Dry Sheep Equivalent
Encyclopedia
Dry Sheep Equivalent is a standard unit frequently used in Australia
to compare the feed requirements of different classes of stock or to assess the carrying capacity and potential productivity of a given farm or area of grazing land.
The unit represents the amount of feed required by a two year old, 45 kg (some sources state 50 kg) Merino sheep
(wether or non-lactating, non-pregnant
ewe
) to maintain its weight. One DSE is equivalent to 7.60 megajoule (MJ)
per day.
The carrying capacity of a farm is commonly determined in Australia by expressing the number of stock carried during a period of feed shortage in terms of their DSEs.
Benchmarking standards used by Grazing for Profit programmes quote that one labour unit (40 hours) is required for 6,000 DSE (other benchmarking standards set the figure at 7,000 DSE).
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
to compare the feed requirements of different classes of stock or to assess the carrying capacity and potential productivity of a given farm or area of grazing land.
The unit represents the amount of feed required by a two year old, 45 kg (some sources state 50 kg) Merino sheep
Merino
The Merino is an economically influential breed of sheep prized for its wool. Merinos are regarded as having some of the finest and softest wool of any sheep...
(wether or non-lactating, non-pregnant
Pregnancy
Pregnancy refers to the fertilization and development of one or more offspring, known as a fetus or embryo, in a woman's uterus. In a pregnancy, there can be multiple gestations, as in the case of twins or triplets...
ewe
Ewe
Ewe or EWE may refer to:* Ewe people, an ethnic group in Eastern part of Ghana, Benin and Togo** Ewe music, music of the Ewe people** Ewe language, the language of the Ewe people* Ewe, a female sheep...
) to maintain its weight. One DSE is equivalent to 7.60 megajoule (MJ)
Joule
The joule ; symbol J) is a derived unit of energy or work in the International System of Units. It is equal to the energy expended in applying a force of one newton through a distance of one metre , or in passing an electric current of one ampere through a resistance of one ohm for one second...
per day.
The carrying capacity of a farm is commonly determined in Australia by expressing the number of stock carried during a period of feed shortage in terms of their DSEs.
Benchmarking standards used by Grazing for Profit programmes quote that one labour unit (40 hours) is required for 6,000 DSE (other benchmarking standards set the figure at 7,000 DSE).