Cheap diets cause which result?

• A. less required to feed, more absorbed, less waste produced
• B. more required to feed, less absorbed, more waste from undigestable products
• C. improve growth
• D. no effect

Answer: (B)

Diet quality directly affects how much of what an animal eats is actually absorbed and used. Cheap diets tend to be lower in digestible energy and nutrients and contain more filler or indigestible fiber. Because of this, the animal often has to eat more to meet its energy and protein needs, but a smaller portion of that intake is absorbed. The non-digested components are expelled as feces, so waste increases. This combination—more feed required, less absorption, and more undigested waste—captures the typical impact of cheap diets. The other possibilities (improved growth or no effect) don’t fit because low-quality feeds don’t enhance efficiency or have no impact; they generally reduce it.