Feed values
What’s actually in the feed
The reference values behind our calculators — energy, protein, fibre and minerals for 48 feeds used on New Zealand farms. Every one traces to a published source, named below it. Where a figure is a proxy rather than a measurement, it says so.
These are sensible starting points, not your feed. Composition moves with season, cut, grade and paddock — if you have a lab test, use it.
48 of 48 feeds
| Feed | DM % | ME | Protein | Fibre |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Pasture (NZ spring midpoint) Forages · starch 1% · sugar 14% · fat 4% Ca 0.8% · P 0.38% · Mg 0.24% · Na 0.27% · K 3.2% · S 0.33% New Zealand rotational dairy pasture — the midpoint of the published winter/spring range (PubMed Central PMC9367542). | 16.6 | 11 | 21% | 44% |
Pasture (leafy spring) Forages · starch 1% · sugar 14% · fat 4% Ca 0.8% · P 0.38% · Mg 0.24% · Na 0.27% · K 3.2% · S 0.33% A real Hill Labs herbage certificate, January sample — leafy spring pasture at its peak. This is pasture at its spring best, not a year-round average. For the rest of the year the seasonal pasture entries will be closer. | 16.6 | 11.9 | 26.4% | 41.7% |
Pasture — summer (stemmy) Forages · starch 1% · sugar 9% · fat 3.5% Ca 0.8% · P 0.38% · Mg 0.24% · Na 0.27% · K 3.2% · S 0.33% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Effect of season on pasture composition” — the midpoint of the published range. | 25 | 9.5 | 12.5% | 57% |
Pasture — autumn (medium) Forages · starch 1% · sugar 11% · fat 4% Ca 0.8% · P 0.38% · Mg 0.24% · Na 0.27% · K 3.2% · S 0.33% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Effect of season on pasture composition” — the midpoint of the published range. | 15 | 11.3 | 17.5% | 43% |
Plantain Forages · starch 2% · sugar 9% · fat 2.4% Ca 1.75% · P 0.37% · Mg 0.23% · Na 0.28% · K 3% · S 0.33% DairyNZ Feed Values plus a New Zealand dairy pasture-quality study (PubMed Central PMC11725735); minerals from DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5. | 14 | 11 | 19% | 35% |
Chicory Forages · starch 1% · sugar 12% · fat 3.7% Ca 1.49% · P 0.34% · Mg 0.28% · Na 0.21% · K 3.64% · S 0.63% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5; sulphur from Harrington, Thatcher & Kemp (2006), NZ Plant Protection 59:261. | 14 | 12.5 | 22% | 34% |
Lucerne (fresh) Forages · starch 0.3% · sugar 5.6% · fat 2.9% Ca 1.29% · P 0.29% · Mg 0.25% · Na 0.05% · K 2.84% · S 0.29% Feedipedia, fresh lucerne (alfalfa) at the vegetative stage (ref. 275). | 20 | 9.4 | 20.6% | 39% |
Lucerne hay Forages · starch 0.5% · sugar 5% · fat 2.1% Ca 1.29% · P 0.28% · Mg 0.25% · Na 0.1% · K 2.76% · S 0.21% The CVB Feed Table 2023, sun-cured lucerne hay. Field-cured hay carries less energy than fresh lucerne. | 89 | 8.4 | 18.2% | 44.8% |
Pasture silage Forages · starch 1% · sugar 3% · fat 4% Ca 0.8% · P 0.3% · Mg 0.21% · Na 0.1% · K 2.3% · S 0.24% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Pasture silage, good”; Feedipedia grass silage broadly agrees. Silage quality moves a long way with cut and fermentation — a test of your own pit is worth more than any table. | 30 | 10.5 | 16% | 50% |
Whole-crop cereal silage Forages · starch 22% · sugar 1% · fat 2.3% Ca 0.37% · P 0.3% · Mg 0.14% · Na 0.05% · K 1.94% · S 0.19% Feedipedia, whole-crop barley silage (ref. 432); macro-minerals from the CVB Feed Table 2023. | 35 | 8.7 | 10% | 48% |
Maize silage Forages · starch 30% · sugar 0.5% · fat 2.8% Ca 0.25% · P 0.23% · Mg 0.18% · Na 0.01% · K 1.2% · S 0.13% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Maize silage”; protein from Feedipedia (ref. 13883). The very low calcium, phosphorus and sodium is real — it’s why DairyNZ advises supplementing calcium, magnesium and sodium once maize silage makes up a big share of the diet. | 35 | 10.5 | 7% | 45% |
