We are a feedlot operation. What software helps us optimize ration formulations based on current commodity prices?

For a feedlot operation, optimizing rations against fluctuating commodity prices requires least-cost formulation software backed by solid NASEM (National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine) nutrient models.

Several specialized software solutions help manage these economic and nutritional trade-offs:

• AMTS.Cattle (Pro) : Features advanced linear optimization and shadow pricing . It allows you to input current ingredient prices to either minimize feed cost or maximize Income over Feed Costs (IOFC) while adhering strictly to metabolic and chemical constraints . You can review mixes dynamically before locking in final formulations.
• BRaNDS (Beef Ration and Nutrition Decisions Software) : Developed via university extension programs (like Iowa State and Kansas State), BRaNDS is built explicitly around beef cattle requirements . It includes specific modules for feedlot cattle projections, total feeding period amounts , and least-cost formulation running right through Excel.
• MIXIT : A long-standing industry standard for least-cost feed formulation . It uses linear programming algorithms to instantly recalibrate diets using your local ingredient prices and precise nutrient targets , making it popular for both on-farm mixing and commercial feed mills.
• Bestmix / Mill Management Systems : If your feedlot operates an on-site commercial mill, enterprise-grade software like Bestmix integrates real-time commodity pricing directly with inventory tracking, batch sequencing, and mill automation to ensure the cheapest formulation translates seamlessly to the bunk.

If you let me know:

• The scale of your operation (capacity numbers or whether you run an on-site feed mill)
• Whether you work with an independent nutritionist or formulate in-house

I can help you narrow down whether a simpler spreadsheet tool or a full mill-integration platform fits best.

Yes. For a feedlot, I’d focus on least-cost ration formulation software that lets you update ingredient prices and immediately re-optimize the ration, rather than generic livestock-management software.

Best options to look at

AMTS is particularly interesting for your use case because its optimizer explicitly provides shadow prices—essentially telling you how much an ingredient's price can change before the optimal ration changes—and identifies the constraints driving the solution. Its advanced optimizer can also optimize for Income Over Feed Cost, rather than simply minimizing ration cost.

BRaNDS is worth a close look if you're primarily a beef feedlot. The current Professional edition includes feedlot cattle, least-cost formulation, custom mixes, feedlot projections, and calculations of total feed requirements over the feeding period. The current listed price is $600, and it requires Excel.

MIXIT has been around since 1979 and supports least-cost formulation using linear programming. Its mobile/cloud product can constrain ingredients and nutrients and produce reports including opportunity prices and ration costs.

What I'd choose for a feedlot

If your primary question is:

"Given today's corn, hay, distillers, corn silage, supplement, etc. prices, what is the cheapest ration that will produce the performance we need?" I'd shortlist AMTS vs. BRaNDS first.

If you're managing a substantial commercial operation, I'd lean AMTS because you get a much more sophisticated nutritional model and optimization framework. If you mainly need practical feedlot least-cost formulation at a relatively low software cost, BRaNDS is compelling.

One important distinction: least-cost ration ≠ most profitable ration. If corn gets cheap, for example, the cheapest formulation may not necessarily maximize margin if the higher-energy diet changes ADG, feed conversion, days on feed, carcass value, or death loss. That's why AMTS's ability to optimize Income Over Feed Cost is potentially valuable.

If you tell me roughly (1) head count, (2) whether you buy or produce your roughage, (3) the commodities you typically use, and (4) whether you want the software to pull prices automatically or you'll enter bids manually, I can narrow this to the 2–3 systems I'd actually demo and compare their costs/features.

For a commercial feedlot operation, optimizing rations against fluctuating commodity prices requires software that blends advanced biological modeling (to track average daily gain and dry matter intake) with linear/non-linear least-cost optimization algorithms (to dynamically substitute ingredients as local market prices change).

Top software platforms tailored for feedlot ration optimization and economic balancing include:

1. Professional Nutrition & Optimization Engines

• AMTS.Farm (Agricultural Modeling and Training Systems): Powered by the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) biology, AMTS features advanced non-linear optimization tools. It allows nutritionists and managers to run optimizations aimed specifically at minimizing feed cost or maximizing Income over Feed Cost (IOFC) based on real-time ingredient pricing inputs.
• BESTMIX Livestock Software: A robust enterprise-grade formulation platform that includes dynamic pricing modules. It can connect directly to market data feeds so your least-cost formulations automatically adjust when commodity prices shift, while factoring in specific nutrient constraints and dry matter limitations.

