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Enter the average cow weight, the production stage, the feed dry matter percentage, the herd size and a waste allowance. The calculator works out dry matter intake as a percentage of body weight, converts it to as fed feed, adds waste, and scales it to the herd per day and per 30 days. Results are planning estimates, not veterinary or nutritionist advice.
Dry matter intake is the feed weight left after water is removed, so it lets you compare wet silage with dry hay fairly. A maintenance cow in this calculator uses 2.0 percent of body weight in dry matter per day, a lactating cow uses 3.0 percent, a dry cow uses 1.8 percent and a growing animal uses 2.5 percent. As fed feed equals dry matter divided by the dry matter fraction, so at 88 percent dry matter a cow needing 11.00 kg of dry matter needs 12.50 kg as fed. The waste allowance is added last, because feed spilled or trampled still has to be bought and stored. This beef cow feed chart and feeding guide shows how to calculate feed from body weight, comparing dry matter with as fed feed.
Heavier cows need more feed at every stage, and lactation lifts intake well above maintenance. A 550 kg maintenance cow needs 11.00 kg of dry matter per day, while a 600 kg lactating cow needs 18.00 kg. Dairy type cows in milk generally sit at the top of the range, dry cows at the bottom, and growing cattle in between. Use the herd result to plan deliveries: a herd of 10 cows offered 13.75 kg each needs 137.50 kg per day and 4125.00 kg per 30 days.
Confusing dry matter with as fed weight is the most common feeding mistake. Silage at 35 percent dry matter needs almost three times the as fed weight of hay at 88 percent dry matter for the same nutrition. Weigh feed when you can, because a scoop of fluffy hay and a scoop of dense silage are very different weights. Keep the waste allowance honest: muddy yards and poor feeders waste more, covered feeders and concrete pads waste less.
Lactating cows, late pregnancy, cold weather and poor forage all push intake up, while lush pasture can cut bought feed sharply. Check body condition every few weeks: steady condition means the ration is close, steady loss means it is short. For a full ration with protein and energy targets, or for sick, thin or high yielding animals, ask a livestock nutritionist or veterinarian, because this calculator estimates quantity only and does not balance protein, minerals or energy.
A 550 kg maintenance cow needs about 11.00 kg of dry matter per day, or 12.50 kg as fed at 88 percent dry matter. A lactating cow of 600 kg needs about 18.00 kg of dry matter per day.
A lactating cow needs more than a dry cow, about 3.0 percent of body weight in dry matter in this calculator, against 1.8 percent for a dry cow and 2.0 percent at maintenance.
Dry matter intake is the weight of feed after water is removed. It is the fair way to compare feeds, because hay, silage and fresh grass hold very different amounts of water.
Divide dry matter by the dry matter fraction. At 88 percent dry matter, divide by 0.88. So 11.00 kg of dry matter becomes 12.50 kg as fed.
Winter hay needs rise when pasture stops growing and cold weather lifts energy demand. Plan on the full as fed figure plus waste, and keep a buffer for long cold spells.
Yes, good pasture can replace much of the bought ration while grass is growing well. Reduce the bought feed gradually and watch body condition, because pasture quality falls fast in dry or cold weather.
Multiply the herd monthly feed weight by your local price per kilogram. Feed price varies widely by region, season and feed type, so enter your own price rather than trusting a national average.
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