Estimate daily dry matter intake from body weight and intake % of BW — then convert to as-fed pounds and optional herd / period totals.
Use this when building a hay or ration budget from animal weight and a DMI % of body weight for the class and forage quality you expect.
Typical beef dry-cow starting points are about 1.8–2.2% of BW; lactating cows and growing cattle often run higher. Pair with feed-cost and winter-hay tools.
DMI lb/day = weight × (intake% ÷ 100). As-fed = DMI ÷ (DM% ÷ 100). Scale by head, days, and waste.
DMI_lb/day = BW × (pct ÷ 100)
asfed_lb/day = DMI_lb/day ÷ (DM% ÷ 100)
herd_asfed_tons = asfed × head × days × (1 + waste%/100) ÷ 2,000
1,200 lb cow at 2.0% BW → 24 lb DM/day. At 88% DM hay → ≈ 27.3 lb as-fed/day. Fifty cows for 30 days with 10% waste ≈ 45 tons as-fed.
Assumptions: intake % fits the class and forage quality; DM% from a feed test or label.
Limits: not a balanced ration (protein/energy). Heat, mud, and poor forage cut realized intake.
Responsibility: confirm with a nutritionist or Extension for production diets.
Dry beef cows on average hay often start near 2.0% BW; early lactation and stockers may need 2.5%+. Use NRC/Extension tables when available.
Same math for total demand; subtract supplemental feed DM if you need pasture-only intake for organic grazing rules.
Buy hay on as-fed weight; balance rations on DM. This tool reports both when DM% is set.