Livestock Feed Calculator & Daily Ration & Cost
Calculates feed for dairy cows
Get the daily green fodder, dry fodder and concentrate for cattle, buffalo, goats and sheep (by body weight and milk yield), or per-bird feed for poultry — with herd totals, monthly feed and cost.
Feed each dairy cow about 27 kg green fodder, 5.4 kg dry fodder and 5.5 kg concentrate daily (1.5 kg maintenance + 4 kg for 10 L milk). For the herd that's 38 kg/day.
Next: split feeding morning and evening, give clean water free-choice, and add a mineral mixture (~50 g/day). Boost concentrate as milk yield rises.
Thumb-rule ration — adjust for breed, stage, fodder quality and a vet/nutritionist's advice.
Livestock feed — key facts
- Green fodder
- ≈ 6% of body weight / day
- Dry fodder
- ≈ 1.0–1.2% of body weight / day
- Maintenance concentrate
- ~1.5 kg cow · 2 kg buffalo
- Milk concentrate
- ~0.4 kg/L (cow), 0.5 kg/L (buffalo)
- Layer hen
- ~115 g feed/bird/day
- Broiler
- ~100 g feed/bird/day (avg)
- Plus
- ~50 g mineral mix + clean water
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
How the daily ration is worked out
Ruminants eat roughly 2.5–3% of their body weight as dry matter each day, made up of roughage (green and dry fodder) for fibre and concentrate for energy and protein. This tool uses practical extension thumb rules — green fodder at about 6% of body weight, dry fodder at ~1–1.2% — then adds concentrate: a fixed maintenance amount plus extra for milk (about 0.4 kg per litre for cows, 0.5 kg for buffalo). Poultry are simpler: a fairly constant grams-per-bird that you multiply by flock size.
Getting this right matters both ways: under-feeding cuts milk and growth, while over-feeding concentrate wastes money and can cause metabolic problems. Match concentrate to actual yield, keep good fodder in front of the animals, and always provide minerals and clean water.
Dairy cow & buffalo feed
Set body weight and milk yield to get green fodder, dry fodder and concentrate per day — concentrate scales with litres of milk.
Goat & sheep feed
Small-ruminant rations from body weight, with a light concentrate allowance (more for milking goats).
Poultry feed per bird
Layer and broiler feed per bird per day, multiplied to your flock size for daily and monthly totals.
Feed cost per day & month
Add fodder and concentrate prices to budget the herd's daily and monthly feed bill in your currency.
Frequently Asked Questions
How much should I feed a dairy cow per day?+
A rough daily ration is green fodder at about 6% of body weight, dry fodder at ~1.2%, plus concentrate of ~1.5 kg for maintenance and ~0.4 kg per litre of milk. So a 450 kg cow giving 10 L needs roughly 27 kg green, 5.4 kg dry and 5.5 kg concentrate — about 38 kg of feed a day. This tool computes it for your animal and yield.
How much concentrate does a milking animal need?+
Add about 0.4 kg of concentrate per litre of milk for cows and ~0.5 kg/L for buffalo, on top of a maintenance allowance (about 1.5 kg for cows, 2 kg for buffalo). Higher yielders need proportionally more energy and protein.
How much fodder does a buffalo need?+
Similar thumb rules to cattle but a heavier animal and higher milk concentrate: a 550 kg buffalo at 8 L milk needs roughly 33 kg green fodder, 6.6 kg dry fodder and about 6 kg concentrate per day. Set body weight and yield to get your exact figure.
How much feed does a goat or sheep need?+
Small ruminants eat green fodder at ~6% and dry fodder at ~1% of body weight, plus a small concentrate (0.25–0.3 kg, more for milking goats). A 35 kg goat needs roughly 2 kg green, 0.35 kg dry and 0.3 kg concentrate daily.
How much feed does a layer hen or broiler need?+
A layer hen eats about 110–120 g of feed per day; broilers average around 100 g over the cycle (much less as chicks, more near market weight). Multiply by your flock size for the daily total — the tool does this for any number of birds.
How do I calculate feed cost?+
Enter your price per kilogram for green fodder, dry fodder and concentrate (or a single feed price for poultry) and pick a currency; the tool multiplies by the daily quantities to give cost per day and per month for the whole herd or flock.
What is a balanced ration for cattle?+
A balanced ration combines roughage (green + dry fodder) for fibre with concentrate for energy and protein, plus ~50 g of a mineral mixture and free-choice clean water. Sudden feed changes should be avoided; transition over several days.
Why split feeding into two times a day?+
Splitting feed morning and evening keeps rumen fermentation steady, improves digestion and intake, and suits milking routines. It also reduces wastage compared with one large feed.
Does feed change with milk yield and stage?+
Yes — concentrate rises with milk yield, and animals need extra in late pregnancy and early lactation, less when dry. Re-run the calculator as yield changes through the lactation.
Is this a substitute for a nutritionist?+
No — it's a practical planning estimate from standard thumb rules. Breed, stage, fodder quality and target yield change the exact ration, so consult a vet or animal nutritionist for high-yielding or commercial herds.