Excel dry season pasture budget soon to be available on FutureBeef

Abstract

An excel ‘dry season pasture budget’ calculator (‘dry season’ aka ‘no or low growing season’, or ‘closed season’) is being developed to be freely available on the FutureBeef website in 2026. For tropical and subtropical pastures in Queensland, pasture budgeting involves assessing the total amount of dry matter pasture that is grown over the growing season (i.e. parts of spring, summer and autumn) and then comparing available pasture dry matter yield to stock feed demand, aiming to ration the pasture out until the next pasture growing season, typically in summer. The aim is to also retain good ground cover of “rain ready” pasture stubble for when the next summer rainfall is expected in order to maximise infiltration, improve pasture response and minimise runoff and soil loss.