Feed Conversion Ratio
Calculator

FCR is the amount of feed (by weight) needed to produce one unit of weight gain (or, for layers, one unit of egg mass), calculated as total feed consumed divided by total weight gained — a lower FCR means more efficient conversion of feed into product.

It varies widely by species and production type: broiler chickens often achieve an FCR near 1.5-1.8, pigs typically run 2.5-3.5, and beef cattle can be 6-10 or higher, so compare your result against benchmarks for the same species and production system, not across species.

FCR naturally rises (gets less efficient) as animals mature, since a larger portion of feed intake goes toward body maintenance rather than new growth — this is normal and expected, which is why many operations target a specific slaughter or sale weight for economic efficiency.

The ratio as calculated uses total feed offered or delivered, so spillage, spoilage, and refusals are effectively counted as 'feed consumed' even though the animal didn't benefit from them, meaning poor feeder management can worsen your measured FCR without any change in the animal's actual efficiency.

Run the same calculation for each group under otherwise similar conditions (same breed, similar starting weight, same time period) — FCR is most meaningful as a relative comparison tool between comparable groups rather than as an absolute number in isolation.