Animal unit (AU)

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One mature, non-lactating cow weighing 1,100 pounds and fed at the maintenance level, or the equivalent, expressed as (body weight)0.75; in other kinds or classes of animals, based on the average daily consumption of 25 pounds dry matter per day. The AU is often used by public land management agencies when referring to a 1,100 lb cow with calf, 1.4 yearling cattle, or 5 dry ewes. [Source: USDA National Plant Materials Manual]

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