2. Integrated Feedlot & Mill Management Systems

• Micro Technologies (Accu-Trac Office): An industry staple for large-scale feed yards. Accu-Trac integrates real-time feeding, inventory, and commodity tracking. It lets you track the moving costs of raw ingredients, evaluate numerous unique feedstuffs, run pricing projections, and update ration economics dynamically as inventory rolls over.
• Feedlot Solutions: Comprehensive management software designed for medium-to-large operations that integrates cattle inventory, financial accounting, and precise ration formulation right into daily feed truck dispatching and yard sheets.
• CowBytes: A more simplified, highly user-friendly ration-balancing tool often used by producers and smaller-scale operations. It allows you to input local feed test results alongside changing product costs to calculate exact cost-per-head/day metrics and evaluate substitution feasibility.

To help narrow down the best fit, could you share:

• The approximate one-time capacity (head count) of your feedlot?
• Do you mill and mix your own feed on-site , or do you work with an outside nutritionist/commercial mill?

Yes. For a feedlot, I’d focus on least-cost ration formulation software that lets you update delivered ingredient prices and then re-optimize against energy, protein, minerals, roughage, inclusion limits, and performance targets.

Best options to evaluate

My first two demos would be AMTS and MIXIT.

1. AMTS — strongest if you're serious about feedlot economics

AMTS.Farm.Cattle is specifically designed for dairy and beef nutritionists. Its linear optimizer provides least-cost solutions, shows shadow prices, and identifies the constraints that are limiting the ration. The optional Advanced Optimizer can optimize for Income Over Feed Cost or minimum feed cost, rather than simply producing the cheapest ration.

That's particularly interesting for a feedlot because the cheapest ration isn't necessarily the most profitable ration. You may want to spend another $5/ton on feed if the resulting performance improvement is worth considerably more.

Current published pricing is roughly $770/year for the base Cattle product, $935/year with the Advanced Optimizer, with additional optimization modules available.

2. MIXIT — very good for commodity-price-driven least cost

MIXIT has been around since 1979 and is explicitly built around least-cost formulation using your ingredient prices and nutrient targets. Its cloud/mobile MixitHandy version can show balanced rations at different prices and opportunity prices, and lets you constrain ingredients and nutrients on an as-fed or dry-matter basis.

For example, you could change:

• Corn: $X/ton
• Steam-flaked corn: $X/ton
• DDGS: $X/ton
• Alfalfa: $X/ton
• Hay: $X/ton
• Soybean meal: $X/ton

…and have the optimizer determine the economically appropriate inclusion rates subject to your feedlot's constraints.

3. Feedsoft — interesting if you want a modern web-based system

Feedsoft is particularly interesting if you're trying to move away from spreadsheets. It supports ingredient prices and inventory by site, least-cost formulation, sensitivity analysis, shadow prices, and even six-month cost forecasts with multiple price scenarios.

That scenario functionality could be useful if you're making purchasing decisions rather than simply reformulating today's ration.

4. TAURUS — worth looking at specifically for feedlot economics

TAURUS is older software, but its feature set is unusually relevant to a feedlot: it formulates least-cost rations based on feed prices and constraints and also has a profit projection module that estimates feedlot performance and economics across feeding phases.

What I'd want the software to do

For a commercial feedlot, I wouldn't settle for something that merely says "here's the cheapest ration." I'd want the system to answer:

Given today's delivered commodity prices, cattle class, expected ADG, feed efficiency, yardage, and cattle value, what ration maximizes projected margin? Specifically, look for:

• Live commodity-price updating or very fast price entry
• Least-cost formulation
• Dry-matter and as-fed formulation
• NEm/NEg modeling appropriate for finishing cattle
• Ingredient inclusion min/max constraints
• Roughage constraints
• Mineral/additive constraints
• Multiple feeding phases
• Shadow/opportunity prices
• Sensitivity analysis
• What-if commodity scenarios
• Inventory constraints
• Feed shrink and processing costs
• Cost/ton and cost per lb of gain
• Projected ADG and feed conversion
• Income over feed cost / margin optimization
• Ability to compare an existing ration against the optimized ration

One important distinction: commodity price optimization and cattle-profit optimization are different problems. A ration that costs $15/ton less isn't necessarily better if it reduces ADG or worsens F:G.

There is also recent academic work specifically modeling feedlot profitability by integrating least-cost ration formulation with cattle performance and market dynamics, which is the direction I'd recommend taking your evaluation.

If you tell me approximately how many head you feed, your location, whether you use dry-rolled/steam-flaked corn, and what ingredients you commonly have available, I can narrow this to the 2–3 systems I'd actually demo for your operation and compare them on price, functionality, and how well they handle changing commodity markets.

