Feedlots and stockholding areas
Feedlots and stockholding areas are specialised structures where stock can seek food and shelter. If managed well, they can enhance animal welfare and minimise nutrient loss, but if managed poorly, they can pose a risk to the quality of our waterways.
When large numbers of stock are held in small areas, the environmental effect of their urine and the sedimentation they can cause can also be concentrated.
That's why feedlots and other stockholding areas must be situated an appropriate distance from waterbodies, meet minimum permeability standards and provide for effluent management.
The use of land for a feedlot or stockholding area will require a resource consent unless you can meet the Permitted Activity rules explained below.
Feedlots
The National Environmental Standards for Freshwater (NES-F) defines a feedlot as a stockholding area where cattle are kept for at least 80 days in any six-month period and are fed exclusively by hand or machine.
The use of land for a feedlot requires a resource consent unless at least 90 percent of the cattle are under four months old or weigh less than 120kg.
Stockholding areas
A stockholding area is an area for holding cattle at a density that means pasture or other ground cover can’t be maintained. Stockholding areas include feed pads, winter pads, stand-off pads and loafing pads.
Use of these areas requires requires a resource consent unless at least 90 percent of the cattle are under four months old or weigh less than 120kg, or all of the following conditions can be met:
- The base area of the stockholding area is sealed such that seepage into land does not exceed 1mm per day.
- Effluent expelled in the stockholding area is collected, stored and disposed of in accordance with a rule in the LWRP or a resource consent.
- The stockholding area is at least 50m away from any waterbody, water abstraction bore, drain and the coastal marine area.
In future, you may also be able to use land for holding larger and older cattle in a stockholding area (other than a feedlot) without consent if you have a Freshwater Farm Plan that applies to holding cattle in the stockholding area, and a certifier has stated that the adverse effects allowed for by the plan aren’t greater than those in the above conditions.
