Feed Conversion Ratio

Feed Conversion Ratio

Welcome Students For today lesson

Students will be able to:

1. Calculate FCR for different farm animals

2. Calculate feed requirements for farm animals based on their FCR

What does FCR stands for??

• Feed Conversion Ratio

What is FCR

FCR is the number of units of feed (kg) which the animal requires to produce a one unit (kg) increase in its body weight.

FCR

It is expressed, for example, as 4: 1.

That is 4 kg of feed are needed to produce 1 kg increase in body weight.

Why is FCR important

• Selection of classes and breeds of animal which have a low FCR

• Raising early maturing farm animals 

•  Identification of particular animals for replacement stock and breeding purposes

• Marketing batches of mature farm animals before FCR increases

FCR

Formula

Example one

• A farmer buys 60 Broiler Chicks, each weighing 0.25lbs. She grew them until their average weight was 6lbs. During that time she feeds them 540 lbs. of feed. What is the feed conversion ratio of the chicken she grew?

Calculating FCR (part1)

• Since we know the amount of feed used already (540 lbs.), all we need to do is

  to determine the weight gain of the chicken during that time:

• Step 1: Determine the total weight of chicken in the beginning

  60 chicks x 0.25lbs. = 15 lbs. chicken

• Step 2: Determine the weight of chicken at the end

  60 chicken x 6.0lbs. = 360.0 lbs. 

FCR Calculation

• Step 3: 360.0lbs –15 lbs. = 345.0 lbs.

• Therefore the total weight gained in chicken was 345.0 lbs.

• Step 4: Now we can determine the FCR by using the formula above

• FCR = 540 lbs. feed = 1.24:1

            345 lbs. chicken

Now how much would it cost to feed these Chicken?

By using the information above and adding price to the equation we could determine the cost of feeding Chicken in any operation.

Say that a farmer invests $2,000 in Chicken food which costs $400/ton. He therefore has 5 tons of chicken feed to offer his chicken. How many pounds of chicken should he expect to grow, if the chicken he raises have an FCR of those above

(1.24:1)? 

• FCR = Total weight of feed

              Total weight gain of Chicken

• Step 1: Since we are interested in pounds of Chicken, we must convert the

  5 tons of feed to pounds of feed (1 ton weights 2000 lbs.).

• 5 tons x 2,000 lbs. = 10,000 lbs. feed

• Step 2: Using our formula and the data provided we obtain:

  
  

  1.24 = 10,000 lbs.   or 1.24X = 10,000 lbs.

             X lbs. chicken                     =8064.5 lbs. of chicken

• Answer: 8064.5 bs. of chicken

Student Worksheet:

Directions: Using the information given, calculate the feed conversion ratio of the following word problem. You must show your work to receive full credit for this worksheet.

Problem 1:

A farmer buys 2550 broiler birds, each weighing 0.40 lbs. She grew them until their average weight was 8.5 lbs. During that time she feeds them 60,675lbs. of feed. What is the expected feed conversion ratio of the broilers she grew? Was this result typical of broiler birds?

Why, or why not?

Problem 2:

Say that a farmer invests $35,000 in broiler food, which costs $350/ton.

She therefore has 150 tons of broiler feed to offer her broilers.

How many pounds of broilers should she expect to grow, if the broilers she raises have an FCR of those above?