Agriculture, Soil, Fertilizer & Farm Operations worked example

Livestock Feed Ration with animals in feeding group of 300 head: a worked example

What does the result look like when animals in feeding group reaches 300 head? The full calculation is worked below with real intermediate numbers. Use it to plan feed inventory, ration batches, or grazing supplement needs for a group of animals.

The inputs for this scenario

  • Animals in feeding group: 300 head (raised for this scenario; the documented default is 120)
  • Dry matter intake per head per day: 26 lb DM / head / day (unchanged)
  • Feeding period length: 14 days (unchanged)
  • Feed waste and shrink factor: 1.05 x (unchanged)

Working through the calculation

  • Applying the documented formula (Feed required = head count x dry matter intake x feeding days x adjustment factor) to the inputs above produces each figure below.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 114,660 lb dry matter for total feed dry matter required, the number this scenario is built around.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 109,200 value for feed total before waste adjustment.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 1.05 x for feed waste and ration adjustment.
  • At this operating point the engine returns 7,800 value for daily feed for group.

How this compares with the baseline

  • Against the tool's baseline example, where animals in feeding group sits at 120 head and the headline result is 45,864 lb dry matter, this scenario comes in 150% above the baseline at 114,660 lb dry matter.
  • A figure at this level is achievable when animals in feeding group is genuinely sustained, not just peaked for a shift. It uses a single average intake for the whole group and does not adjust for changing intake as animals grow, weather swings, or ration density changes over the period.

Results at a glance

  • Total feed dry matter required: 114,660 lb dry matter (headline result)
  • Feed total before waste adjustment: 109,200 value
  • Feed waste and ration adjustment: 1.05 x
  • Daily feed for group: 7,800 value

Run it with your numbers

  • Every input above is editable in the live Livestock Feed Ration calculator, which recalculates instantly and can be shared with the inputs intact.

Last reviewed 2026-05-12.