Every feedlot formulates its ration on top of a weight. If the mixer scale reports a number different from the real one, the formulated ration stops being the ration that gets made — and nobody is told.
The error is small on each load. The problem is that it repeats on every feeding, every day, across the whole herd. That is where it turns into money.
Where the money goes
It depends which way the scale is off, and both cost:
If the scale reads low, the mixer delivers more feed than the formulation called for. That is input going out through the bunk without being in the plan.
If the scale reads high, the animal gets less than it should. The feed stays in the bin, but the gain it would have produced never happens.
Because the two sides cost in different ways, the calculator asks which way your scale is off and runs the right calculation for each case.
Weighing error cost calculator
Every number is yours — no market average, no estimate of ours. The calculation runs on your own device and nothing is sent to us.
Where this calculation comes from
There is no study or market parameter behind it. It is arithmetic on the numbers you entered, and we publish it openly so anyone can check:
The operator loads until the display shows the target. So how much actually went in depends on the scale error:
- Scale reading low: extra feed = planned ration × deviation ÷ (100 − deviation)
- Scale reading high: short feed = planned ration × deviation ÷ (100 + deviation)
A 2% deviation does not become exactly 2% of feed: it becomes 2.04% when the scale reads low and 1.96% when it reads high. The difference is small, but that is the correct calculation.
In the optional block, the conversion to carcass weight uses your own figures — feed conversion, dressing percentage and carcass price — with one unit = 15 kg of carcass.
What the calculation does not do. It does not estimate performance loss, does not account for herd health effects and does not replace the operation's cost closing. It is an order-of-magnitude estimate to decide whether checking the scale is worth it — nothing beyond that.
Why the report does not flag it
The management system records the weight the scale reports, not the real weight. If the scale is off, the report closes correctly on a wrong basis.
That is what makes a weighing error different from almost every other feedlot problem: it produces no symptom. No alarm, no machine down, no complaint. Just a cost of gain that creeps up with no visible cause.
How to know if your scale is off
You cannot deduce it — you have to measure. The test is simple: put a known weight in the mixer and compare it against the display.
You do not need to buy a certified test weight. Bagged supplement the feedlot already holds, of known weight, is enough for the check.
If there is a deviation, the fix starts with indicator setup and the calibration factor. The calibration page walks through the full procedure and carries a calculator for the new CAL.