Feed costs vary widely from season to season; it is often possible for farmers to realize substantial savings through wise selection of the feed ingredients used to formulate complete diets.

Least-cost formulation of feed mixtures makes it possible to use computers to select the correct amounts of competitively priced feed ingredients that will combine to fully satisfy the nutrient requirements of a specific type of animal at a particular stage of development. This program can help farmers successfully formulate diets that yield maximum production at the lowest possible cost.