Tag: form 4 notes

The rearing of cattle, sheep and goats is farming practice that has been practiced over many years. Goats, cattle and sheep are amongst the most widely consumed livestock with valued meat products. Throughout the decades, farmers and animal breeders have come up with a number of livestock breeds with carefully selected traits and improved characteristics.

The rearing of cattle, sheep and goats is farming practice that has been practiced over many years. Goats, cattle and sheep are amongst the most widely consumed livestock with valued meat products. Throughout the decades, farmers and animal breeders have come up with a number of livestock breeds with carefully selected traits and improved characteristics.

The rearing of cattle, sheep and goats is farming practice that has been practiced over many years. Goats, cattle and sheep are amongst the most widely consumed livestock with valued meat products. Throughout the decades, farmers and animal breeders have come up with a number of livestock breeds with carefully selected traits and improved characteristics.

An off layer is a chicken which is no longer able to lay eggs. A chicken which can no longer lay eggs is not productive to keep. Such chickens should be slaughtered to minimize feeding costs. Slaughtering of off layers is a way of boosting income from meat sales. Slaughtering off layers is the best way of disposing them.

The final stages of livestock production involve processing of the animals and products into an attractive and acceptable packaged product on the market. Farmers’ income is generated from the sale of value added products through processing.

The health of an animal is of importance as it influences productivity and quality of animals. Livestock health is greatly affected by parasites which feed on the livestock. Parasites suck blood and cause animals to lose weight. Parasites such as ticks are vectors which transmit diseases to farm animals. Livestock diseases are prevented through vaccination of farm animals. The Animal Health Act stipulates some regulations which farmers should note and follow in order to control and prevent the spread of animal diseases.

Animal improvement can be achieved through carefully planned mating (breeding) of animal breeds with desired commercially viable characteristics. Animal improvement requires that only the best animals be used for breading. Success of a breeding program is also influenced by inheritance and environmental factors. These play an important role in animal improvement. In animal breeding programs, keeping of critical breeding records of the animals is of paramount importance.

 In the previous forms, we learnt about livestock nutrients and types of livestock feeds. This was to explain the nutrients that are required by different types of livestock for growth and development. These are, proteins, carbohydrates, minerals, vitamins, water, and fats and oils. Roughage is the last one which is not necessarily a nutrient but an important ingredient of food that aids digestion by preventing constipation.

Farming is a business and profits should be realized by removing any losses from the production process. Losses from the agricultural production process can be caused by pests and diseases. Pests that attack crops in the fields and stored produce have the capacity to reduce yields even up to 100% production loss. Protection of crops from damage by pests and diseases should therefore start as early as at planting, on the seed that is planted so that it germinates well. Protection of the plant from seedling throughout the growth period of the plant to maturity should be afforded through the use of effective agro-chemicals. Protection should be extended to the crop under storage. Best results are achieved when the agro-chemicals are used correctly and accurately at each stage.