Dry matter: farm glossary
Dry matter is the portion of feed remaining after its water is excluded. It contains the feed’s protein, fibre, fat, minerals and other dry components. The dry-matter percentage shows how much actual dry feed remains per 100 kg of fresh weight placed in the trough.
Compiled from open-access scientific sources.
A farm example
Illustrative calculation: 10 kg of wet silage at 30% dry matter supplies 3 kg of dry matter, whereas 10 kg of hay at 88% dry matter supplies 8.8 kg. Converting both to dry matter lets you compare their nutrient levels and costs on the same weight basis.
Everyday use
HerdMobile uses feed dry-matter percentages with daily feed amounts in ration calculations. The as-fed quantity describes the weighed feed, while the dry-matter quantity supports the nutrient calculation.
How HerdMobile helps
Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.