Baleage (pasture) Forages · starch 1% · sugar 4% · fat 4% Ca 0.8% · P 0.3% · Mg 0.21% · Na 0.1% · K 2.3% · S 0.24% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Pasture silage, good”. | 45 | 10 | 14% | 52% |
Pasture hay Forages · starch 1% · sugar 9% · fat 3.3% Ca 0.8% · P 0.4% · Mg 0.2% · Na 0.2% · K 2.32% · S 0.26% Feedipedia, cocksfoot hay (ref. 466), for composition; minerals from DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Pasture hay, good”. | 85 | 9 | 10% | 60% |
Barley straw Forages · starch 0.5% · sugar 1.5% · fat 1.4% Ca 0.3% · P 0.07% · Mg 0.23% · Na 0.14% · K 2.37% · S 0.17% Feedipedia, barley straw (ref. 720); minerals from DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5. | 88 | 6.5 | 4% | 78% |
Maize grain Concentrates & by-products · starch 71% · sugar 3.7% · fat 4.3% Ca 0.02% · P 0.28% · Mg 0.11% · Na 0.01% · K 0.34% · S 0.11% Feedipedia, maize grain (ref. 556); DairyNZ Feed Values agrees. | 88 | 13.5 | 9% | 12% |
Barley grain Concentrates & by-products · starch 59.7% · sugar 2.8% · fat 2% Ca 0.05% · P 0.35% · Mg 0.12% · Na 0.02% · K 0.5% · S 0.13% Feedipedia, barley grain (ref. 227); DairyNZ Feed Values agrees. Rolled feed barley — the grade traded in New Zealand. | 88 | 13 | 11% | 20% |
Wheat grain Concentrates & by-products · starch 69.1% · sugar 3.2% · fat 1.7% Ca 0.06% · P 0.35% · Mg 0.12% · Na 0.02% · K 0.45% · S 0.12% Feedipedia, wheat grain (ref. 223). Rolled feed wheat — the grade traded in New Zealand. | 88 | 13.5 | 12.5% | 13% |
Palm kernel (PKE) Concentrates & by-products · starch 1% · sugar 2.4% · fat 9.2% Ca 0.3% · P 0.6% · Mg 0.3% · Na 0.05% · K 0.9% · S 0.25% Feedipedia, palm kernel expeller (ref. 43) — the grade imported into New Zealand. Grade matters: solvent-extracted palm kernel carries less energy and about a third of the fat. PKE is high enough in fat that large amounts push a diet toward the fat ceiling. | 90 | 11.5 | 16% | 73% |
Soybean meal Concentrates & by-products · starch 5.7% · sugar 9.2% · fat 1.8% Ca 0.35% · P 0.65% · Mg 0.28% · Na 0.02% · K 2.2% · S 0.4% Feedipedia, high-protein solvent meal or “type 48” (ref. 674). | 89 | 13 | 50% | 14% |
Citrus pulp (pressed) Concentrates & by-products · starch 6.6% · sugar 24.4% · fat 2.5% Ca 1.7% · P 0.12% · Mg 0.15% · Na 0.05% · K 0.8% · S 0.08% Feedipedia, dried citrus pulp (ref. 680), carried here at pressed-wet dry matter. | 20 | 12.5 | 7% | 22% |
Distillers grains (wheat) Concentrates & by-products · starch 4.2% · sugar 2.9% · fat 5% Ca 0.15% · P 0.6% · Mg 0.3% · Na 0.1% · K 0.9% · S 0.6% Feedipedia, wheat distillers grains from the low-starch process (ref. 4265) — the form typically seen in New Zealand. Wheat distillers grains run 34–40% protein depending on the process and any blending. Check the spec of what you’re actually buying. | 90 | 13 | 34% | 34% |
Molasses (cane) Concentrates & by-products · starch 0% · sugar 64.1% · fat 1% Ca 0.8% · P 0.08% · Mg 0.35% · Na 0.2% · K 3.5% · S 0.4% DairyNZ Feed Values, cane molasses — the New Zealand trade convention. | 75 | 12 | 4% | 0% |
Canola meal Concentrates & by-products · starch 6.3% · sugar 10.5% · fat 2.4% Ca 0.86% · P 1.27% · Mg 0.46% · Na 0.03% · K 1.41% · S 0.83% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 89 | 11.1 | 38.1% | 31.6% |
Soya hulls Concentrates & by-products · starch 5.2% · sugar 1.6% · fat 2.2% Ca 0.56% · P 0.17% · Mg 0.25% · Na 0.01% · K 1.3% · S 0.1% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 89 | 11.5 | 13.1% | 64.4% |
Oats (grain) Concentrates & by-products · starch 40.6% · sugar 1.6% · fat 5.4% Ca 0.11% · P 0.36% · Mg 0.11% · Na 0.01% · K 0.51% · S 0.18% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 88 | 12.2 | 11% | 35.5% |
Maize gluten feed Concentrates & by-products · starch 21.5% · sugar 1.8% · fat 3.4% Ca 0.16% · P 0.98% · Mg 0.42% · Na 0.35% · K 1.53% · S 0.31% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 88 | 12.2 | 21.7% | 39.6% |
