What effect does the fodder crop rotation area have on pasture production in the pastoral block the fodder crop is rotating through when animals are defoliating the fodder crop?

Adding a fodder crop rotation to a pastoral block will reduce the total and per ha productivity of the
pasture calculated within OverseerFM. This is because OverseerFM estimates pasture DM
production from Pasture ME intake. Pasture ME intake is estimated by animal ME requirements
minus ME supplied as crops minus ME supplied as supplements.

Pasture ME intake = animal ME requirement - ME supplied as crops - ME supplied as supplements.

As the area of fodder crop grown increases, the ME supplied from the fodder crop increases. As the pasture ME intake is now from a smaller area, this results in total pasture grown for the block being reduced.

The table below shows pasture growth and intake on a 27.5ha block as the area of fodder crop increases. The total pasture grown on the pasture block has decreased as the area of fodder crop grown has increases.