Question 4
The table below illustrates feed ingredients in poultry diets for chicks and layers. Study it and answer the questions that follow.
Feed ingredient |
Chicks (parts by weight) |
Layers (parts by weight) |
Ground yellow maize |
60 |
55 |
Fish meal |
9 |
6 |
Soya bean meal |
- |
4 |
Groundnut cake |
25 |
20 |
Rice bran |
3 |
5 |
Oyster shell |
1.5 |
7 |
Bone meal |
1 |
2.5 |
Common salt |
0.5 |
0.5 |
Total |
100 |
100 |
(a) If the parts by weight of oyster shell is reduced from 7 to 1.3 in the diet of the
layers, give two consequences of the reduction. (2 marks)
(b) State two effects of the exclusion of oyster shell and bone meal from the diet of chicks. (2 marks)
(c) Give three reasons why the proportion of fish meal is higher in the diet of chicks than in that of layers. (3 marks)
(d) State the main reason why the proportion of ground yellow maize is higher than
any other ingredient in the diets of chicks and layers. (1 mark)
(e) If a farmer is to formulate feed for 400 layers with each bird consuming 120 g of feed per day,
(i) determine the quantity of feed required for the flock per day in kilogram. (3 marks)
(ii) calculate the quantity of ground yellow maize and oyster shell required per day by the layers. (4 marks)
Observation
Candidates’ performance in Question 4 was below average.
- Many candidates understood the consequences of reducing the quantity of oyster shell in the diet of layers but could not state the effects of the exclusion of oyster shell and bone meal in the diet of chicks.
- Also, most candidates were able to give reasons why the proportion of fish meal is higher in the diet of chicks than in layers as well as the state the main reason why the proportion of ground yellow maize is higher than any other ingredient in the diet of chicks and layers.
- Most candidates found Question 4(e) challenging and marks in this subsection were generally
poor across centres.
The expected answers include:
4.
. (a) Consequences of reducing the quantity of oyster shell in the diet of layers
- Production of thin/soft egg shells
- Production of shell-less eggs
- Reduction in egg production
- Egg pecking
- Weakness/malformation of bone
(b) Effects of excluding oyster shell and bone meal from the diet of chicks
- Retarded growth
- Malnutrition diseases e.g. rickets, osteomalacia
- Paralysis
(c) Reasons why the proportion of fish meal is higher in the diet of chicks than in
that of layers
- As a source of protein, it is important in the production of antibodies
- Protein is essential for growth
- Protein is required for the repair of worn out tissues
- Protein is required for the production of enzymes and hormones
- Increases/stimulates appetite in feed intake
(d) Main reason why the proportion of ground yellow maize is higher than any
other ingredient in the diet of chicks and layers
- It mainly supplies energy which is needed by both chicks and layers
