Best practice when designing stock containment areas

1 December 2025

Clem Sturmfels, Land Management Officer, Ararat

Stock Containment Areas (SCA) are a great tool for farmers when feeding, watering and monitoring stock, and for pasture management.

However, they need careful planning, design and management to maximise animal health and welfare, production efficiencies and environmental outcomes.

Siting a stock containment area can be a challenge at times, when balancing proximity to animal handling facilities, being away from neighbours, providing shade, as well as having good draining and stable soils. Undulating or hilly terrain can add to the challenge.

Keeping the following in mind when constructing SCAs will help manage potential issues:

• locate at least 100 metres from drainage lines and 200 metres from rivers, streams, or lakes
• spread runoff over a wide area to slow water flow and increase absorption into the soil
• construct pens across the slope to avoid pen to pen drainage
• spread damaged hay or straw in the pens to reduce pugging and compaction
• maintain a well grassed buffer strip between the SCA and adjacent water bodies
• construct one or more netting fence sediment traps
• construct diversion banks to direct flows away from water bodies
• construct an effluent pond and an appropriate distribution system.

Netting fence sediment traps work best when they follow a level path or contour across the paddock. Turning the ends uphill prevents runoff from escaping. Alternatively, they can be made by simply applying wire netting to an existing fence.

Diversion banks need to be well constructed, have a clay core, be at least 400mm high, and follow a grade of approximately 1 in 200. Diversion banks are best constructed using a road grader or similar equipment.

Ongoing management is critical. Pens should be cleaned out regularly once stock have been moved back to the paddock, to minimise build-up of manure, organic matter and nutrients. The material removed from the pens should be spread across the farm or composted for future use.

The nutrients from SCAs include nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, which are high value resources on the farm. Keeping these materials on-farm and applying them to paddocks reduces the need for fertiliser, helping to maintain the health and strength of crops and pastures.

Planning permits may be required when designing SCAs and diversion banks, check with your local council planning officer.

The Navigating Farm Developments (NFD) web-based platform can help work through considerations for appropriate siting of the development of SCAs.

For more information on stock containment areas, visit the Agriculture Victoria website.

Find more information about available drought support visit www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/drought or call 136 186.

Media contact: Tessa Butler

Phone: 136186