Ration cost per head per day
Add the daily cost of up to four feeds using as-fed kilograms per animal and a price per as-fed kilogram. Keep every price in the same currency. The result is a feed-cost subtotal for one animal for one day. Use the feed-cost subtotal with production income and other expenses when reviewing the farm’s wider accounts.
What is the calculation?
For each feed, multiply kilograms per head per day by price per kilogram, then add all the line costs. In the example, 20 kg at 2 currency units/kg costs 40, and 5 kg at 12 costs 60. Together they cost 100 currency units/head/day. These example quantities and prices are editable and do not describe a recommended diet or a current market quotation. Leave unused feed rows at zero for both amount and price.
How do I prepare a delivery price?
Check the weight basis on the invoice. If you bought a tonne, divide its price by 1,000 to obtain a kilogram price. If you bought a sack or bale, divide the item price by its actual kilogram weight. Do not assume every sack or bale weighs the same. Include delivery charges in your kilogram price if you want them included in this subtotal. Record whether tax is included and use that choice consistently across feeds.
Are my amounts per animal or for the whole herd?
The fields are per animal per day. If your feed sheet lists the amount offered to a group, divide each daily group amount by the number of animals before entering it here. Check that the group is actually receiving the same ration. For groups with different diets or unequal feed access, keep separate records and use individual measurements where available. Offered feed also differs from consumed feed when some is refused or wasted.
What should I check before comparing costs?
Use as-fed prices with as-fed amounts; use the dry matter converter first if your amounts are on a dry matter basis. All line prices must use the selected currency, because changing the currency label performs no exchange-rate conversion. The subtotal excludes labour, housing, finance charges, veterinary costs and production income. A cheaper subtotal can still represent an unsuitable ration, so check energy, protein, fibre and mineral balance against your feed analyses and group requirements before changing the feeding plan.
Sources and method
- Method: sum of quantity × unit price, with kg/head/day and currency/kg. No market-price dataset is used.
- Meat & Livestock Australia, Beef cattle nutrition, revised March 2015, pp.16–19: dry matter basis and feed cost comparisons.