Topics:
Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher
Faecal Energy Loss in Ruminants
Faecal energy loss is ______ % of gross energy intake in ruminants.
- 5-10
- 20-30
- 35-40
- 40-50 — Correct Answer
Explanation:
Correct Answer: 40–50%
Ruminants consuming roughage-based diets (which constitute the bulk of their feed) lose 40–50% of their Gross Energy Intake (GEi) as faecal energy — the largest single energy loss in ruminants.
Faecal Energy Loss — Comparison Across Species
| Animal / Diet | Faecal Energy Loss (% of GEi) |
|---|---|
| Ruminants (roughage diet) | 40–50% |
| Ruminants (concentrate diet) | 20–30% |
| Horse | 35–40% |
| Pig | 20% |
Why Ruminants Lose More Faecal Energy
- Roughage (hay, straw) is high in cellulose, lignin, hemicellulose — difficult to fully digest
- Lignin especially is indigestible → passes out as faecal energy loss
- Despite this, ruminants can survive on roughage-only diets; non-ruminants cannot
Why Other Options Are Wrong
- 5–10% → too low; no domesticated species loses this little faecal energy on roughage
- 20–30% → correct for ruminants on concentrate diet, not roughage diet
- 35–40% → correct for horse, not ruminant on roughage diet
📚 About this Topic — Animal Nutrition
This multiple choice question is from Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher. It has 4 options with a detailed explanation of the correct answer. Practice more MCQs from Animal Nutrition to strengthen your preparation.
