UK farm straight feedingstuffs costs
UK farm straight feedingstuffs costs stood at £1,907.84m in 2025, according to GOV.UK official statistics. It is one of the indicators in the Farm income and yields table (Value · Annual), with a complete series running from 1973 to 2025. The complete series with an interactive chart, free to download.
This indicator in the Farm income and yields table
| Indicator | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Total intermediate consumption | 21,624.43 | 21,293.54 | 21,999.39 | 21,719.25 | 18,613.02 | 16,939.16 | 17,264.94 | 17,117.51 | 15,919.91 | 15,009.62 | |
| Animal feed | 7,060.69 | 7,092.5 | 7,638.39 | 8,220.58 | 6,629.1 | 5,791.01 | 5,618.17 | 5,668.4 | 5,062.79 | 4,464.25 | |
| Straight feedingstuffs | 1,907.84 | 1,806.1 | 1,851.24 | 2,036.87 | 1,777.41 | 1,545.65 | 1,424.01 | 1,418.12 | 1,297.07 | 1,220.15 |
Understanding UK farm straight feedingstuffs costs
Financial outlays by agricultural holdings across the United Kingdom on unmixed, single-ingredient animal feed components are quantified by this series, covering purchases of raw grains, oilseed meals, and individual protein sources. This metric separates raw, unblended feed inputs from factory-produced compound feedingstuffs and homegrown forage. It excludes processed multi-ingredient rations, focusing strictly on bulk straight commodities acquired for livestock nutrition.
Interpreting these figures requires awareness of direct commodity market volatility, as straight feeds are traded closer to raw grain and protein meal prices than complex manufactured rations. Provisional estimates are based on trade and milling industry samples, requiring later reconciliation with annual farm survey data. Comparing this series to compound feed costs reveals structural changes in how livestock farmers mix and manage their dietary rations.
Frequently asked questions
- What are typical examples of straight feedingstuffs?
- Soya bean meal, raw barley, distillers' grains, and beet pulp purchased as unmixed single commodities are classic examples.
- Does this series include feed ingredients traded directly between farms?
- Commercial purchases from merchants are fully captured, but unrecorded private peer-to-peer farm transactions can present tracking challenges.
- Why do livestock producers choose straight feeds over compound alternatives?
- Farmers with on-farm mixing facilities often buy straight ingredients to lower formulation costs compared to pre-bagged or blended compound feeds.