Balance entered pasture forage dry-matter supply against entered animal-unit-month demand and grazing duration.
A quick decision brief for this specific tool
Pasture acres, representative entered forage dry matter per acre, plan-specific allowable-use percentage, planned animal units, source-specific lb DM/AUM demand, and grazing duration
Entered total/available forage, planned AUM and demand, forage gap/surplus, and supported AUM/months at the entered values
Balances explicit forage supply and demand assumptions; it does not label acres/AU universally or establish carrying capacity
Choose your path
Balance entered forage dry-matter supply with an entered AUM-demand scenario without universal acres/AU intensity labels or a carrying-capacity claim.
Combine representative forage production and plan-specific allowable use.
Enter accessible acres, measured/authoritative lb DM/acre and an externally chosen allowable-use percentage.
Can trace available forage without mistaking total forage for consumable forage.
Match the AU/AUM definition and duration to the actual herd.
Enter planned AU, source-specific lb DM/AUM and grazing months, then compare demand with entered available forage.
Avoids arbitrary “conservative/moderate/intensive” labels and incompatible AU definitions.
Treat the initial balance as adaptive planning.
Monitor precipitation, forage growth/use/residual, rest/recovery, water, soil/plant condition and animal performance with NRCS/Extension guidance.
Adjusts animals or duration promptly rather than relying on a static capacity claim.
Outputs and checklists are planning aids. Review the linked current authorities and the records, terms, instructions, and requirements that apply to your exact situation before a consequential decision.
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Use representative field measurements or current site/soil/forage guidance. Allowable use must reflect residual, trampling, wildlife, access, recovery and conservation objectives; the tool does not select it.
Available forage DM = acres × entered lb DM/acre × entered allowable-use %Verify the animal-unit definition and demand basis for the actual animal kind, class, size, production stage and governing agency or grazing plan.
Planned demand = entered AU × grazing months × entered lb DM/AUMThe initial balance must be checked against weather, growth, residual/use, rest/recovery, water, terrain, soil/plant condition and animal performance, then adjusted as actual conditions change.
Gap or surplus = entered available forage − entered planned demandUpdated: August 2026
Enter accessible acreage, representative forage DM, plan-specific allowable use, compatible AU/AUM demand and duration to document one transparent starting scenario.
Run a separately documented dry-year forage scenario rather than assuming normal production, and make trigger-based adjustments with NRCS/Extension or rangeland support.
Compare planned versus observed forage, residual, recovery and animal performance throughout grazing; reduce demand or duration before resource or welfare damage occurs.
Landscapes, forage production, animals, seasons, water, terrain and objectives differ. Balance entered available forage, demand and duration using compatible local definitions and guidance.
Apply a plan-specific allowable-use percentage that preserves required residual and accounts for trampling, wildlife, inaccessible areas, recovery and conservation goals.
Create an auditable initial forage-supply versus AUM-demand scenario using your own measured or authoritative inputs. It does not establish carrying capacity, recommend a stocking rate, classify intensity, predict animal performance or replace adaptive grazing and land-health monitoring.