Observation

Question 2 was quite popular among candidates and many of them were able to answer questions 2 (a) and (c) correctly. However, many candidates were unable to give the sequential steps involved in the pasteurization of milk. Many candidates do not understand the roles of marketing boards and co-operative societies in the marketing of animal products.
The expected answers include:         

(a) Equipment used on a dairy farm

- Feed trough
- Water trough
- Forage harvester/sickle/baler
- Milking machine
- Milk test cup
- Weighing scale
- Drenching bottles
- Buckets/container/headpan
- Restraining rope/stanchion stall
- Knife/cutlass/matchet
- Homogenizer
- Pasteurizer
- Milk tank
- Refrigerator
- Wheelbarrow
- Shovel/spade
- Calving box
- Coding machine
- First aid box
- Rake
- Hay fork
- Digger
- Castrator

(b) Steps involved in the pasteurization of milk

- Collect milk
- Heat to appropriate temperature
- Maintain temperature for a specific period of time
- Allow to cool
- Store at low temperature

(c) Roles of agents in the marketing of animal products

(i) Wholesaler

They
- buy in bulk/large quantity
- provide processing facilities
- provide storage facilities
- make advertisement
- sell to retailers
- provide transportation facilities
- buy produce from the farmers directly
- usually provide credit facilities to farmers and retailers
- relay information from retailers to farmers and vice versa

Retailer

They
- buy from wholesalers
- sell directly to consumers
- provide storage facilities
- package the products/processing facility
- provide credit facilities to consumers
- relay information from consumers to wholesalers
- make goods readily available/accessible

(d) Advantages of agents in the marketing of animal products

(i) Marketing Boards
They
- stabilize prices
- provide credit facility to farmers
- offer quality control services
- provide storage facilities
- help to transport produce
- prevent wastage of farm produce
- provide advice and technical support/provision of information
- provide organized ready market/even distribution of produce
- generate revenue for the government
- ensure compliance to rules and regulations

(ii) Co-operative societies

They
- grant loans to members at affordable rates/credit facilities
- provide goods and services at cheap rates
- provide storage facilities/equipment/inputs to members
- organize extension services/close contact
- have negotiation/bargaining power
- make advertisement
- stimulate competition
- give dividends to members