How Many Cows on 5 Acres? Calculated Numbers

I was talking to my friend who is a grass-farming food activist about how many cattle can you raise on 5 acres or how many acres a farmer needs to raise cattle? This question always brings up memories of the good old days when I was living on a farm as a kid seeing hundreds of cows grazing on thousand-acre ranches.

As we moved to the city, farm life was left behind us. Now, as an adult, I want to relive old memories by opening a dairy farm in the countryside. I have loved cattle and other livestock since I was a kid and it can be a profitable hobby or a potential business opportunity. Even though it is a big decision, I am ready for it.

I have already established a grazing field of 5 acres for cows to graze. I am aware that I would not be able to feed hundreds of cattle on 5 acres, but I am starting small. So, if things did not turn up well, I would not be losing much. 5 acres is a good start, I believe, all I wanted to know was how many cows can graze on 5 acres, so that I can plan my next move, purchasing the cows, no-brainer.

I have been asking friends, farm owners, acquaintances to know more. Till now, I have gathered sufficient information and decided to share it with the readers who have been looking to indulge in this business as well.

Here is an elaborated explanation of all your questions.

How Many Cows Can You Raise On 5 Acres?

It is hard to give a definitive number as the number of cows per 5 acres varies depending on multiple factors. These factors include location, type of crop planted, cattle breed, climate, land quality, and others.

Many livestock specialists and research institutes state different numbers of cows per 5 acres. The livestock specialist Andy McCorkill said that 2 cows are sufficient to graze on 5 acres. 

Whereas the USDA and Texas State Government disagree with the number and present a slightly different figure, 3-6 acres per cow. 

American average is 1.8 cows per acre, based on this count, about 8–10 cows could be raised on five acres.

When I asked farmers about an estimate as to how many acres of pasture one cow needs, although their answers were different. However, a rough estimate stated that one cow per two acres.

There are many factors that play determinants when it comes to how many cows you should put on five acres. Factors like the place where you live, food being planted, cattle breed, and length of the grazing period.

If you do not want an estimated figure rather a definitive number, try calculating cows per acre with the given formula.

Calculating Cows Per Acre

Here is a formula that will help you with the ‘how many cows per acre’ calculation. It may sound complicated at first and scare you off but we will explain every single step.

• Required Pasture Size/acre – (Number Of Animal Units x Length Of Grazing Season)/ Stocking Rate
• Animal Units – First part of the formula may have knocked you off as most people do not know what animal unit is. It is associated with cow’s weight. For instance, a 1000-pound cow equals 1 AU, similarly, 1400 or 3500 pounds cow would parallel to 1.4 AU and 3.5 AU. (source)
• Length of Grazing Period – Length of Grazing Period means how long would cows graze the pasture field annually. Put the number of months in the formula that you plan on keeping them on the grazing field. Do not include the months when they on the dry feed in a farm.
• Stocking Rate – This part of the equation may confuse you a little, it is defined as animal units per unit of land area. If we put it simply, the number of cattle on a given amount of land over a certain period. The stocking rate differs from state to state, and even farm to farm. 

Risks Of Running More Cows Per Acre

If you do not want to affect soil fertility or productivity, well, you can do that by avoiding running more cows per acre. Keep them on dry feed for more months, it will surely be expensive. However, this practice will save the land from losing fertility.

Factors That Effect The Number Of Cows Per Acre

The following factors affect how much land each cow needs.

• Soil Fertility – Fertile soil and good climatic conditions, a deadly combination that leads to optimal crop production. Fertile soil with plenty of irrigation support or grow high-value crops like Bermudagrass and Ryegrass. Sandy or poor quality soil does not grow effective crops, so, cattle have to survive on poorer quality crops.
• Grazing Period – If cows are going to graze on pasture all year long, the number of an acre per cow would vary. In some climates, when it is impossible for cows to graze during winter, their diet changes to supplemental feed like grains or hay.
• Cattle Breed – Larger cows raised for beef like Black Angus consume more grass per day for muscle weight. Smaller Scottish cattle breeds like Dexter or Ayrshire eat less grass. Cattle generally eat 2.5% of their body mass, therefore, more smaller cow types can graze on the same acreage.

Maximizing Number Of Cows Per Acre

There are few ways with which a farmer can use the pasture field efficiently and add more cows per acre.

• Plant cover crops to restore soil quality or fertility and increase the yield of grass next season. Cover crops include legumes and grains such as wheat or barley.
• Rotational grazing allows different animals or birds to feed on the pasture, it also helps revitalize the soil. 
• Adequate irrigation ensures a better grazing field and allowing high-quality crops to be planted.
• Plant nutrient-rich and high-energy grasses like Alfalfa, Rye Grass, and Bermudagrass.

Lastly, the number of cows farmed on 5 acres varies depending on several factors. Livestock specialists, researchers, and farmers give a different number of cows per acre.