Animal Husbandry Paper 2 WASSCE (SC), 2021

Question 4

 

  (a)      State four ways in which livestock is important.                                           [4 marks]
  (b)      (i)         Mention six organs associated with the digestive system in rabbit.
            (ii)        State two functions of alimentary canal in livestock.                         [8 marks]
  (c)      (i)         State four functions of the liver in farm animals.
            (ii)        Mention two parasites which could be found in the liver of cattle.    [6 marks]
  (d)     State two differences between the digestive systems of a goat and a rabbit. [2 marks]

Observation

 

Question 4 was the most popular question and almost all candidates attempted it. Few candidates had spelling errors in question 4(b)(i) and 4(c)(ii); thus losing marks. In question 4(d), some candidates erroneously stated that a goat has four stomach instead of a stomach with four compartments.

The expected answers include:

(a)        Importance of livestock
-           Used in compounding feed for animals
-           Provision of food for humans
-           Source of income
-           Source of power/draught/traction
-           Means of transportation
-           Provision of raw materials/organic manure/biofuel
-           Used as bride price/dowry/gift
-           Game and sports
-           For educational research
-           As pets
-           Source of employment
-           Source of foreign exchange
-           Sign of wealth

(b)        (i)         Organs associated with the digestive system in rabbit
-           Gall bladder/bile duct                         -           Pancreas
-           Liver                                                    -           Caecum
-           Mouth/teeth/tongue/salivary gland     -           Large intestine/colon
-           Oesophagus/gullet/throat/gut              -           Anus/rectum
-           Stomach
-           Small intestine/duodenum/jejunum/ileum                                                                                                                  
(ii)        Functions of the alimentary canal in livestock
-           Ingestion                                 -           Digestion
-           Absorption                              -           Assimilation
-           Excretion/egestion
                                                                                               
(c)        (i)         Functions of the liver
-           Secretion of bile
-           Storage of glucose as glycogen
-           Regulation of body temperature
-           Detoxification of materials
-           Fat metabolism
-           Regulation of blood sugar
-           Storage of minerals and vitamins

(ii)        Parasites found in the liver
-           Liver fluke
-           Roundworm

 (d)      Differences between the digestive systems of a goat and a rabbit

Goat

Rabbit

Has four chambered stomach

Possesses one stomach

Complete defaecation

Practices coprophagy/incomplete defaecation

Harbours microbes in the rumen

Harbours microbes in the caecum

Provides fatty acids in the rumen

Digestion further occurs in the caecum

Synthesizes Vitamin B-complex in the rumen

Vitamin B-complex is synthesized in the caecum