Why Calculation Details matter
RanchAssist is designed so users can audit the assumptions behind a planning result. Before using the output for purchasing, scheduling, budgeting, or field decisions, review the source inputs and any user-editable assumptions.
Core calculation relationships
- Daily demand sums head count × gallons/head/day planning assumption across livestock groups.
- Peak demand applies the configured hot-weather and adjustment assumptions.
- Reserve storage is based on the user-selected reserve period and demand assumptions.
- Refill time depends on the volume to recover and the entered source GPM.
- Minimum source GPM is derived from required recovery volume divided by the selected recovery period.
Results to review together
- Normal daily demand
- Peak hot-weather demand
- Hourly peak planning demand
- Required reserve storage
- Gallons/head available
- Refill time
- Minimum source gpm
- Capacity surplus or deficit
How to sanity-check the result
Change one important assumption at a time and confirm the result moves in the direction you expect. If a small change creates a very large result change, check units, percentages, duplicated rows/features, and any hidden Advanced settings.
Rounding and purchase quantities
Where the tool converts a calculated need into purchasable whole units—such as bales, rolls, packages, loads, or other discrete quantities—the purchase quantity may round upward even when the mathematical requirement is fractional. Review Calculation Details for the current tool behavior.
Planning limitation
This calculator is a planning aid and not a certification of animal-welfare or engineering compliance. Actual water demand and system performance depend on animals, weather, forage, water quality, plumbing, source reliability, and field conditions.
