Farmers who have been impacted by floods and require assistance or have urgent welfare needs, please contact the VicEmergency Hotline on 1800 226 226

Sheep Water Calculator

Use the table below to calculate your monthly and cumulative water requirements for sheep. The green fields can be edited to update the calculations in the table.

Sheep water requirements: Between 4-14 litres per head per day.

MOB SIZE
LITRES PER HEAD PER DAY
NOV DEC JAN FEB MAR APR MAY
LITRES PER HEAD PER WEEK
LITRES PER MOB PER MONTH
CUMULATIVE LITRES
CUMULATIVE GALLONS

Stock water requirements litres/animal/day.

Stock type Consumption (litres/animal/day)
  Summer Average daily
Sheep    
Weaners 6 4
Adult dry sheep 10 6
Ewes with lambs 14 10
Beef Cattle    
Weaner (250–300 kg) 70 Up to 55
Adult Dry stock 112 Up to 80
Horses (grazing) 49 35

For more information on water requirements for sheep and other livestock types refer to ‘Managing farm water supplies’

Salinity tolerance levels for stock water.

Type of Livestock   EC (µS/cm) Mg/L (ppm)  
Beef cattle Production decline begins* 6,250 4,000  
  Maximum level** 15,600 10,000  
Lactating ewes and weaners Production decline begins* 6,000 3,800  
  Maximum level** 10,000 6,400  
 
Dry mature sheep Production decline begins* 9,300 6,000  
  Maximum level** 21,800 14,000  

* Production decline begins = upper limit salt concentration for healthy growth.

** Maximum = maximum salt concentration that may be safe for limited periods.