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Calcimator

Automated Weighing Calculator

Project weight gain trajectory from walk-over scale data. Estimate days to market weight, feed requirements, and revenue per head.

About this calculator

This calculator projects how long a group of animals needs to reach a target market weight from a current weighing, then extends that timeline into feed requirements, feed cost, and expected revenue per head -- the core numbers a feeder uses to plan a finishing period around automated or walk-over scale data. Days to target weight comes directly from dividing the weight still needed to gain by the average daily gain (ADG) rate, so it responds directly to both the target weight itself (a higher finish-weight goal takes proportionally longer to reach) and to ADG (a faster-gaining group reaches the same target sooner, and because ADG can range from a very slow 0.1 lb/day up to 10 lb/day, an unrealistic ADG assumption can swing the projected timeline more than almost any other single input). Feed needs are estimated with a feed conversion ratio (FCR), the pounds of feed required per pound of gain, which is multiplied by the weight to be gained and the number of head to get total feed tonnage and cost for the group.

Revenue and gross margin are driven primarily by sale price per pound live weight -- because margin is revenue minus feed cost, and revenue scales directly with sale price while feed cost only responds to FCR and feed price, a swing in expected sale price moves gross margin more than an equivalent swing in most other inputs. None of the days-to-target math is affected by number of head, feed conversion ratio, feed cost, or sale price, since those are economic and volume figures layered on top of a growth timeline that depends only on starting weight, target weight, and daily gain rate.

Inputs

$
$

Results

Days to target weight

219

Feed per head (lbs)4,550
Total feed (tons)113.8
Total feed cost$34,125.00
Feed cost per head$683.00
Revenue per head$2,498.00
Gross margin per head$1,815.00
Weekly gain target (lbs)22.4
Total Revenue$124,875.00
How to Use This Calculator
  1. Enter Current weight (lbs), Target weight (lbs), and Average daily gain (lbs).
  2. Set Number of head, Feed conversion ratio, and Feed cost ($/ton).
  3. Adjust Sale price ($/lb live) as needed.
  4. Review the Days to target weight result.
  5. Use Feed per head (lbs) and Total feed (tons) to inform your decision.

How the result changes with Target weight (lbs)

Target weight (lbs)Days to target weight
6758
1,013113
2,025430
3,375852

What each input means

Current weight (lbs)
Current average body weight per animal.
Target weight (lbs)
Target market or finish weight.
Average daily gain (lbs)
Expected or measured average daily gain.
Number of head
Animals in the group.
Feed conversion ratio
Lbs of feed per lb of gain (beef cattle: 5–8).
Feed cost ($/ton)
Cost of complete ration per ton.
Sale price ($/lb live)
Expected sale price per pound live weight.

What each result means

Days to target weight
Estimated days until animals reach target weight.
Feed per head (lbs)
Total feed consumed per animal over the period.
Total feed (tons)
Total feed needed for entire group.
Total feed cost
Total feed expense for all animals.
Feed cost per head
Feed cost per animal over the feeding period.
Revenue per head
Gross revenue per animal at target weight.
Gross margin per head
Revenue minus feed cost per animal.
Weekly gain target (lbs)
Expected weekly weight gain for monitoring consistency.

How this is calculated

Worked example, using the default values

  1. Identify Input Parameters
    7 parameters
    Current weight (lbs) = 650, Target weight (lbs) = 1350, Average daily gain (lbs) = 3.2, Number of head = 50, Feed conversion ratio = 6.5, Feed cost ($/ton) = 300, Sale price ($/lb live) = 1.85 = 7 input(s) provided
  2. Calculate Days to target weight
    Days to target weight = weightToGain / adgLbs
    219 = 219
  3. Calculate Feed per head
    Feed per head = weightToGain * feedConversionRatio
    4550 = 4550
  4. Calculate Total feed
    Total feed = (feedPerHeadLbs * numHead) / 2000
    113.8 = 113.8

Engine last updated . Checked against 1 independently-derived test — how we verify calculators. Built by Paul Gunder, a software engineer, not a licensed financial, medical, or legal professional.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why does average daily gain have such a large effect on the days-to-target estimate?

Average daily gain sits in the denominator of the days-to-target calculation, so a small ADG assumption divides the remaining weight to gain into a much larger number of days, while a fast ADG assumption divides it down sharply. Because ADG can realistically range from around 0.1 lb/day for a very slow-gaining group up to roughly 10 lb/day, an inaccurate ADG estimate can shift the projected finishing timeline more than an equivalent error in target weight or current weight, so it's worth basing ADG on real recent scale data rather than a rough guess.

Why don't number of head, feed cost, or sale price change the days-to-target estimate?

Days to target weight is purely a function of the growth trajectory -- current weight, target weight, and average daily gain -- and has nothing to do with how many animals are in the group or what feed and sale prices are doing. Those economic and volume inputs only affect the cost and revenue calculations layered on top of the timeline, such as total feed tonnage, feed cost, and gross margin per head, not how long the group takes to reach target weight.

Why does sale price per pound have such a large effect on gross margin per head?

Gross margin per head is revenue per head minus feed cost per head, and revenue scales directly and proportionally with sale price -- every cent-per-pound change in sale price moves revenue on the full target weight, while feed cost only responds indirectly through the feed conversion ratio and feed price. Because live cattle and hog prices can swing several cents per pound in the market over a finishing period, sale price assumptions deserve the most scrutiny of any input when using this calculator to project margin.

How is total feed required calculated from the feed conversion ratio?

The calculator multiplies the weight each animal still needs to gain by the feed conversion ratio (FCR) -- pounds of feed consumed per pound of body weight gained -- to get feed per head, then multiplies that by the number of head and divides by 2,000 to convert to tons for the whole group. A higher FCR means the group needs more feed to achieve the same weight gain, which is why lower FCR (better feed efficiency) is generally viewed as more profitable for a finishing operation at a given feed price.

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