ANSC Feeds Practice Exam 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Concentrates are commonly used to supplement roughage in cattle diets because they are typically energy-dense feeds that provide essential nutrients such as carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins, and minerals. Roughages, like hay and silage, are high in fiber but often low in energy. By incorporating concentrates, which generally have a lower fiber content and higher nutrient density, farmers can balance the diet for better overall health, growth, and milk production in cattle.

Concentrates can include grains, protein meals, and by-product feeds. They play a crucial role in meeting the energy requirements of cattle, especially during critical life stages like lactation or when finishing for market.

Although grains are part of the concentrate category, the term "concentrates" encompasses a broader range of high-energy feeds and is more accurately used to classify feeds in this context. Forages, on the other hand, refer specifically to the roughage component and do not supplement it. The term "supplements" can refer to a mix of various types of feeds including concentrates and minerals, but in this context, concentrates are specifically defined for supplementation of roughage.