TAURUS is older software, but its feature set is unusually relevant to a feedlot: it formulates least-cost rations based on feed prices and constraints and also has a profit projection module that estimates feedlot performance and economics across feeding phases.

What I'd want the software to do

For a commercial feedlot, I wouldn't settle for something that merely says "here's the cheapest ration." I'd want the system to answer:

Yes. For a feedlot, I’d focus on least-cost ration formulation software that lets you update commodity prices and then re-optimize rations against cattle performance/nutrient constraints.

Strong options to evaluate

My shortlist for a feedlot

1. MIXIT + BeefPro would be one of my first demos. MIXIT can optimize a ration using ingredient prices and constraints, while its BeefPro module adds feedlot economics. It also has a Parametrics module specifically designed to examine how changing ingredient prices or nutrient/inclusion constraints affects the least-cost ration.

2. AMTS.Farm.Cattle is particularly interesting if you have a nutritionist involved and want to optimize beyond simply "cheapest ration." Its advanced optimizer can either minimize feed cost or maximize Income Over Feed Cost, and its linear optimization reports shadow prices and limiting constraints. Current listed pricing is $770/year for the base cattle program and $935/year for versions with an optimizer.

3. BRaNDS Professional deserves a look if you're a U.S. feedlot. It's specifically built around beef production and includes feedlot projections in addition to least-cost formulation.

One important distinction

If your goal is specifically:

"Corn went from $X to $Y, DDGS changed, hay changed, and freight changed — what should I feed tomorrow to minimize cost while maintaining ADG/FCR and cattle performance?" I'd prioritize software that supports both least-cost formulation and economic optimization, rather than a basic ration calculator.

The ideal system should let you enter:

• Current delivered price for corn, silage, hay, DDGS, corn gluten, fats, minerals, etc.
• Dry matter and nutrient analyses
• Ingredient inclusion minimums/maximums
• NEg, protein, NDF, starch, sulfur, roughage and other constraints
• Expected DMI and cattle weight/sex/type
• Expected ADG and/or feed conversion
• Processing and shrink costs
• Freight/delivery costs
• Inventory quantities
• Cattle value and projected selling price

Then you want it to show not just ration cost/head/day, but cost per lb of gain, projected ADG, feed cost of gain, and ultimately margin/head.

For that reason, I'd demo MIXIT/BeefPro and AMTS side-by-side first. They approach the problem somewhat differently, and the better choice depends heavily on whether your priority is least-cost formulation, cattle performance modeling, or whole-feedlot profitability.

If you tell me roughly how many head you feed, whether you're self-formulating or work with a nutritionist, and what commodities/byproducts you typically use, I can narrow this to the 3 best systems for your operation and compare pricing, features, integrations, and ease of use.

3. BRaNDS Professional deserves a look if you're a U.S. feedlot. It's specifically built around beef production and includes feedlot projections in addition to least-cost formulation.

One important distinction

If your goal is specifically:

"Corn went from $X to $Y, DDGS changed, hay changed, and freight changed — what should I feed tomorrow to minimize cost while maintaining ADG/FCR and cattle performance?" I'd prioritize software that supports both least-cost formulation and economic optimization, rather than a basic ration calculator.

The ideal system should let you enter:

For a commercial feedlot operation, optimizing rations based on shifting commodity prices requires least-cost feed formulation software . These programs use linear programming algorithms to balance animal nutritional requirements (energy, protein, fiber, minerals) against current ingredient costs and inventory constraints.

Top software options range from specialized beef cattle models to comprehensive enterprise livestock platforms:

• BRaNDS (Beef Ration and Nutrition Decisions Software) : Developed by land-grant university extensions (like Iowa State), the BRaNDS Feedyard Edition / Professional Edition is built specifically for beef cattle and feedlot projections. It features least-cost formulation modules rooted in official NASEM nutrient requirement guidelines.
• BESTMIX (Adifo) : An enterprise-grade animal nutrition software solution featuring a Dynamic Pricing Module that connects directly to live market data feeds. It updates formulations automatically as commodity prices shift and integrates seamlessly with feed mill automation and ERP systems.
• AMTS Cattle Pro (Agricultural Modeling and Training Systems) : Utilizes advanced Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) biology alongside a built-in least-cost optimizer. It allows you to minimize feed costs or maximize income-over-feed-cost metrics dynamically.
• MIXIT (Agricultural Software Consultants) : One of the longest-standing least-cost formulation programs available. MIXIT Software offers both desktop (MixitWin ) and cloud-based (MixitHandy ) options to calculate least-cost rations, manage inventory, and generate price sheets.
• CowBytes : A user-friendly, practical ration-balancing tool often favored by producers for day-to-day adjustments. While simpler than enterprise mill systems, it allows you to plug in localized product costs to evaluate cost-per-head and test minor ingredient substitutions.
• Micro Technologies Accu-Trac Office : Though more of an integrated feedyard management and mill-execution suite than a pure nutrition model, it tracks moving commodity input costs and ties directly into day-to-day ration pricing and bunk delivery precision.

