"Toll milling" and "custom milling" describe a mill running your feed rather than selling you its own brand. For producers with the scale and the nutritional know-how, it can lower cost per tonne and give full control of the formula. This guide explains the models and when each fits.

The terms

  • Custom milling means the mill formulates and manufactures feed to your specification, often blending your chosen ingredients and additives. You own the recipe; they own the plant.
  • Toll milling usually means you supply some or all of the raw materials (frequently your own grain) and pay the mill a processing fee, or "toll", to grind, mix, and sometimes pellet it. Ownership of the grain stays with you throughout.

In practice the words are used loosely and often interchangeably, so confirm exactly what a given mill means, and what is included, before comparing prices.

When it makes sense

Custom and toll milling tend to pay off when:

  • You have enough volume that the toll fee per tonne beats the margin baked into branded compound feed.
  • You grow your own grain and want to turn it into finished feed without selling low and buying back high.
  • You want to control the formulation, for example to hit a specific nutrient spec, use particular ingredients, or avoid others.

Branded compound feed from a manufacturer is usually the better call when volumes are modest, when you value the manufacturer's formulation and technical support, or when consistency matters more than cost per tonne.

What to check with a custom or contract mill

  • Minimum batch size and scheduling. Custom runs need a slot; ask about lead times and how small a batch they will run.
  • Ingredient handling. Will they receive and store your grain, and how do they account for shrinkage, moisture, and screenings?
  • Medicated feed. If your formula includes medicated articles, the mill needs the right licence and clean-out procedures. See our Veterinary Feed Directive guide.
  • Quality and traceability. Weighing accuracy, mix uniformity, and batch records that tie your ingredients to your finished feed.
  • Pelleting and packaging. Whether they can pellet, crumble, and pack to your needs, or only mix meal.

Finding a mill

The directory lists custom and contract mills and feed mills you can filter by location, since freight on both inbound grain and outbound feed makes proximity valuable. Shortlist a few, and use the checklist in How to choose a feed supplier before you commit.