Article summary: August is early enough to change course before spring demand ramps up. This guide explains average pasture cover (APC) in plain language: what it is, how to measure it, the traps that create surprises, and the decisions it unlocks for dairy, sheep and beef. You’ll also see “good, bad, ugly” APC scenarios, a Northern Hemisphere translation for late-summer drought and autumn stockpiling, and a Pasture.io workflow to trend APC against growth vs demand.
August is the perfect time for an audit because you still have room to steer. If you wait until it’s “obvious” you’re short, you’ll already be in catch-up.
If you only track one pasture number through late winter into early spring, make it average pasture cover (APC). DairyNZ calls APC a key indicator of feed on hand and the most reliable way to do short-term feed budgeting, because it supports tactical decisions with more confidence.
What APC is (in plain English)
APC is your farm’s average amount of pasture on offer, expressed as kg dry matter per hectare (kg DM/ha).
Think of it like a bank balance for feed:
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The weekly change tells you whether you’re building or spending your feed bank.
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The trend tells you whether your current rotation speed and feeding plan are sustainable.
That’s why APC stops surprises. It shows the problem before animals do.
How to measure APC (without making it a big job)
The “proper” APC calculation is simple, but the key is doing it consistently.
DairyNZ’s method is:
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Estimate the pre-graze cover on every paddock, including the one just grazed
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Multiply each paddock’s area by its cover
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Add them up and divide by total area
If you’re time-poor, DairyNZ also suggests a rough shortcut: take the average of your five highest cover paddocks and five lowest cover paddocks. It’s usually close.
Measuring tools (pick one and stick with it)
You can get paddock covers from:
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Walks and visual estimates (calibrated over time)
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A rising plate meter
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Satellite or sensor-based estimates
The tool matters less than the habit. Weekly is ideal in August because conditions and demand can change quickly.
Common APC mistakes that create feed surprises
Most “we didn’t see that coming” moments come from one of these:
1) You forget to area-weight the average
A simple average of paddock covers can be badly wrong if paddocks are different sizes. The area-weighted method fixes this.
2) You leave out the paddock you just grazed
That’s part of your feed bank too, and excluding it makes APC look better than reality.
3) You chase intake by grazing too early
When APC is low and you don’t slow the rotation, you can end up grazing before the 2-leaf stage, which reduces growth rates and total pasture production.
4) You track a single number, not the weekly change
APC is most powerful week-to-week. DairyNZ explicitly points out that watching APC changes weekly puts you in position to respond before things become critical.
The decisions APC unlocks (for dairy, sheep and beef)
APC helps you make four high-value calls early, not late:
1) Rotation speed
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APC falling: slow the rotation (graze less area per day) so paddocks recover.
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APC rising too fast: speed up or shift surplus into conservation before quality slides.
2) Supplement and conserved feed
APC tells you when supplement is protecting pasture (good) versus masking a structural deficit (dangerous). When APC is below target, DairyNZ’s “create a plan” guidance includes slowing the rotation by feeding supplement to rebuild APC quickly.
3) Stocking and class priorities
When APC is tight, you decide who gets first claim on the best feed and who gets managed differently (trading stock, young stock, dry stock, late lambers/calvers).
4) Conservation timing
APC trending up ahead of demand is your signal to tidy quality and harvest surplus, rather than letting pasture get away from you.
Good, bad, ugly: what APC looks like in the real world
Good (on track)
APC is stable or gently rising week-to-week. You can stick to your planned rotation, residuals stay consistent, and your “next paddock” choices feel calm.
Bad (drifting)
APC is sliding each week, but slowly enough that it’s easy to ignore. You start stretching breaks, residuals get tighter, and you notice you’re making more “just this once” decisions.
Ugly (feed squeeze locked in)
APC is low and still dropping. You feel forced to graze paddocks earlier than you should, and growth slows because the plant never gets proper recovery. DairyNZ flags this exact trap: low APC plus not slowing the rotation can lead to grazing too early, which compromises growth and total dry matter production.
What to do this week if your APC is below target
If APC is below where it needs to be for August, your priority is to rebuild the feed bank without wrecking regrowth.
Start with three moves:
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Slow the rotation first (buy recovery time, even if it feels uncomfortable)
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Use supplement as a tool to protect residuals, not as a substitute for recovery
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Reduce demand if you can (sell, wean, move a class off platform, prioritise animals)
DairyNZ’s action prompts for APC below target include confirming the deficit, monitoring weekly, slowing the rotation, buying feed if needed, and reducing demand where possible.
Northern Hemisphere note: same concept, different season
If you’re reading this in the Northern Hemisphere, August is late summer. APC still matters, but the risk is often drought shock and the opportunity is autumn stockpiling.
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Drought risk: APC (or average cover) tells you early whether you need to pull stocking pressure down, adjust rotation timing, or move to a drought plan before the pasture base gets stripped.
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Autumn stockpiling: setting aside paddocks in late summer to accumulate forage for fall and winter can extend grazing and reduce stored feed needs.
Same principle: measure the feed bank, then make early calls while you still have options.
Pasture.io tie-in: how to use APC to stop surprises
A practical weekly Pasture.io routine:
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Update paddock covers (whatever your measurement source is)
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Build or refresh your feed wedge so you can see distribution, not just an average
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Check APC trend over time (the slope matters more than a single reading)
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Sanity-check growth vs demand so you can see whether the gap is closing or widening
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Adjust one lever (rotation speed first, then supplement, then demand) and re-check next week
APC is the number that keeps you honest, and the trend is what keeps you ahead.
- The Dedicated Team of Pasture.io, 2025-08-28