{
  "slug": "dairy-feed-cost-per-cwt",
  "title": "Dairy Feed Cost Per Cwt Calculator",
  "heading": "Dairy Feed Cost Per Hundredweight Calculator",
  "category": "financial",
  "url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/dairy-feed-cost-per-cwt",
  "summary": "Daily ration cost translated into feed cost per hundredweight of milk shipped.",
  "description": "Feed cost per cwt of milk is the single most watched margin number on a dairy because feed typically runs 45-55% of total production cost, and it's the number lenders and consultants use to benchmark one herd against another regardless of herd size. This calculator takes a daily ration cost per cow and daily milk production per cow, then does the simple but easy-to-get-wrong division to get cost per hundredweight, plus the income-over-feed-cost margin against your milk price. Feed efficiency (pounds of milk per pound of dry matter intake) drives this more than ration price alone — a cheaper ration that depresses intake or components often loses money even though the feed bill looks smaller.",
  "formula": "Feed cost/cwt = daily ration cost ÷ (daily milk lb ÷ 100); IOFC = milk price × (milk lb/100) − ration cost.",
  "dateModified": "2026-09-30",
  "run_url": "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/api/public/calc?tool=dairy-feed-cost-per-cwt",
  "inputs": [
    {
      "id": "rationCost",
      "label": "Daily ration cost per cow",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 7.8,
      "unit": "$",
      "min": 0.5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "milkLb",
      "label": "Daily milk production per cow",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 85,
      "unit": "lb",
      "min": 10,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "milkPrice",
      "label": "Milk price",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 19.5,
      "unit": "$/cwt",
      "min": 5,
      "max": null
    },
    {
      "id": "dmi",
      "label": "Dry matter intake per cow",
      "kind": "number",
      "hint": null,
      "default": 54,
      "unit": "lb",
      "min": 20,
      "max": null
    }
  ],
  "outputs": [
    {
      "id": "feedCostCwt",
      "label": "Feed cost per cwt of milk",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": true
    },
    {
      "id": "iofc",
      "label": "Income over feed cost per cow/day",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "income",
      "label": "Milk income per cow/day",
      "format": "currency",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    },
    {
      "id": "feedEfficiency",
      "label": "Feed efficiency (lb milk/lb DMI)",
      "format": "decimal",
      "hint": null,
      "primary": false
    }
  ],
  "worked_example": {
    "inputs": [
      "Daily ration cost per cow: 7.8 $",
      "Daily milk production per cow: 85 lb",
      "Milk price: 19.5 $/cwt",
      "Dry matter intake per cow: 54 lb"
    ],
    "outputs": [
      "Feed cost per cwt of milk: $9.18",
      "Income over feed cost per cow/day: $8.77",
      "Milk income per cow/day: $16.58",
      "Feed efficiency (lb milk/lb DMI): 1.57"
    ]
  },
  "how_to": {
    "title": "How to use this",
    "steps": [
      "Enter daily ration cost per cow ($).",
      "Enter daily milk production per cow (lb).",
      "Enter milk price ($/cwt).",
      "Enter dry matter intake per cow (lb).",
      "Read your feed cost per cwt of milk on the right — it updates as you type.",
      "Hit Share to keep the scenario or send it to someone."
    ]
  },
  "scenarios": [
    {
      "name": "Conservative",
      "description": "Lower-end numbers — what if things land soft?",
      "values": {
        "rationCost": 4.68,
        "milkLb": 51,
        "milkPrice": 11.7,
        "dmi": 32
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Typical",
      "description": "Defaults — the most common real-world setup.",
      "values": {
        "rationCost": 7.8,
        "milkLb": 85,
        "milkPrice": 19.5,
        "dmi": 54
      }
    },
    {
      "name": "Ambitious",
      "description": "Higher-end numbers — what if things really pop?",
      "values": {
        "rationCost": 12.48,
        "milkLb": 136,
        "milkPrice": 31.200000000000003,
        "dmi": 86
      }
    }
  ],
  "limitations": [
    "Results are estimates before tax, fees, and inflation unless an input explicitly covers them.",
    "Rates are treated as fixed for the whole period — variable-rate products will drift from this projection.",
    "This is educational maths, not financial advice. Check anything contractual with the lender or your accountant."
  ],
  "faq": [
    {
      "q": "What's a good feed cost per cwt target?",
      "a": "Well-run herds typically run $6-8 per cwt in normal feed price years, while high feed cost years can push it to $9-11. The number by itself matters less than tracking it monthly and watching the trend against your milk price to protect margin."
    },
    {
      "q": "What is a healthy income-over-feed-cost number?",
      "a": "Most dairy extension benchmarks target $8-10+ per cow per day as a sign of solid profitability above feed costs, though this doesn't account for labor, facilities, and other overhead that still has to be covered from that margin."
    },
    {
      "q": "Why track feed efficiency alongside cost?",
      "a": "A ration change that lowers cost per cwt but also drops feed efficiency below about 1.4-1.5 lb milk per lb DMI often signals a nutrition problem that will show up in components or reproduction later, even if the feed bill looks better this month."
    },
    {
      "q": "Does this include heifer and dry cow feed cost?",
      "a": "No, this is strictly the lactating cow ration. For a whole-herd feed cost picture, add heifer-raising and dry cow feed costs allocated back per cwt of milk sold, which typically adds another $1-2 per cwt to the true total."
    }
  ],
  "related": [
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/silage-shrink-loss",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/feedlot-cost-of-gain",
    "https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/manure-nutrient-value"
  ],
  "license": "CC-BY-4.0",
  "citation": "RevenueLab — Dairy Feed Cost Per Cwt Calculator (https://www.revenuelab.fyi/toolbox/dairy-feed-cost-per-cwt)"
}