Why use this calculator
Running out of supplementary feed during winter or drought is one of the most stressful and costly situations in livestock farming. Calculating your exact feed requirements in advance ensures you purchase or make enough hay and silage to carry your stock through lean periods without emergency buying at inflated prices.
How to use it
Enter your livestock numbers, animal type, expected feeding period in days, bale weight, estimated wastage percentage, and bale type. The calculator accounts for feed wastage and provides total feed requirements, bale counts, and cost estimates.
The formula
Daily Feed Per Head = Daily Intake x (1 + Wastage%). Total Feed = Daily/Head x Number of Head x Feeding Days. Number of Bales = Total Feed / Bale Weight. Daily intake: cattle 10kg, sheep 1.5kg, horses 8kg.
Worked examples
50 cattle for 120 days, 500kg round bales, 15% wastage
69.0 tonnes feed, 138 round bales, $11,040 cost
200 sheep for 90 days, 25kg small square bales, 10% wastage
29.7 tonnes feed, 1,188 bales, $17,820 cost
When people use it
- Planning hay purchases before winter feeding season
- Determining silage pit or shed storage requirements
- Budgeting supplementary feeding costs for drought planning
- Negotiating hay purchase contracts with suppliers
Tips
- Order hay early in the season when prices are typically 20-30% lower
- Store hay under cover to reduce wastage from weather damage
- Use hay rings or feeders to minimise ground wastage during feeding
- Test hay quality to ensure adequate nutritional value for your livestock class
Questions people ask
- What wastage percentage should I use?
- Wastage varies significantly with storage and feeding method. Hay stored outside without cover can lose 15-30%. Well-stored hay under cover may only lose 5%. Feeding method matters too: ground feeding wastes 20-35% while hay rings reduce waste to 5-15%.
- How do I choose between round and small square bales?
- Round bales are more economical per tonne for large operations and can be stored outside. Small square bales are easier to handle manually, better for small flocks, and preferred for horses. Consider your handling equipment and storage facilities.
- Should I make my own hay or buy it?
- The decision depends on your land capability, machinery costs, and time. Making your own hay can be cheaper per bale but requires significant machinery investment and carries weather risk during harvest. Many farmers use a combination of both strategies.