How to Calculate Bushels Per Acre

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Things You'll Need

  • Calculator

  • Pen

  • Paper

  • Crop samples

Estimate crop yields to make informed feed and marketing decisions.

Sun-ripened crop fields bring excitement to any farmer's heart, but that feeling can be dampened when the crop produces a different yield than what was expected. When you grow your own crops, whether for sale or for personal consumption, knowing the expected crop yield helps you make informed marketing and feed decisions. When you calculate predicted bushels per acre, remember that your best estimate is not a guarantee. Weather, disease and insect damage can impact the final crop and must be taken into consideration when calculating yields.

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Step 1

Determine the yield per unit. For example, select 10 ears of corn and count how many kernels each one contains. Add them together, then divide by 10 for the average kernels per ear. Write this number down.

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Step 2

Find the average number of units-per-acre by sampling 1/1,000th of an acre and multiplying by 1000. Multiply the yield-per-unit by the average number of units-per-acre.

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Step 3

Divide the units-per-acre by the number of kernels per bushel. Find this number by referencing a table such as the one provided by the University of Kentucky's College of Agriculture. This final number equals your bushels per acre.

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