Feed Conversion Ratio Calculator

FCR and mortality-adjusted FCR with species benchmarks.

FCR = feed consumed ÷ weight gained. A broiler flock that ate 4,300 kg of feed and gained 2,560 kg has an FCR of 1.68. Lower is better: modern broilers reach about 1.5–1.7, pigs 2.5–3.0 and feedlot cattle 5–7.

Free, runs in your browser. Nothing you enter is uploaded.

How to use it

Pick the species to see a benchmark.
Enter total feed used, starting weight and final weight (and weight of dead animals if any).
Read FCR, adjusted FCR and feed efficiency.

What you enter

Feed used
Starting weight
Final weight
Dead weight (optional)

What you get

FCR
Mortality-adjusted FCR
Feed efficiency
Benchmark comparison

Formula

FCR = feed ÷ (final weight − starting weight) | Adjusted FCR = feed ÷ (gain + dead weight) | Efficiency = gain ÷ feed

Worked example

Input: Feed 4,300 kg, gain 2,560 kg

Result: FCR 1.68

Within the usual broiler range.

Questions

How do you calculate FCR?

Divide the weight of feed eaten by the weight gained over the same period, in the same units.

What is a good FCR for broilers?

About 1.5–1.7 to market weight for modern strains, depending on target weight, management and climate.

What is mortality-adjusted FCR?

It adds the weight of birds or animals that died to the gain, since they also ate feed. It shows the true feed efficiency of the flock.

What is the difference between FCR and feed efficiency?

Feed efficiency is the inverse: gain ÷ feed. An FCR of 2.0 equals a feed efficiency of 0.5.

Limitations

Benchmarks vary with breed, age, diet and climate; compare with your own past batches.

References

More Farm Planning

All free tools · By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD.