Cost of Gain & Price Every Kilogram You Put On
Costs cattle
Cost of gain = total cost ÷ weight gained, where total cost is feed × feed price plus other per-animal costs — enter the figures to get cost per kg gain, feed cost and FCR in your currency.
Cost your weight gain
Next: aim to lower ₹91/kg by improving FCR (now 3) — better ration balance, gut health and reduced feed wastage move it most.
Cost of gain only counts variable inputs here; add fixed overheads (housing, labour, depreciation) for true break-even. FCR below ~3 is strong for ruminants; broilers run far lower.
Cost of gain — key facts
- Feed cost
- feed kg × feed price
- Total cost
- feed cost + other costs
- Cost of gain
- total cost ÷ weight gained
- FCR
- feed eaten ÷ weight gained
- Feed share
- ≈ 60–80% of cost of gain
- Profit rule
- cost of gain < sale price/kg
- Currencies
- 8 (INR, USD, GBP, EUR, …)
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
The number that decides whether fattening pays
Every kilogram an animal gains has a price — the feed it ate, plus its share of health, labour and overheads. Cost of gain pulls that into a single figure you can hold against the sale price: if it costs more to put a kilo on than you are paid for it, that weight loses money. Because feed is most of it, cost of gain swings hardest on feed price and conversion efficiency.
This tool returns cost per kg gain, the feed cost, the total cost and the FCR from the feed eaten, feed price, weight gained and other costs, in eight currencies. Use it to test rations, time purchases and set a fattening budget that holds up. Pair it with the Feeder & Drinker Space and Brooding Temperature tools to plan the whole growing system.
See if it pays
Hold cost of gain against your sale price per kg.
Split feed vs the rest
Know how much of the cost is feed.
Test feed prices
Re-run with a new feed price to see the swing.
Any species, any currency
Cattle to broilers, in eight currencies.
Frequently Asked Questions
How is cost of gain calculated?+
Cost of gain is the total cost of putting weight on an animal divided by the weight it gained: cost/kg gain = total cost ÷ weight gained. Total cost is the feed cost (feed eaten × feed price) plus any other per-animal costs you enter. So if an animal eats 300 kg of feed at ₹25/kg plus ₹500 other costs to gain 100 kg, that is (7,500 + 500) ÷ 100 = ₹80 per kg gained.
What does the feed cost figure mean?+
Feed cost is simply the feed consumed multiplied by the feed price per kilogram — the single biggest line in most fattening enterprises. The tool shows it separately so you can see how much of the cost of gain is feed versus other costs. On most farms feed is 60–80% of the total cost of gain.
What is FCR and why does the tool show it?+
FCR, the feed conversion ratio, is the feed eaten divided by the weight gained — kilograms of feed per kilogram of gain. A lower FCR means a more efficient animal. The tool reports it because FCR and feed price together drive cost of gain: an FCR of 3 with feed at ₹25/kg gives a feed cost of ₹75 per kg gained before other costs.
What is a good cost of gain?+
It depends entirely on species, ration and local feed prices, so judge it against your sale price rather than a fixed number. The rule of thumb is that cost of gain must sit comfortably below the price you are paid per kilogram of liveweight, or the extra weight loses money. Use the tool to test feed-price and FCR scenarios before you commit.
Which costs should I put in 'other costs'?+
Anything per animal that is not feed — a share of the purchase or weaner cost spread over the gain, health and veterinary, bedding, labour and a slice of overheads. Leaving them out understates the true cost of gain. Keeping feed and other costs separate shows you which lever to pull when margins tighten.
Can I use it for cattle, pigs and poultry?+
Yes. The maths is identical for any growing animal — cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats, pigs, broilers or fish — because it is just total cost over weight gained. Only the typical FCR and feed prices differ: broilers might convert at 1.6 and cattle at 6–8, which the cost of gain reflects directly.
Which currencies are supported?+
The tool works in eight currencies — Indian rupee, US dollar, British pound, euro, Pakistani rupee, Nigerian naira, Kenyan shilling and Brazilian real — formatted to each region. Pick the one your feed and sale prices are quoted in and every figure follows. The currency choice is cosmetic; the underlying cost-of-gain maths is the same.
Is the result exact?+
It is an accurate calculation of the inputs you give it, but its honesty depends on yours — measure feed eaten, weigh the gain and include all other costs. Estimated feed intake is the usual source of error, so weigh feed where you can. Use the tool to compare rations and feed prices rather than as a single fixed verdict.