Calculator
Cost per pound of protein calculator
Two ingredients' per-ton prices and protein contents, compared on a cost-per-pound-of-protein basis.
Cost per pound of protein is the price per ton divided by 2,000 lb, divided by the protein share — a standard first-pass comparison across feedstuffs. Defaults are typical protein contents (soybean meal 47.5% CP, DDGS 27-30% CP) and current or recent USDA board prices where live data is available; edit all four fields to your own quotes and guaranteed analyses. Protein is one dimension — energy, amino acid profile, fiber, and inclusion limits move real ration decisions, and this tool prices none of them.
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Common questions
How do you compare feed ingredient prices on a protein basis?
Divide each ingredient's price per ton by 2,000 to get a per-pound cost, then divide by its protein share. Soybean meal at $350/ton and 47.5% protein is about $0.37 per pound of protein; DDGS at $210/ton and 28% is about $0.38. The lower figure is the cheaper protein source.
Why compare cost per pound of protein instead of price per ton?
Price per ton buys different amounts of nutrition: a cheaper ton with much less protein can be the more expensive protein. Dividing by protein content puts ingredients on the same basis.