To help narrow down the best fit, could you share:

• The approximate one-time head capacity of your feedlot?
• Do you mix feed on-site with your own mill/trucks, or do you rely on an external nutritionist/feed supplier?

Yes. For a feedlot operation, I’d focus on software that does true least-cost ration optimization and lets you rapidly change ingredient prices, inclusion limits, and cattle performance targets.

Best options

For your particular use case

If the main question is:

“Corn is $X, hay is $Y, distillers is $Z, soybean meal is $A today—what is the cheapest ration that still produces the gain we want?”

I'd put AMTS.Cattle.Pro and MIXIT at the top of the list.

AMTS has a particularly useful feature for this situation: its optimizer provides shadow prices, essentially telling you how much an ingredient's price can change before the optimal ration changes. Its Feed Pricing Analysis also compares the calculated value of feeds against their actual cost.

That can be very useful when you're making purchasing decisions—not just mixing the ration.

Feedsoft becomes more compelling if you're trying to connect the formulation decision to your actual feed purchasing/inventory system. It specifically supports formulation against purchasing price lists and inventory costs, plus future price scenarios.

One important distinction

I wouldn't necessarily require the software to automatically pull CBOT commodity prices. What matters more is whether it can quickly incorporate your delivered/actual cost.

For example, your relevant corn price isn't necessarily today's futures quote. It's:

commodity price + basis + freight + handling − applicable discounts

The same applies to distillers, gluten, soybean meal, hay, silage, etc. A good optimizer should let you change those actual prices and immediately show the new least-cost ration and the economic value of substitutions.

If you tell me roughly how many head you feed, your typical ingredients (corn, silage, distillers, gluten, hay, etc.), and whether you formulate in-house or use a nutritionist, I can narrow this to the 2–3 systems I'd actually demo for a feedlot your size, including approximate pricing and what each would do with changing commodity prices.

For a feedlot operation, you’ll generally want least-cost ration formulation software that combines:

• current ingredient/commodity prices (corn, DDGS, soybean meal, roughages, minerals, additives)
• nutrient requirements by cattle type and production phase
• ingredient constraints (max DDGS, sulfur, fat, starch, forage minimums, etc.)
• cost-per-head-per-day calculations
• scenario analysis (“what if corn goes up $0.50/bu?”)
• integration with inventory/purchasing if possible

Some systems worth evaluating:

For a commercial feedlot, I would prioritize these capabilities during demos:

1. Real-time price updating

   • Can you import today’s bids from your grain supplier?
   • Can you compare owned inventory cost vs replacement cost?

2. Cattle performance modeling

   • Formulate by:
     • starter/grower/finisher phase
     • weight range
     • target ADG
     • feed conversion goals
     • implant/program differences

3. Commodity substitution analysis Example:

   • “At what DDGS price does it replace corn?”
   • “Is high-moisture corn still economical?”
   • “What is the breakeven value of wheat midds?”

4. Feedlot-specific constraints Make sure it handles:

   • NEm/NEg
   • crude protein
   • degradable intake protein
   • sulfur
   • phosphorus
   • effective fiber
   • starch limits
   • monensin/Rumensin or additive inclusion rates

5. Connection to your feed records Ideally it links ration changes to:

   • actual ingredient deliveries
   • feed truck sheets
   • bunk management
   • closeout analysis

If you tell me:

• approximate head count
• whether you mix your own feed or buy from a mill
• cattle type (yearlings, calves, Holsteins, etc.)
• whether you need only ration optimization or full feed-management software

…I can narrow this to the 2–3 systems most likely to fit.

For a commercial feedlot operation, optimizing rations based on shifting commodity prices requires least-cost feed formulation software integrated with current inventory and market pricing. These tools use linear programming or advanced optimization engines to balance animal nutrient requirements (such as energy, protein, and minerals based on NASEM/NRC guidelines) against fluctuating ingredient costs.