Wheat bran (broll/pollard) Concentrates & by-products · starch 23.1% · sugar 7.2% · fat 3.9% Ca 0.14% · P 1.1% · Mg 0.42% · Na 0.01% · K 1.35% · S 0.21% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 87 | 11 | 17.3% | 45.2% |
Tapioca (cassava) Concentrates & by-products · starch 80.4% · sugar 2.4% · fat 0.7% Ca 0.14% · P 0.11% · Mg 0.09% · Na 0.04% · K 0.99% · S 0.31% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). Higher in sulphur than you would expect of a near-pure starch root — worth knowing if the diet is already sulphur-heavy. | 88 | 12.2 | 2.9% | 8% |
Brewers’ grains (wet) Concentrates & by-products · starch 5.7% · sugar 1% · fat 7% Ca 0.25% · P 0.59% · Mg 0.25% · Na 0.03% · K 0.5% · S 0.24% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). Usually fed wet, at around 25% dry matter. | 24.9 | 10 | 25.9% | 49.6% |
Field peas Concentrates & by-products · starch 51.3% · sugar 4.9% · fat 1.2% Ca 0.12% · P 0.44% · Mg 0.13% · Na 0% · K 1.14% · S 0.22% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). | 87 | 13.4 | 23.9% | 14.2% |
Sunflower meal Concentrates & by-products · starch 0.5% · sugar 5.9% · fat 2.2% Ca 0.43% · P 1.1% · Mg 0.53% · Na 0.01% · K 1.59% · S 0.44% Feedipedia (INRAE/CIRAD/FAO) for composition; macro-minerals from the INRAE feed tables (feedtables.com). Solvent-extracted, non-dehulled. | 89 | 8.9 | 31.3% | 46.4% |
Rumen-protected fat (Ca salts) Concentrates & by-products · starch 0% · sugar 0% · fat 84% Ca 9.3% Volac/Megalac and GP Feeds datasheets — calcium salts of palm fatty acids; digestibility basis from NASEM 2021 Dairy, Table 4-1. Pure energy: it supplies no protein at all. Being rumen-inert is what lets a small daily amount approach the dietary fat ceiling safely — but total diet fat above about 6–7% DM still depresses fibre digestion and intake. | 97 | 33 | 0% | 0% |
Kale Forages · starch 1.5% · sugar 17.5% · fat 1.3% Ca 1.6% · P 0.3% · Mg 0.25% · Na 0.06% · K 2.5% · S 0.3% Whole-plant energy from Westwood & Mulcock (2012), Proc. NZ Grassland Assoc. 74:31–38; protein from Bordeira-Sotelo et al. (2015), NZ winter-grown kale; minerals from DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5. These are whole-plant values — a crop grazed leaf-first will run better than this until the stems go. The wide calcium-to-phosphorus ratio is the milk-fever risk on kale at calving. | 14 | 11.5 | 9% | 31% |
Forage rape Forages · starch 8% · sugar 19.6% · fat 3.8% Ca 2.17% · P 0.58% · Mg 0.22% · Na 0.1% · K 2.68% · S 0.49% Westwood & Mulcock (2012), Proc. NZ Grassland Assoc. 74:31–38 — whole-plant measurements across 7 New Zealand cultivars; minerals from Feedipedia (ref. 15683). New Zealand leafy rape is high-energy and modest-protein. Overseas figures for rape read the opposite way round, so don’t be thrown if you find one. | 12 | 12.8 | 11% | 23% |
Greenfeed oats + Italian ryegrass Forages · starch 4% · sugar 13% · fat 3.5% Ca 0.6% · P 0.3% · Mg 0.18% · Na 0.2% · K 2.7% · S 0.27% A 50:50 mix of DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5 “Oats (grazed crop)” and Pacheco et al. (2023) on New Zealand winter-grown Italian ryegrass (PubMed Central PMC10603665). Grazing stage moves the energy a long way — a young leafy crop will do better than shown. | 14 | 11.5 | 15% | 34% |
Process carrots Forages · starch 3% · sugar 50% · fat 1% Ca 0.38% · P 0.29% · Mg 0.11% · Na 0.65% · K 2.8% · S 0.1% Feedipedia, fresh carrot roots (ref. 539); magnesium and sodium from the USDA FoodData Central database (ref. 170393). Sodium sits at the top of published carrot values and will lift the diet’s DCAD noticeably — worth watching in a springer ration. | 10.7 | 11.9 | 9.1% | 11.9% |
Swede Forages · starch 2% · sugar 27% · fat 0.9% Ca 0.4% · P 0.35% · Mg 0.2% · Na 1.04% · K 2.8% · S 0.17% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Swedes”; fibre from New Zealand brassica whole-plant literature. Swedes accumulate sodium (1.04% DM), so they lift dietary sodium and DCAD meaningfully. If stock strip the leaves and leave the bulb, fibre runs higher than shown. | 12 | 12.5 | 12% | 17% |
