Compare a Collected Grain Fraction With the Cattle Feed It Could Replace

Find the feed value in the fraction you collected

A separately collected grain fraction may supply useful nutrients for cattle and replace part of a purchased feed. Start with an analysis of that fraction, then compare its cost per pound of the nutrient your ration needs. That shows more than price per ton alone—and gives you a starting point for comparing balanced rations.

Analyze the fraction, not the parent grain

Metra ADS and ADS-CDC use controlled airflow to separate material into physical fractions that can be collected for different uses. For a fraction intended for cattle feed, its own nutrient analysis is the basis for evaluating that use.

Request dry matter, crude protein, energy and major mineral information for the collected fraction and the feed it would replace. NDSU Extension’s Alternative Feeds for Ruminants explains that alternative feeds vary widely in nutrient content. Do not assign the fraction the parent grain’s nutrient values.

Ask the feed-analysis laboratory about its method. NDSU recommends wet chemistry—laboratory chemical tests—to determine the nutrient content of alternative feeds.

Read the reporting basis before calculating. Dry matter means feed excluding water; as-fed means feed including its water. A nutrient percentage reported on a dry-matter basis must be multiplied by the feed’s dry-matter fraction to find its as-fed percentage. Do not make that adjustment again if the report already gives an as-fed value.

A cheaper ton can contain more expensive protein

Choose the nutrient that addresses the ration’s shortage. Compare crude protein when protein is needed, or an energy measure such as total digestible nutrients when energy is needed. SDSU Extension’s Feeding at the Right Price recommends calculating nutrient cost rather than relying on feed price alone.

For a 2,000-pound U.S. ton priced as-fed, with nutrient content reported on a dry-matter basis:
– Pounds of nutrient per ton = 2,000 × dry-matter fraction × nutrient fraction
– Cost per pound of nutrient = price per ton ÷ pounds of nutrient per ton

Hypothetical protein comparison
All prices and analyses below are assumed, not market prices or Metra test results.

Collected fraction:
– Price per U.S. ton (as-fed): $180
– Dry matter: 90%
– Crude protein (dry-matter basis): 12%
– Protein per ton: 216 lb
– Cost per pound of protein: $0.83

Replacement feed:
– Price per U.S. ton (as-fed): $240
– Dry matter: 90%
– Crude protein (dry-matter basis): 18%
– Protein per ton: 324 lb
– Cost per pound of protein: $0.74

Calculation:
For the collected fraction, 2,000 × 0.90 × 0.12 = 216 pounds of protein. Dividing $180 by 216 gives approximately $0.83 per pound. The replacement feed contains 2,000 × 0.90 × 0.18 = 324 pounds of protein. Dividing $240 by 324 gives approximately $0.74 per pound. In this hypothetical example, the replacement feed costs more per ton but provides protein at a lower cost per pound.

The fraction costs less per ton but more per pound of protein. Its protein-only equivalent value is:
$240 × 216 ÷ 324 = $160 per U.S. ton, as-fed.

At $160, the fraction would match the replacement feed’s protein cost. That is a protein-only starting value, before differences in energy, minerals and feeding costs—not its complete ration value.

Compare two balanced rations before replacing feed

Bring both feed analyses, current prices and information about the cattle being fed to a nutritionist or Extension specialist. Ask for a comparison of the current ration and a ration using the collected fraction, both balanced to meet the same cattle needs. This determines how much of the fraction fits and what other ingredients must change.

Count the costs that actually apply to each option: delivery, storage, handling labor, feeding equipment and any supplements needed to balance the ration. SDSU Extension’s alternative-feed guidance also identifies availability as a purchasing consideration. Feeding waste can raise the cost of nutrients cattle actually consume. If delivery or another expense is already included in a quoted price, do not add it again.

The useful decision is whether the balanced ration using your fraction meets the cattle’s needs at a lower total feeding cost—not whether the fraction has the lowest price per ton. Metra can help with separation equipment and settings; your feed analysis and ration comparison establish the fraction’s nutritional and replacement value.