The most common problem for block owners

Overstocking is the most common animal welfare problem on lifestyle blocks. It's crucial to understand the number of animals an area of land can sustain throughout the year and how it's affected by climate conditions.

“Lifestyle block owners need to think about having the right number of animals, and things like harvesting (or buying) surplus feed in the spring and summer to store for dry periods or when there's no grass growth,” says Penny. “Young stock have an increasing demand for feed as they grow, which may mean the land can't support the original number of animals, particularly if grass growth slows during a dry summer and winter months."