Animal Husbandry

Performance objectives

By the end of the lesson  the students should be able to

• Name at least 3 other management practices
• Outline and discuss at least 3 of these practices
• Discuss at least 3 effects of these practices in animal production

Introduction

Production of livestock and their products requires effective management. Management is essential if we are to have livestock and their products in sufficient quality and quantity at reasonable cost .

Step 1

• Removal of extra teats within the second month of age ,the female calves are subjected to this exercise .Extra teats are removed from them using scissors to cut them off. They are then disinfected with iodine.
• Feeding - During pregnancy, feed the animals very well to increase milk yield especially towards the last 8 weeks of gestation .  This is called "steaming up".
• Provide adequate water,bedding and adequate sanitation as parturition approaches .
• Housing - provide good housing for cattle to protect them from strong wind and adverse weather conditions.
• Sanitation /hygiene - maintain good environment cleanliness within and outside the grazing areas and the housing environment so as to control pests and disease .
• Vaccination /inoculation- treat the animal against the spread of disease .apply rotational grazing to reduce disease outbreak .control ecto and endo parasites with chemicals such as sprays ,dusts.
• Finishing / breeding - do not serve heifers until they are big and strong . keep bulls away from them until the heifer comes on heat. Take the heifer to the male for servicing.

       Step II

Milking - Dairy cows are suckled by their calves for 4-5 days to take the colostrums and then removed . Lactating animals are milked every morning .milking is done manually or by the use of milking machine for human and animal consumption.

         Precaution before milking

• Animals should be cleaned thoroughly before milking
• Milk animals in a clean environment
• Fore-milk must be tested with test cup

           Three harmful contaminations of milk in a diary farm are -

• Bacteria and other pathogens
• Urine
• Dirt from tools

        Tools used in diary  cattle farm are-

• Feed trough
• Water trough
• Forage harvester
• Milking chute
• Burdizzo
• Milking machine
• Milk test cup
• Weighing scale
• Drenching bottles

Evaluation questions

• Mention any 3 management practices that are important in.animal production
• Mention any 5 tools that are used in diary farm
• Mention any 3 harmful contaminants of milk in a diary farm.

Name of teacher: NWANKWO L O.

PERFORMANCE OBJECTIVE

Students should be able to

• Explain the concept cattle.
• Give at least four reasons for rearing cattle
• Name at least 4 breeds of cattle
• List some characteristics of West African breeds of cattle.
• Name three functional types of cattle
• Name at least 3 disease of cattle.

Step 1: Definition  

Cattle are ruminant animal reared mainly in the savannah regions at West African countries where the climate, availability of natural grassland and absence at tsetse fly favour their production

Reason for rearing cattle

• They supply food in form of meat and milk
• They provide hide and skin
• They are used religious purposes and festivals
• They provide revenue / income to farmers
• They are used to pull ploughs and carts.

Step 2:  breeds of cattle

The breeds include

• White Fulani
• Sokoto gudali
• Red Bororo or Rahaji cattle
• Muturu cattle,
• N’ Dama
• Kuri cattle,
• Exotic breeds of cattle.

1. White Fulani – see the diagram

• It is usually white in colour
• They are dual purpose breed, i.e. they are good for work and also suitable for milk production.
• They usually have long horns and large body size and usually humped
• Usually found with normadic Fulani herdsmen

2. Sokoto gudali cattle

• This breed are usually found in the sokoto area of northern Nigeria.
• They are white, grey or black in colour
• They have stocky bodies, short legs, short thick neck and short horn, sell developed hump and dew lap
• They are good for beef, milk production and for work.

3. Red Bororo or Rahaji

• This is west African breed of cattle
• They have humps and red or dark red in colour
• They have long horns and legs with large body size
• They are good foragers but difficult to handle.
• They are poor milk producers and late maturers

4. Mutura cattle

• They are west African dwarf cattle
• The body is usually black
• They are usually found in southern Nigeria
• They are hump less with short horns and small body size.
• They are resistance to trypanosomiasis
• They are not good for milk and beef production
• They can be upgraded with N’dama for beef and milk production

Step 3: characteristics of West African breed of cattle. (Muturu)

• They are very hardy-
• They are tolerant to trypanosomiasis
• They are late maturing
• They have greater tolerance to heat and humidity.
• Poor in milk production
• Slow growth rate
• Small body weight

Step 4: functional types of cattle.

There are three functional types of cattle namely

1. Dairy cattle – These are reared for milk production e.g.  white Fulani, sokoto gudadi, Holstein and Friesian

2. Beef cattle – These are cattle reared mainly for meat production e.g muturu, N’dama, Hereford and Kuru

3. Work cattle – These are usually strong possessing strong legs and thick muscular necks and shoulder.

• They are bulls usually castrated at young age to allow for muscular development e.g sokoto gudadi

Step 5: Disease of cattle include

• Contagious Bovine pneumonia
• Brucellosis - milk fever
• Ketosis
• Anthrax
• Rinder pest
• Foot and mouth disease
• Trypanosomiasis

Trypanosomiasis

Discuss trypanosomiasis under the following headings

• Causative organism
• Symptoms
• Control

 Causative organism

• It is caused by protozoa called trypanosomes
• Which is transmitted by tsetse fly
• Host of the disease include – cattle, sheep, goats

Symptoms of the diseases

Infected animals shows rise in temperature and later develops anaemia and blindness

Control

• By catching and trapping tsetse fly
• Bush clearing around settlement
• Use of insecticides

Evaluation questions

• Give 4 reasons why you rear cattle
• Name 4 breeds of cattle you studied
• Name 3 functional types of cattle
• Name any 3 diseases of cattle

Assignment

Make a good diagram of a cow and label it accordingly

Email: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Whatsapp No: 08133988546

Nwankwo L O.