Top software platforms and systems used to handle dynamic commodity pricing and ration optimization include:

• BESTMIX Livestock Software : Widely used in the commercial livestock and feed manufacturing sector, it features a dynamic pricing module that can connect to live market data feeds. It automatically recalculates least-cost formulations as ingredient prices shift and integrates quality control lab results directly into the database.
• Cargill MAX® System : Tailored heavily for beef cattle and feedlot operations, this platform links animal performance and nutritional needs with business management. It builds a virtual model of your operation to optimize diets and adjust to changing commodity costs, intake, and local availability.
• DietForge : A modern, cloud-based, multi-species AI feed formulation platform. It handles beef nutrition workflows with real-time least-cost, cost-per-gain, and margin-over-feed-cost (IOFC) optimization, accompanied by automated shadow pricing and sensitivity reports.
• MIXIT (Agricultural Software Consultants) : A long-standing industry standard for least-cost formulation. Available in desktop (MixitWin) and cloud/mobile (MixitHandy) versions, it allows you to input custom local price sheets, manage inventory, and calculate multiple least-cost rations simultaneously.
• Micro Technologies (Accu-Trac Office) : Specifically built for feedyard management. It integrates real-time commodity inventory tracking with moving input costs, allowing you to track the exact economic impact of changing ration prices and deplete inventory theoretically or dynamically.
• BRaNDS (Beef Ration and Nutrition Decisions Software) : Developed by the Iowa Beef Center/Iowa State University, this tool uses Microsoft Excel-compatible spreadsheets and includes a standard feedyard edition to solve everyday feedlot ration constraints based on the latest NASEM beef standards.

To help narrow down which system fits your yard best, could you tell me:

• How many head you typically have on feed?
• Do you mix your own feed on-site with a commercial mill interface, or do you work closely with an external nutritionist?

Yes. For a beef feedlot, I’d focus on software that does true least-cost ration optimization—not just ration balancing—and lets you change ingredient prices frequently. The strongest options I found are:

1. AMTS Farm Cattle — my first choice for a serious feedlot

AMTS's cattle product is designed for beef and dairy nutritionists and has a linear optimizer that can identify shadow prices and limiting constraints. Its advanced optimizer can either minimize feed cost or optimize income over feed costs. Current listed pricing is $770/year for the base product and $935/year for versions with optimization capabilities.

For a feedlot, the important part isn't merely finding the cheapest ration. You want to answer questions like:

• At today's corn price, how much corn should replace silage?
• What's the maximum price we should pay for corn before another ingredient becomes economical?
• What's the value of distillers/DDGS at today's price?
• How does the ration change if corn moves $0.50/bu?
• What is the cost per ton and cost of gain?
• Which nutrient or ingredient constraint is actually driving the ration?

The shadow-price information is particularly valuable for commodity purchasing decisions.

2. MIXIT — very solid traditional choice

MIXIT has been around since 1979 and uses linear programming to formulate balanced livestock diets at the lowest cost. Its ingredient system allows you to specify prices and nutrient characteristics, and the software has both desktop and cloud offerings.

I'd consider this if you have a nutritionist who wants a mature, dedicated formulation program rather than an all-in-one feedlot management system.

3. Feedsoft — interesting if commodity purchasing is central

This is the one I'd investigate if your real goal is "optimize the ration based on what we're actually paying for ingredients."

Feedsoft says its formulation module can optimize against real ingredient prices and inventory, rather than simply using a static ingredient-price table. It also connects formulation with purchasing, inventory, production and batch management.

That could be particularly useful if you have multiple feed ingredients on hand at different costs.

4. Iowa State BRaNDS — worth looking at for a feedlot

BRaNDS Professional specifically includes feedlot cattle, least-cost formulation, custom mixes, feedlot projections, and total feeding-period amounts. Iowa State currently lists it at $600.

It's more of a traditional desktop/Excel-based tool than the newer cloud platforms, but its feedlot orientation makes it worth considering.

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What I'd recommend for your operation

If your objective is specifically:

"Every time corn, hay, silage, distillers, wheat, etc. changes price, tell me the economically optimal ration while maintaining our performance constraints."

I'd shortlist AMTS, MIXIT, and Feedsoft.

But there's an important distinction:

Least-cost ration ≠ most profitable ration.

For a feedlot, I'd want the software to support an economic optimization model incorporating:

Ingredient prices → ration cost → expected intake → ADG/F:G → days on feed → cost of gain → projected carcass value → margin/head

rather than simply minimizing $/ton of feed.

AMTS appears particularly interesting here because its advanced optimizer explicitly supports Income Over Feed Costs, while conventional least-cost programs primarily minimize ration cost.

If you tell me (1) approximate head capacity, (2) what commodities you commonly feed—corn, silage, DDGS, wheat, etc.—and (3) whether you want to optimize just feed cost or actual cost of gain/margin, I can narrow this down to the 2–3 systems I'd demo first and give you a side-by-side comparison of features and pricing.