Observation

This question was not very popular among candidates. Candidates’ responses were poor in the characteristics for selecting livestock for breeding. Most candidates were unable to state the characteristics of Zebu cattle but stated correctly the functions of water in farm animals. Few candidates were able to answer question 5 (d) with candidates listing the symptoms/signs of diseases in farm animals rather than the nutritional disorders.
The expected answers include:       

(a) Characteristics considered during selection of livestock for breeding

- Productivity /yield/prolificacy
- Resistance to diseases
- Quality of product
- Early maturity/growth rate
- Adaptation to climatic conditions
- Good mothering ability
- Male with high libido
- Resistance to diseases
- Age of the animal
- Body form /conformation of livestock/body shape
- Economy in use of feed/feed conversion efficiency

(b) Characteristics of Zebu cattle
- Humped
- Large ears
- Horned
- Resistant to trypanosomiasis
- Large dewlaps
- Large size
- Tolerant to drought

(c) Functions of water in farm animals
- Helps in excretion of waste products
- Lubricates joints
- Helps in blood circulation
- Helps in salivation
- Helps to maintain cell turgidity/body shape
- Osmoregulation
- Aids in digestion of feed/nutrient dissolution
- Needed for transporting nutrients to various parts of the body
- Helps to regulate body temperature/wallowing in pigs/body cooling/homeostasis
- Important constituents of milk, egg and meat

(d) Nutritional disorders in farm animals
- Rickets
- Pellagra
- Scurvy
- Anaemia
- Bloat
- Milk fever
- Osteomalacia
- Osteoporosis
- Grass tetany
- Constipation
- Diarrhoea
- Alopecia
- Pica
- Cannibalism
- Night blindness
- Ketosis/pregnancy toxaemia
- Perosis/slipped tendon