CANDIDATES’ WEAKNESSES AND SUGGESTED REMEDIES

Candidates were unable to:

• - state the management practices that are carried out daily on a livestock farm;
• - mention devices that could be used in restraining farm animals;
• - outline the steps involved in the branding of cattle;
• - state the precautions that should be taken in dipping of sheep;
• - state the ways in which brooding, debeaking and culling are important;
• - give a function and a deficiency symptom of calcium, iodine, vitamin A and vitamin E;
• - mention the equipment used in incubation of eggs;
• - state the measures that a livestock farmer could adopt to control diseases on the farm.

Consequent on the identified weaknesses observable in the candidates’ scripts, the Chief Examiners made the following recommendations:

• (i) Only competent graduates of Animal Science/Production should be saddled with the responsibility of teaching the subject in Senior Secondary Schools;
• (ii) Animal Husbandry should be taught as a practical oriented subject through laboratory activities, field trips, excursions etc.; and
• (ii) Adequate facilities and textbooks on Animal Husbandry should be made available to enhance the teaching-learning of Animal Husbandry in Senior Secondary Schools.