When to use
- Weekly feed inventory checks to determine when to place the next order
- Budgeting monthly or quarterly feed expenses for a barn or farm
- Evaluating whether current feed supply covers upcoming delivery lead times
ToolsConductScience tool
SwineFree in-browser calculator
Feed Inventory Planner.
Calculate how many days of feed remain for your swine herd, determine the optimal reorder date based on supplier lead time, and project monthly feed costs.
PrivateData stays in your browser
LiveNo sign-up required
Validated2026-04-07
CitableMethods and citation included
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Load example Feed Inventory data to see the full workflow
Herd & Feed Information
Optional — enables monthly cost projection
Days between ordering and delivery (default 7)
Do not use for
- As a diet formulation or nutrient balancing tool
- For mixed-species farms without adjusting rates per species
Weigh bins, don’t guess
Visual estimates of bulk bin levels are notoriously inaccurate. Use calibrated scales or bin level sensors for precise inventory.
Account for feed wastage
Feeder design and adjustment can cause 5–15% wastage. If wastage is high, increase your effective daily rate by the estimated waste percentage.
Update rates at stage transitions
When pigs move from grower to finisher, daily consumption jumps significantly. Re-run the planner with the new stage to avoid underestimating burn rate.
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Method
Daily consumption is computed as num_pigs × daily_rate_lbs. Days remaining = (feed_on_hand_tons × 2000) / daily_total. Reorder date = today + (days_remaining − lead_time). Monthly cost = (daily_total / 2000) × cost_per_ton × 30. Default feed rates are sourced from NRC Nutrient Requirements of Swine (2012). All calculations run client-side.
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Validated
Last validated 2026-04-07. Calculations are designed for planning and documentation support; verify procurement decisions against manufacturer specifications or institutional SOPs.
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How to cite
How to Cite
ConductScience Swine Feed Inventory Planner (v1.0). ConductScience, Inc. 2026. Available at: https://conductscience.com/tools/swine-feed-inventory-planner
National Research Council. Nutrient Requirements of Swine. 11th ed. Washington, DC: National Academies Press; 2012.
Swine Feed Inventory Best Practices
Feed represents 60–70% of total swine production costs. Running out disrupts growth performance and can trigger stress-related health issues.
Key management principles:
- Buffer stock: Maintain at least 7–10 days of feed beyond the next expected delivery
- Seasonal adjustments: Cold weather increases maintenance energy needs by 10–15%
- Stage transitions: Update feed rates when pigs move between nursery, grower, and finisher barns
- Inventory audits: Weigh or measure bin levels weekly — visual estimates can be off by 20%+
Stage-Specific Feed Intake Reference
Feed intake varies by genetics, environment, and diet energy density. The defaults in this tool are NRC-based midpoints.
Typical daily feed intake by stage (lbs/pig/day):
- Nursery (15–50 lbs BW): 1.0–2.0 lbs/day
- Grower (50–130 lbs BW): 3.5–5.5 lbs/day
- Finisher (130–280 lbs BW): 5.5–8.5 lbs/day
- Gestating sow: 4.0–5.0 lbs/day (limit-fed)
- Lactating sow: 10.0–15.0 lbs/day (ad libitum target)
Feed-to-gain ratios (FCR) typically range from 2.5:1 in nursery to 3.5:1 in finishing.
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