Feed Storage & Size the Bin or Godown
Stores grain
Buying feed in bulk needs storage that holds enough for the period without spoilage. Total feed = animals × daily feed × days, and the volume = weight ÷ bulk density — sizing the bin or godown so you never run short.
Size the feed store
Next: build or book a store of at least 43.2 m³ (add 15–20% headroom for loading and airflow) to hold 10,800 kg across 90 days.
Bulk density varies widely: loose hay ~70, silage ~600, grain ~750 kg/m³. Use the figure for your actual feed; a denser feed needs far less volume.
Feed storage — key facts
- Total feed
- animals × daily feed × days
- Volume
- total weight ÷ bulk density
- Grain density
- ≈ 700–800 kg/m³
- Hay/chaff density
- ≈ 60–250 kg/m³
- Headroom
- add ~10–20% to volume
- Store dry
- ventilated, off the floor
- Works for
- any feed and livestock
- Privacy
- Runs in your browser; nothing uploaded
Buy in bulk, store it right, never run short
Buying feed in bulk saves money and trips, but only if you have somewhere to put it. Too little storage and you're back buying at retail prices mid-period; too much, or stored badly, and feed spoils to mould and pests. The sizing is simple once you separate weight from volume: total weight is animals times daily feed times days, and the space it needs is that weight divided by the feed's bulk density — light hay needs far more room than dense grain.
This tool gives the total feed, the storage volume, the storage days and the herd basis from your animals, daily feed and bulk density. Use it to size a bin, silo or godown, plan a buying cycle, and add headroom so the store fills cleanly. Pair it with the Feed Budget, Annual Fodder Requirement and Silage Pit Capacity calculators for a full feed-storage plan.
Size the store
Know the bin or godown volume the feed needs.
Never run short
Hold enough feed for the whole buying period.
Avoid spoilage
Match storage to a sensible buying cycle.
Any feed type
Grain, pellets or hay — by its own bulk density.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does this calculator do?+
It sizes the storage you need to hold bulk feed for a chosen period. From the number of animals, daily feed per head and the days you want to cover, it gives the total feed weight, then converts that to the volume of bin or godown required using the feed's bulk density — so you buy and store the right amount without running short or letting feed spoil.
How is the storage volume calculated?+
Total feed = animals × daily feed per head × storage days. Storage volume = total feed weight ÷ bulk density (the weight of feed per unit volume). For example 50 kg/day × 60 days is 3000 kg; at a bulk density of about 700 kg/m³ that needs roughly 4.3 m³ of bin or godown space, before allowing headroom.
What is bulk density and why does it matter?+
Bulk density is how much a given volume of feed weighs — grain is dense (≈700–800 kg/m³), pelleted feed similar, while loose hay or chaff is very light (≈60–250 kg/m³). The same weight of a light feed needs far more space, so the volume depends heavily on what you store. Always use the bulk density of your actual feed.
How many days of feed should I store?+
It depends on how often you can buy and how fast feed spoils. Buying in bulk cuts cost and trips but ties up storage and risks spoilage if held too long. Many farms store one to three months; concentrates keep longer than damp or milled feed. Set the storage days to your buying cycle and the tool sizes the store to match.
Why does running short or spoilage matter?+
Running out forces costly last-minute buying or under-feeding that hits production. Storing too much, or in poor conditions, leads to spoilage, mould (and mycotoxins), pests and weight loss — feed you paid for but can't use. Sizing the store to a sensible buying period balances bulk-buy savings against spoilage and lock-up of capital.
Should I add extra space for headroom?+
Yes — the raw volume is the feed itself; in practice add headroom for filling and augering, the angle of repose of heaped feed, and a buffer so the bin isn't packed to the brim. A common rule is to size the bin 10–20% larger than the calculated volume, and to keep feed off the floor and ventilated.
Does it work for any feed or animal?+
Yes — it works for cattle, buffalo, poultry, pigs, sheep or goats, and for any feed type as long as you enter that feed's bulk density and the right daily intake per head. The maths is the same: total weight from animals, intake and days, then volume from bulk density.
Can I size more than one feed at once?+
Plan each feed separately, because bulk densities differ — grain, pellets, bran and hay each need their own volume. Run the tool once per feed and sum the volumes if they share a store, or size separate bins. Storing dense and light feeds together still requires you to account for each one's space.
Are the figures exact?+
They're solid planning figures. Real storage needs vary with the exact bulk density of your batch, moisture, settling and compaction, and how you fill and draw down the store. Use the volume as a target, add headroom, store in dry ventilated conditions, and re-check against how the bin actually fills.