Cattle Feed Calculator: Plan Dry Matter Intake and Forage Requirements

Cattle nutrition is expressed in dry matter (DM) rather than fresh weight, which makes feed planning harder than it looks. A kilogram of good silage contains only around 250 g of dry matter; hay contains around 850 g. Without accounting for this, ration planning quickly goes wrong. The Cattle Feed Calculator handles the conversion for you, letting you plan forage requirements accurately for cattle at any stage of production.

Five livestock classes are supported: growing cattle (2.0% of bodyweight as DMI), finishing cattle (2.5%), maintenance/dry cows (1.5%), late-pregnancy cows (1.8%), and lactating cows (3.0%). These DMI percentages reflect the varying metabolic demands at each stage.

Three diet types are available: silage-based (65% silage, 35% concentrate), hay-based (55% hay, 45% concentrate), and fresh grass (90% grass, 10% concentrate). The calculator outputs daily DM requirement, total fresh-weight feed in kilograms per day, and weekly and monthly totals. A notes panel provides feeding context specific to the chosen livestock class.

DMI percentages are derived from AHDB Nutrient Management Guide (RB209) recommendations and SAC Consulting cattle nutrition guidance. Silage DM content is assumed at 25%, hay at 85%, and fresh grass at 18%, all of which are typical values for UK-grown forages. Actual DM content will vary and can be tested by a forage analysis laboratory for precision rationing.

Enter the number of cattle in your group, their average live weight in kilograms, select the livestock class that best describes them, and choose your primary diet type. Results update automatically.

The output shows total daily DM requirement and the equivalent fresh-weight feed quantities split by feed type. Use the monthly total to estimate winter forage needs and plan silage clamp or hay barn storage accordingly.