Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR) Calculator
Calculate feed conversion ratio (FCR) for livestock: how much feed produces one unit of weight gain.
Compare FCR for cattle, pigs, chickens, and fish.
What Is Feed Conversion Ratio (FCR)? Feed conversion ratio (FCR) = feed consumed (kg) / weight gained (kg). A lower FCR is better — it means less feed is needed per kg of animal product. Also called feed conversion efficiency (FCE) — the inverse: FCE = weight gain / feed consumed. FCR is one of the most important metrics in commercial livestock production.
Typical FCR Values Broiler chickens: 1.6–2.0 (best: < 1.6 in optimized commercial flocks) Turkeys: 2.0–2.8 Pigs (swine): 2.5–3.5 Farmed salmon: 1.0–1.5 (fish are cold-blooded — less energy for body heat) Tilapia: 1.5–2.0 Beef cattle (feedlot): 6–8 Dairy cows: 1.0–1.5 (for milk production, measured differently) Sheep: 4–6 Rabbits: 3–4
Why Fish Are More Efficient Fish are cold-blooded (ectothermic) — they don’t spend energy maintaining body temperature. This is why aquaculture FCRs are much lower than cattle or poultry. A broiler chicken must eat ~2 kg of feed to gain 1 kg of body weight. A salmon only needs ~1.2 kg of feed for 1 kg of body weight.
Factors Affecting FCR Animal genetics: modern breeds are selected for low FCR. Feed quality: higher protein/energy density improves FCR. Age: younger animals grow faster with better FCR. Health: sick animals convert feed poorly. Environment: temperature, space, and stress affect FCR. Management: feeding frequency, water quality (aquaculture), housing type.
Economic Impact Feed costs typically represent 60–70% of livestock production costs. A broiler flock of 50,000 birds: improving FCR from 2.0 to 1.8 saves ~200 tonnes of feed. For a cattle feedlot, each 0.1 improvement in FCR can save thousands per cycle. Even small FCR improvements have enormous economic impact at commercial scale.
Calculating Total Feed Cost Total feed cost = FCR × target weight gain × feed price per kg. Feed needed = FCR × weight gain × number of animals. Days to market = target weight / average daily gain.
Sustainability Lower FCR = less land for feed crops, less water, lower greenhouse gas emissions. Beef has the highest environmental footprint per kg of protein (high FCR + ruminant methane). Moving protein production toward fish, insects, and poultry reduces environmental impact.