What is feed conversion ratio (FCR)?

FCR is the weight of feed consumed divided by the weight gained during the same period. An FCR of 1.80 means 1.80 kg of feed was needed to produce 1 kg of live weight gain. A lower FCR indicates better feed efficiency.

What is a good FCR for broilers?

Modern broiler flocks typically achieve FCR between 1.60 and 1.80. Values below 1.60 are excellent; values above 2.00 suggest a nutritional, health, or management issue that warrants investigation.

Does FCR include mortality?

This calculator uses the simple FCR formula (feed in / weight gain) without mortality correction. For a mortality-corrected European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF) or corrected FCR, you need additional flock data such as starting and ending bird counts.

Should I use live weight or carcass weight?

Enter live (liveweight) weight gain. Carcass or dressed weight produces a dressed-weight FCR, which is a different metric. Be consistent across periods so comparisons are valid.

Why do units cancel out in FCR?

FCR is a dimensionless ratio — feed weight divided by weight gain — so the units cancel as long as both measurements use the same unit (both kg, or both lb). The result is the same regardless of which unit you use.

What causes a high FCR in layers?

High FCR in layers can result from poor feed quality, excessive feed wastage, disease pressure reducing feed utilization, suboptimal housing temperature, or birds past peak production age. Routine monitoring helps identify the cause.

Poultry Feed Conversion Ratio Calculator

Name: Poultry Feed Conversion Ratio Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter total feed consumed and live weight gained to calculate FCR for your poultry flock, with performance benchmarks by bird type.

Flock Data

Bird Type

Weight Unit

Total Feed Consumed (kg)

Total feed delivered to the flock during the measurement period.

Total Live Weight Gain (kg)

Net live weight gained by the flock over the same period.

FCR Result

Enter flock data and click Calculate FCR.

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Summary

Enter total feed consumed and live weight gained to calculate FCR for your poultry flock, with performance benchmarks by bird type.

How it works

Select the bird type: broiler, layer, or turkey.
Enter the total feed consumed by the flock over the measurement period (in kg or lb).
Enter the total live weight gain of the flock over the same period.
Click Calculate FCR to see the feed conversion ratio.
Compare your result against the benchmark range shown for your bird type.

Use cases

Evaluate flock performance against industry FCR benchmarks for broilers.
Track feed efficiency trends across grow-out cycles to spot problems early.
Compare FCR between flocks fed different rations or management programs.
Estimate feed cost per kg of live weight gain for production economics.
Identify underperforming flocks for nutritionist or veterinary review.
Document production records for integrator or auditor reporting.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-22 · Reviewed by Nham Vu