UK livestock farmers: winter housing is coming. Don’t guess your winter feed budget — Use our silage calculator to figure out how much silage you require.
With feed prices unpredicatable and forage stocks low in some parts of the country, getting your winter feed budget right is critical. Too little? You’re buying in at peak prices. Too much? You’ve tied up cash and space.
This free, no-fluff calculator does the maths for you. Based on real DM intake, pit & bale estimates, and meal substitution — all in one place.
Enter your numbers below. See your surplus or deficit in seconds.
Step 1: Livestock Silage Demand
How much dry-matter (DM) your herd needs each day.
Typical: 2.5–3.5 %
Clamp typical: 25–35 %
Step 2: Silage in Stock
Enter total tonnes or use the mini-calculators.
Pit Calculator (optional)
Baled Silage (optional)
Step 3: Meal Feeding Reduction
Concentrates replace silage DM.
Step 4: Silage Balance
Built for UK farmers. Standard DM conversion. Double-check with your nutritionist.
What the Silage Calculator Numbers Actually Mean
Once you’ve run the calculator, here’s what to watch:
- Green balance? You’re covered — but don’t get complacent. Allow a 10–15% buffer for wastage, spoilage, or an extended winter.
- Red deficit? Act now. Every tonne short in January costs more than buying today.
Pro Tips to Stretch Your Silage Further
- Improve clamp management Better consolidation = less air = higher DM retention. A good silage sheet and weights can save 5–10% loss.
- Feed to appetite, not habit Weigh your cattle. Overestimating average weight inflates demand by hundreds of tonnes.
- Use meal strategically Every 1 kg of 88% DM concentrate replaces ~3 kg of 30% DM silage. Small daily rations add up fast.
- Test your silage DM %, ME, and pH vary clamp to clamp. Lab analysis beats guesswork.
Running Short? Don’t Panic — Plan
If the calculator shows a deficit, consider:
- Buying second-cut silage now (cheaper than spring)
- Switching to alternative feeds for part of the ration
- Culling or early finishing non-productive stock
Simplify Your Livestock Feed Management
With AgriOps you can:
- Check Track forage & feedstuff stocks in real time
- Check Build & save TMR & meal mixes
- Check Predict usage rates & costs before feeding
- Check Manage everything on your phone, from the yard
