# Corn gluten feed vs corn spread Corn gluten feed versus Corn (US #2 yellow): the raw $/ton spread, on a dry-matter basis, and on cost per pound of protein and energy _Data through Aug 17, 2026 · source last checked Aug 27, 2026 · page revised Aug 27, 2026_ > Corn gluten feed is $40/ton over Corn (US #2 yellow) on a raw as-fed basis, but on the nutrient that matters here Corn (US #2 yellow) is the cheaper source of a pound of TDN (energy) this week. A price screen, not a feeding recommendation. Corn (US #2 yellow) is the cheaper source of TDN (energy) this week at $0.105 per pound versus corn gluten feed at $0.144 per pound. Corn gluten feed is the cheaper source of crude protein at $0.473 per pound versus corn's $0.973, but sits $40 per ton higher on an as-fed basis. ## The numbers | Measure | Corn gluten feed | Corn (US #2 yellow) | Difference (Corn gluten feed − Corn (US #2 yellow)) | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | Price, $/ton as-fed | $203 | $163 | +$40 | | Price, $/ton dry matter | $225 | $185 | +$40 | | Cost per lb crude protein | $0.473 | $0.973 | -$0.500 | | Cost per lb TDN (energy) | $0.144 | $0.105 | +$0.039 | ## About Corn gluten feed vs corn spread A raw $/ton spread is the starting point, not the answer. Two feeds at the same $/ton can deliver very different amounts of protein and energy per ton of dry matter, so the table above also shows each feed on a dry-matter basis and as a cost per pound of crude protein and per pound of TDN, the same math the nutrient-cost screening board runs. Basis: Corn (US #2 yellow) is the national Grain Co-Products plant input cost, while Corn gluten feed is a fob plant feedstuff quote. Those are close but not identical bases, so treat the raw $/ton gap as indicative and add your own freight for a delivered comparison. **Nutritional limits.** Corn gluten feed carries energy near corn's on high-forage diets, but as fiber rather than starch, so its value drops in high-grain rations. [Mississippi State University Extension](https://extension.msstate.edu/publications/feedstuffs-for-beef-cattle) notes it should stay under about half of dry-matter intake, is low in calcium, and its sulfur can cause polioencephalomalacia in growing calves. This is a price screen on one or two nutrients, not a feeding recommendation: inclusion rates, amino-acid balance, effective fiber and palatability are the nutritionist's call, not a price table's. ## About this data - Source: Derived from USDA AMS feedstuffs board prices - Series: Corn gluten feed vs corn - Basis: Two feeds differenced, as-fed $/ton - Geography: National - Unit: $/ton - Calculation period: Weekly - Last observation: Aug 17, 2026 - Update frequency: Weekly --- Cite: Corn gluten feed vs corn is n/a on a $/ton as-fed basis as of Aug 17, 2026 (USDA feedstuffs board). The Ration. https://the-ration.com/spread/corn-gluten-feed-vs-corn Canonical URL: https://the-ration.com/spread/corn-gluten-feed-vs-corn