Dry matter is what remains of a product when all water has been removed. In dairy ingredient trading it plays two roles. For powders it is mainly a quality specification. For liquid and concentrated products such as cream, concentrated milk and whey concentrate, it is often the basis for quantity and price. That second role is where most calculation errors in contracts and invoices come from.
The formula is simple:
Dry matter % = (total weight − water weight) ÷ total weight × 100
Raw milk consists of roughly 87% water and 13% solids: fat, protein, lactose and minerals. Powders contain only a few percent moisture, so their dry matter content is usually around 95–97%. For powders, contracts normally set a maximum moisture content rather than a dry matter percentage. The dry matter content itself is measured in a laboratory, by the producer or an independent lab.
The dry matter content of liquid and concentrated products differs from load to load. Two tankers of whey concentrate with the same weight can therefore contain a different amount of product. That is why these products are often bought and sold per tonne of dry matter instead of per tonne of product. For cream, the price is often based on the fat content.
An example with illustrative figures. A contract for whey concentrate is priced at €200 per tonne of dry matter.
Similar trucks, different value. If the invoice is based on wet weight or on a standard percentage instead of the measured value, the difference ends up in your margin.
Contract. Record the pricing basis (per tonne of product, per tonne of dry matter or per kilogram of fat), the expected dry matter content, the tolerance and how deviations are settled. Also agree whose lab result counts.
Delivery. Each load needs a weight and an analysis result. Store both with the delivery, so the invoice can be checked later.
Position. Keep your position in the same unit for purchase and sale. If you buy per tonne of product and sell per tonne of dry matter, the position is only correct after conversion. See How do you track your position in dairy ingredient trading?
Stock. When loads with different dry matter content go into one silo, the content of the silo becomes a weighted average. More on this in Come gestisci lo stock di silos e l'inventario del magazzino come trader di latticini?
In a spreadsheet, dry matter is calculated per load by hand: weight from the weighbridge ticket, percentage from the lab report, then the price. With dozens of loads a month, a wrong percentage, a rounding difference or a missing lab result is easy to miss, and it only shows up when the customer or supplier disputes the invoice.
Moo Software can record and calculate dry matter levels for your products. With the optional weighbridge link, weights are assigned to call-off orders automatically. Certificates and analysis results can be attached to lots, so the basis for every invoice can be traced. See the full list on the features page.
Is dry matter the same as total solids? In practice, yes. Both terms refer to everything that remains after the water has been removed.
Do I need dry matter for powder contracts? For powders, the moisture content is mainly a quality specification. The price is usually per tonne of product, but a load outside the specification can lead to a claim.
Who measures the dry matter content? Usually the producer’s lab or an independent lab, per load or per batch. Agree in the contract which result is binding and what happens if two results differ.
Want to see how Moo handles dry matter and fat content for your products? Prenota una demo or contattaci.
In practice, yes. Both terms refer to everything that remains after the water has been removed.
For powders, the moisture content is mainly a quality specification. The price is usually per tonne of product, but a load outside the specification can lead to a claim.
Usually the producer’s lab or an independent lab, per load or per batch. Agree in the contract which result is binding and what happens if two results differ.
