Ration balance per head (dry matter)
Forage vs concentrate that make up daily dry matter intake.
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Cattle Feed Ration Calculator
Balance a beef cattle ration by body weight and target daily gain. Get dry matter intake, a forage-to-concentrate split, as-fed amounts and total feed for the whole herd over your feeding period.
Dry matter intake per head/day
17.5 lb
Forage (dry matter)—
Concentrate (dry matter)—
As-fed per head/day—
Projected final weight—
Total feed, herd × period—
Feed ration, defined
A feed ration is the amount and mix of feed an animal gets each day. It's built on dry matter intake (DMI), feed with the water removed, because hay, silage and grain carry very different moisture. Growing cattle typically eat about 2-3% of their body weight in dry matter daily, split between forage (hay, pasture, silage) and concentrate (grain) to hit a target rate of gain.
The formula
DMI = body weight × DMI%
forage DM = DMI × forage% · concentrate DM = DMI × (1 − forage%)
as-fed = DMI ÷ feed dry matter%
total feed = as-fed × head × days
forage DM = DMI × forage% · concentrate DM = DMI × (1 − forage%)
as-fed = DMI ÷ feed dry matter%
total feed = as-fed × head × days
Worked example
A 700 lb steer at 2.5% DMI eats 700 × 0.025 = 17.5 lb of dry matter a day. At 60% forage that's 10.5 lb forage and 7 lb concentrate. On feed that's 88% dry matter, as-fed ≈ 17.5 ÷ 0.88 = 19.9 lb. For 50 head over 120 days that's about 119,300 lb of feed.
Frequently asked questions
How much feed does a beef cow eat per day?
About 2-3% of body weight in dry matter.
What is dry matter intake (DMI)?
Feed intake with all moisture removed, the basis for balancing rations.
How do I convert dry matter to as-fed?
Divide the dry matter amount by the feed's dry matter percentage.
What forage-to-concentrate ratio should I use?
60-80% forage for growing; less forage for finishing.
Is this a substitute for a nutritionist?
No, it estimates quantities; balance nutrients with a specialist.