Cattle feed calculator
Cattle Feed Calculator: Daily Intake, Tonnage and Cost per Head
Size a beef or dairy feeding period from body weight and intake rate, so the tonnage you contract matches the tonnage the herd will actually eat.
Inputs
Results
- Dry matter intake per head/day
- 11.25 kg
- Herd intake per day
- 2.25 t
- Total feed for the period
- 270.0 t
- Concentrate portion
- 108.0 t
- Forage / roughage portion
- 162.0 t
- Feed cost per head per day
- 2.92
- Total feed cost
- 70,200
Cattle dry matter intake runs about 2.0–3.0% of body weight per day. A 450 kg animal eating 2.5% consumes 11.25 kg of dry matter daily; 200 head over 120 days therefore need about 270 tonnes of dry matter, and at 260 per tonne that is roughly 2.93 per head per day.
The formula
- Dry matter intake per head = body weight × intake percentage
- Total feed = intake per head × head × days
- Cost per head per day = (intake per head ÷ 1000) × price per tonne
Worked example — 200 head, 120-day finishing period
- · 200 head at 450 kg
- · 2.5% dry matter intake
- · 120 days
- · 260 per tonne
- · 40% concentrate
- → 11.25 kg dry matter per head per day, 2.25 t for the herd daily
- → 270 t for the period: 108 t concentrate, 162 t forage
- → 2.93 per head per day, about 70,200 in total feed cost
Cattle dry matter intake benchmarks
| Category | Typical range | What it means |
|---|---|---|
| Growing beef, 300–450 kg | 2.4–2.8% of BW | Higher on high-forage rations. |
| Finishing beef, 450–650 kg | 2.0–2.4% of BW | Intake falls as a share of weight. |
| Lactating dairy cow | 3.0–4.0% of BW | Scales with milk yield. |
| Dry cow | 1.8–2.2% of BW | Controlled energy ration. |
| Feedlot FCR | 6.0–8.0 kg DM per kg gain | Dry matter basis. |
Indicative ranges — confirm with your nutritionist for the actual ration.
Turn the tonnage into offers
Once you know the tonnage, the next step is pricing it. Send the volume and the specification and we run it across qualified manufacturers and ingredient suppliers, then return every offer normalised to landed cost per tonne. Supplier-neutral and free for buyers.
Price this volumeFAQ
Common questions
How much feed does a cow eat per day?
On a dry matter basis, roughly 2.0–3.0% of body weight for beef cattle and 3.0–4.0% for a lactating dairy cow. A 450 kg beef animal at 2.5% eats about 11.25 kg of dry matter a day, which is more in as-fed weight once moisture is added back.
How do I convert as-fed tonnes to dry matter?
Multiply as-fed weight by the dry matter percentage. 10 tonnes of silage at 35% dry matter is 3.5 tonnes of dry matter. Always compare feeds and prices on a dry matter basis, or a wet feed will look artificially cheap per tonne.
How much feed do I need for a 120-day finishing period?
Intake per head per day × head × days. For 200 animals at 11.25 kg of dry matter that is 270 tonnes, before wastage. Add 3–5% for feed-out losses in an open bunk system.
What share of the ration should be concentrate?
It depends on the target growth rate and forage quality — commonly 30–50% for growing cattle and up to 70–80% in intensive feedlots. Set the share with your nutritionist, then use this calculator to convert it into tonnes to buy.