Calculator
Delivered feed-cost calculator
Take a board price to your bunk: add freight, handling and shrink, then see the delivered cost per ton, per ton of dry matter, and per pound of protein and energy against corn and soybean meal.
Delivered cost per ton is the board price plus freight and handling, divided by (1 − shrink) to spread the loss over the feed that survives. Freight converts to $/ton from a per-load rate (rate ÷ load weight) or a per-mile rate (rate × miles ÷ load weight). The dry-matter cost divides by the dry-matter fraction; cost per pound of protein and energy then divides by 2,000 lb times the nutrient percent, using the same CP/TDN/DM book values as the site's leaderboard (from named extension and NRC feed tables, listed on the methodology page). The corn and soybean-meal comparison uses this week's board price for each. This is a price screen on one or two nutrients, not a feeding recommendation: inclusion limits, amino-acid balance, effective fiber and palatability are the nutritionist's call.
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Common questions
How do you calculate the delivered cost of a feed ingredient?
Start with the FOB board price per ton, add freight per ton and any handling, then divide by one minus the shrink fraction so the lost weight is spread over the feed you actually feed. Freight quoted per load is the load rate divided by the load's tonnage; freight quoted per mile is the mile rate times the miles, divided by the load's tonnage.
Why compare delivered feed on cost per pound of protein and energy?
Because a delivered price per ton still hides moisture and nutrient density. Putting each feed on a dry-matter basis and then on cost per pound of crude protein and TDN is what lets you rank feeds that look nothing alike against corn and soybean meal.
Does the cheapest delivered feed win?
Not on price alone. This tool screens cost per unit of nutrient; it does not weigh amino-acid balance, fiber, palatability, sulfur or inclusion limits, which decide what actually goes in a ration. Treat the ranking as a starting point for the nutritionist.