Agistment is a feeding option available when feed is short on the home property. It may be taken up when the economics of hand feeding (with associated labour involvement) are judged to be more expensive. Long-term returns, often overlooked in initial calculations, may favour good agistment over the maintenance feeding of stock during prolonged dry spells.

This Primefact looks at:

• inspection, cost of transport and change in environment;
• person in charge of stock, stock handling facilities, period of agistment and fees;
• feasibility of agistment;
• calculating weekly inspection costs and break-even period;
• stock numbers and insurance;
• limitations on stock movements;
• written agreements.