Dairy cow eating a tmr from a feed barrier

TMR Ration Planner (Per Head)

Enter kg per cow • See total batch cost • Instant PDF

Total Cows in Feeding Group

Ingredients (per cow)

Ingredient kg/head £/t Total Cost Cost/head

TMR Cost Calculator 2026

The exact tool used by UK dairy farms to work out daily ration cost and batch totals in under 30 seconds.
No software subscription. No complicated nutrient balancing. Just “what do I load today and how much will it cost me?”

How to use this TMR calculator in 30 seconds

  1. Type your herd size (or milking group size).
  2. Click “Add Ingredient” and type the feeds you actually use today (e.g. Grass Silage, Maize Silage, 18% Dairy Blend).
  3. Enter kg per cow and current £/tonne delivered.
  4. Watch the three big green boxes update instantly – that’s your answer.
  5. Hit “Download PDF Report” – perfect for the feeder wagon driver or nutritionist.

Real 150-cow example (December 2025 prices)

Grass Silage
24 kg/head × £38/t → £0.91/head
Maize Silage
8 kg/head × £42/t → £0.34/head
18% Dairy Blend
7 kg/head × £298/t → £2.09/head

Total daily cost = £7.59 per cow → £1,138 total batch → 5.7 tonne load

Pro Tips from the best herds

  • Use this every time you get a new silage price or change blend inclusion.
  • Lock in blend prices for 3–6 months – the cheapest ration in January is usually the one you bought in August.
  • Moist co-products (distillers, pot ale, Trafford Gold) at 2–4 kg/head usually drop cost per cow by £0.40–£0.80/day.
  • Print the PDF and stick it on the feeder wagon – no more “I thought it was 7 kg of blend” arguments.
  • Compare your actual daily cost with milk price – if feed cost > 38% of milk cheque, something needs to change.

Common mistakes to avoid

  • Using last year’s prices – blend prices are £30–£50/t higher than 2024.
  • Forgetting to include fodder beet, wholecrop, or brewer’s grains.
  • Using clamp price instead of delivered price (add £8–£12/t for haulage).
  • Comparing on wet weight only – maize silage at £42/t looks expensive until you remember it’s 70% DM vs grass at 30% DM.

This calculator is completely free and always will be.
Bookmark it • Share with your feeder driver .