substitute for professional agronomic or veterinary advice.