Line up to four ingredients — as-fed pounds per head per day and price — and see daily and period cost per head (optional herd total). Not a full NRC ration model.
Use this for quick budget math: hay + grain + supplement costs on a per-head basis before you refine a balanced diet with a nutritionist.
Switch price units between $/ton and $/cwt (hundredweight). As-fed pounds should match how you weigh the feed offered.
Feed cost per head is the fastest way to compare ration options when ingredient prices move weekly. Enter as-fed pounds and dollars per ton the way you buy them — then read $/head/day before you scale to a pen or a winter feeding period.
This tool does not balance protein or energy. It prices the ration you already chose. For growing cattle, pair the dollar result with average daily gain so you can sketch cost of gain (feed $/day ÷ ADG) as a separate check.
Cost per lb = price_per_ton / 2000, or price_per_cwt / 100. Daily $/head = sum (lb_i x cost_per_lb_i). Period = daily x days. Herd = period x head.
$/lb = $/ton / 2,000 or $/cwt / 100
$/head/day = Σ (lb_i x $/lb_i)
$/head/period = $/head/day x days
herd $ = $/head/period x head
Does not check protein, energy, minerals, or intake limits — cost only.
20 lb hay @ $180/ton (= $0.09/lb) + 8 lb grain @ $240/ton (= $0.12/lb) → 1.80 + 0.96 = $2.76 / head / day. Over 30 days → $82.80 / head; 50 head → $4,140.
Cost-of-gain sketch: If the ration prices at $2.40/head/day and cattle gain 2.0 lb/day, feed cost of gain is about $1.20/lb before yardage, interest, or death loss. Change any feed price here and rerun ADG from scale weights for an updated sketch.
Assumptions: prices are as-fed delivered cost; pounds are as offered.
Limits: shrink, grinding fees, and waste not included unless baked into price or pounds.
Responsibility: budget aid only — not a substitute for a balanced ration from a qualified nutritionist.
No — dollars only. Pair with lab tests and professional formulation.
Convert to $/ton using bale weight first (or $/lb x 2000).
Enter as feed 3 or 4 with small lb/day and its unit price.
1 ton = 20 cwt. Pick the unit that matches your invoice.
Enter pounds the way you weigh them into the bunk (as-fed) and the price per ton as purchased. If you only know DM intake, convert to as-fed using moisture before using this page.
Add them as extra feed rows with their daily as-fed amount and $/ton (or convert $/bag into $/ton). Small inclusions still move $/head/day on large pens.