For reference only. Verify critical measurements for your application.
Common Conversions by Application
Different weighing applications use different unit systems. Here are the conversions that come up most often across the industries Scale Blog covers.
Livestock and Agriculture
Cattle weight records in the US are kept in pounds, but many breed standards, research benchmarks, and imported scale indicators display kilograms. Converting between lb and kg is the most frequent unit switch in a farm weighing operation. A 1,400 lb mature Angus cow is approximately 635 kg. A 550 lb weaned calf is approximately 249 kg.
Warehouse and Freight
LTL freight class under the updated NMFC density rules is calculated from pallet weight in pounds. Suppliers shipping from metric-system countries declare cargo weight in metric tons. A 2-metric-ton pallet is 4,409 lb. A 500 kg drum is 1,102 lb. Knowing the conversion before the load arrives prevents receiving discrepancies and freight class errors.
Shipping and Parcel Operations
Carrier billing in the US uses pounds and ounces. International shipments and customs documentation frequently use kilograms and grams. A 500-gram package is 1.10 lb. A 2 kg parcel is 4.41 lb. SOLAS VGM declarations require gross mass in metric tons — 0.05 metric tons equals 110 lb.
Laboratory and Pharmaceutical
Analytical and precision balances display results in grams or milligrams. USP and GMP documentation may require reporting in multiple units. 1 gram equals 1,000 milligrams. 1 ounce equals 28.35 grams. For moisture analyzer results expressed as a percentage of a gram-based reading, no conversion is needed — but cross-referencing against batch records in ounces requires the gram-to-ounce factor.
Temperature
Scale indicators and calibration certificates issued under ISO/IEC 17025 reference ambient temperature in Celsius. Most US facility HVAC systems display Fahrenheit. Laboratory balance specifications require an ambient temperature between 15°C and 30°C — that is, 59°F to 86°F. Calibration should not proceed outside that range.
Quick Reference Conversion Table
The ten conversions used most frequently in commercial weighing applications in the United States.
| Convert From | Convert To | Multiply By |
|---|---|---|
| Kilograms (kg) | Pounds (lb) | 2.2046 |
| Pounds (lb) | Kilograms (kg) | 0.4536 |
| Metric tons (t) | Pounds (lb) | 2,204.62 |
| Pounds (lb) | Metric tons (t) | 0.000454 |
| Grams (g) | Ounces (oz) | 0.0353 |
| Ounces (oz) | Grams (g) | 28.35 |
| Grams (g) | Milligrams (mg) | 1,000 |
| Inches (in) | Centimeters (cm) | 2.54 |
| Feet (ft) | Meters (m) | 0.3048 |
| °Fahrenheit | °Celsius | (°F − 32) × 5/9 |
| °Celsius | °Fahrenheit | (°C × 9/5) + 32 |
All conversion factors are based on NIST standard definitions. For legal-for-trade and compliance applications, verify converted values against your certified scale indicator reading.
Related Weighing Guides
If you are working through a weighing decision, these guides cover the applications where unit conversion comes up most frequently.
- Cattle Weight Chart: Average Weights by Breed, Age, and Sex — lb and kg reference values for beef and dairy cattle
- What Is Dimensional Weight in Shipping? — how carriers calculate billable weight from package dimensions
- Pharmaceutical Lab Weighing: USP Standards and What Scale You Need — gram and milligram accuracy requirements for compliant lab weighing
- How to Choose a Floor Scale for Your Warehouse — capacity and specification guide for warehouse and freight applications
- SOLAS VGM: What It Is and What Scale You Need to Comply — metric ton declaration requirements for container shipping