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Grain for Animal Feed

kg produced globally

Consumption Rates

Based on an annual estimate of approximately 770,000,000,000, derived from FAO / Our World in Data.

2,109,589,041
per day
87,899,543
per hour
1,464,992
per minute
24,416
per second
64,166,666,666
per month
480,592,368,969
so far this year (est.)

About 770 million tonnes of grain are produced annually to feed livestock rather than humans directly. This represents a significant caloric inefficiency in the global food system.

Consumption by Region

Key Statistics

Global feed grain
~770 million tons/year
Corn for feed
~60%
Of US corn crop
Soy for feed
~77%
Of global soy
Calorie conversion
~10%
Grain to beef
Protein conversion
~25%
Grain to chicken
Could feed
3.5 billion people
Directly
Land for feed crops
~560 million hectares
US corn for ethanol
~40%
Plus ~36% feed
China soy imports
~100 million tons/year
Brazil soy exports
#1 globally
Mostly for feed
Wheat for feed
~20%
Of global wheat
Barley for feed
~65%
Of global barley

Frequently Asked Questions

How many grain for animal feed are kg produced each year?
Based on annual estimates, approximately 770,000,000,000 grain for animal feed are kg produced globally each year.
How many grain for animal feed are kg produced per day?
Approximately 2,109,589,041 grain for animal feed are kg produced per day worldwide, based on an annual estimate of 770,000,000,000.
How many grain for animal feed are kg produced per second?
Approximately 24,416 grain for animal feed are kg produced per second — equivalent to 1,464,992 per minute and 87,899,543 per hour.
Which region accounts for the largest share of grain for animal feed kg produced?
Americas accounts for approximately 40% of global grain for animal feed kg produced.

Context Beyond the Numbers

Approximately 36% of global crop calories are fed to livestock rather than consumed directly by humans, creating substantial efficiency losses in the food system.
If grain currently used for animal feed were consumed directly by humans, it could theoretically provide enough calories for an additional 3.5 billion people.
Beef production converts only approximately 3% of feed grain calories into edible meat calories, representing the lowest conversion efficiency of major livestock.
Approximately 77% of global soybean production is used for animal feed, with the majority grown in areas experiencing ongoing deforestation.
Rising meat demand in developing countries is increasing global pressure on grain supplies, contributing to price volatility that affects food security.
The United States uses more cropland to grow corn for animal feed than for any single human food crop.

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