Which statement defines the feed conversion ratio (FCR)?

• A. Milk produced per day
• B. Feed required per unit of gain
• C. Weight gain per day
• D. Maintenance nutrients per day

Answer: (B)

Feed conversion ratio measures how efficiently feed is turned into body weight. It is calculated by dividing the total feed an animal consumes by the total weight it gains over the same period. For example, if a pig eats 70 kg of feed and gains 14 kg, the FCR is 70 divided by 14, or 5.0. A lower FCR means better feed efficiency because less feed is needed per unit of gain. This focuses on efficiency rather than just how fast animals grow or how much they produce in a day or what their maintenance needs are. Weight gain per day describes growth rate, milk produced per day describes production output, and maintenance nutrients per day describe baseline needs—none of these define how much feed is required to achieve a unit of weight gain.