Observation

Question 4 was a popular question and almost all candidates attempted it. Many candidates were able to explain malnutrition in farm animals as well as mention the sources of nutrients in poultry feed. However, many candidates had challenges stating the effects of malnutrition in sheep as well as ways of preventing malnutrition in rabbits.

The expected answers include:

(a)        Explanation of malnutrition in farm animals

• Malnutrition is a condition caused by feeding animals with a diet deficient or excess in essential nutrients
• It can also occur when an animal cannot utilize the nutrients in the feed due to ill-health, stress and other factors
• It can occur when the right quantity of feed is not given to the animal
• Supplying feed whose nutrients are not in the right proportion                                                                                                                                            

 (b)       Effects of malnutrition in sheep

-    Loss of weight/emaciation                                     -    Anaemia
-    High mortality                                                       -    Poor body conformation
-    Low immunity/high susceptibility to diseases      -    Bloat
-    Physical deformity                                                -    Osteomalacia
-    Dystocia/difficulty in parturition                           -    Low level of production
-    Constipation                                                          -    Diarrhoea
-    Ricket                                                                    -    Osteoporosis
-    Stunted growth                                                      -    Fatty meat

(c)       Ways of preventing malnutrition in rabbits

• Feeding with balance diet
• Supply of additives
• Feeding of weaker/young/sick/pregnant animals separately
• Regular deworming
• Avoidance of overstocking in order to reduce competition
• Provision of good quality and adequate water
• Provision of supplementary feeding

                                                                                                                       
(d)      Sources of nutrients in poultry feed
(i)         Carbohydrates

• Cereals e.g. rice, maize, wheat, Guinea corn⁄ sorghum, barley, oats, millet, processed cereals
• Tubers e.g. cassava, potato, cocoyam, yam, chips, processed tubers
• Industrial waste e.g. noodles, pasta, bread, biscuits
• Agro-industrial by-products e.g. peels, palm kernel cake, wheat bran,

rice bran, pineapple pulp, citrus pulp

            (ii)        Protein
-    Soyabean/Soyabean cake                          -    Groundnut/Groundnut cake
-    Sesame seed                                              -    Cotton seed cake
-    Blood meal                                                 -    Fish meal
-    Maggot meal                                              -    Meat meal
-    Bambara seed                                            -    Cowpea/beans
-    Feather meal                                              -    Insect meal
-    Eggs                                                           -    Milk
-    Snail                                                           -    Crab
-    Shrimp
(iii)       Fats and oils
-    Cotton seed cake                                        -    Groundnut oil
-    Full fat soyabean                                       -    Palm oil
-    Shea butter                                                -    Palm kennel oil
-    Palm kennel cake                                       -    Sunflower⁄ sunflower cake
-    Copra cake⁄ coconut                                  -    Animal fat⁄ lard⁄ tallow

            (iv)       Calcium
-    Dicalcium phosphate                                 -    Oyster shell
-    Bone meal                                                  -    Egg shell
-    Limestone                                                  -    Periwinkle shell
-    Snail shell                                                  -    Crab shell
-    Fossil