Turnip Forages · starch 12% · sugar 23.8% · fat 1% Ca 0.57% · P 0.33% · Mg 0.19% · Na 0.05% · K 3.01% · S 0.21% DairyNZ Facts & Figures Ch.5, “Turnips”; fibre from New Zealand brassica whole-plant literature. If stock strip the leaves and leave the bulb, fibre runs higher than shown. | 9 | 12 | 15% | 17% |
Fodder beet (bulb) Forages · starch 0% · sugar 65.8% · fat 0.5% Ca 0.13% · P 0.13% · Mg 0.14% · Na 0.28% · K 1.6% · S 0.06% Minerals from Woods, Dalley, Edwards & Judson (2023), J. NZ Grasslands 85:167–176 — a 694-sample New Zealand fodder-beet database; fibre from Feedipedia (ref. 534). These are New Zealand bulb figures. They run materially lower in calcium, phosphorus and sulphur than the European whole-root numbers most tables carry — and that shortfall, alongside the sugar load, is exactly what makes calcium and acidosis the things to manage on a beet crop. | 15 | 12.2 | 9% | 16% |
Limeflour Mineral products · fed in g/day Ca 38% Feed-grade limeflour (calcium carbonate) specification. | 99 | — | — | — |
Dolomite Mineral products · fed in g/day Ca 22% · Mg 12% Feed-grade dolomite specification (a natural calcium-magnesium carbonate). | 99 | — | — | — |
Magnesium oxide Mineral products · fed in g/day Mg 55% Feed-grade magnesium oxide (causmag) specification. | 99 | — | — | — |
Salt (NaCl) Mineral products · fed in g/day Na 39% · Cl 60% Sodium chloride stoichiometry. | 99 | — | — | — |
DCP (dicalcium phosphate) Mineral products · fed in g/day Ca 22% · P 18% Feed-grade dicalcium phosphate specification. | 99 | — | — | — |
Sodium bicarbonate (rumen buffer) Mineral products · fed in g/day Na 27.2% The INRAE feed tables for sodium bicarbonate; feed-grade specification is ≥99% NaHCO₃. A rumen buffer and a chloride-free sodium source. It pushes DCAD strongly UP — wanted in a milking ration, and a milk-fever hazard if it reaches springing cows. | 99 | — | — | — |
Gypsum (calcium sulphate) Mineral products · fed in g/day Ca 20% · S 16% USG feed-grade specification — calcium sulphate dihydrate at about 90% purity. An anionic salt, fed pre-calving to pull DCAD down. Sulphate acidifies less per unit than chloride, so don’t read its DCAD figure as equivalent to calcium chloride’s. | 99 | — | — | — |
Calcium chloride Mineral products · fed in g/day Ca 27% · Cl 48% Dihydrate flake stoichiometry (CaCl₂·2H₂O), the feed-grade product. The strongest per-gram acidifier of the anionic salts, and unpalatable — real diets cap the dose. | 99 | — | — | — |
Magnesium chloride Mineral products · fed in g/day Mg 12% · Cl 35% Hexahydrate (bischofite) stoichiometry (MgCl₂·6H₂O). An anionic salt that doubles as a magnesium source; typically fed at 60–100 g/head/day pre-calving. | 99 | — | — | — |
Energy is MJ ME per kg of dry matter. Protein (crude protein), fibre (NDF), starch, sugar, fat and the macro-minerals are all a percentage of dry matter — calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), sulphur (S) and chloride (Cl). A mineral is left out where the source table leaves it blank, rather than shown as zero. Mineral products are dosed in grams per head per day, so the feed columns don’t apply to them. Where a note mentions DCAD, that’s the dietary cation-anion difference — the mineral balance that drives milk-fever risk in springing cows.
Put a number to it
A feed value on its own doesn’t tell you much. What matters is whether the diet feeds the animal — our feed calculator takes these values, adds your stock, and tells you what the diet actually supports and which nutrient runs out first.
Feedwise gives indicative models for decision support. It is not a substitute for a nutritionist or veterinarian — for animal-health decisions, talk to your vet.