Page 85 - Agriculture_Form_Three

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Note: Cattle housing may need to be equipped with a dip or spray race for controlling
ecto-parasites under the advice of local extension worker. If the number of
animals is small, spraying against ecto-parasites can be done in the crush using
knapsack sprayer. Likewise, a foot bath may also be equipped at the entrance
of the farm/house to prevent the spread of diseases.

Activity 4.2
In groups, prepare and give a presentation in class on the following tasks:
1. Pay a visit to a school or nearby farm; observe the type of livestock houses.

2. Identify different types of livestock which are raised in the houses you have
observed in 1 above.
3. Write a report on your observation and present it in class.

Exercise 4.2
Answer the following questions:
1. By considering the housing for livestock, explain the appropriate types of
housing for different livestock enterprises.

2. List the characteristics of dairy and beef cattle housing system.
3. Explain how the design of dairy cattle houses differ from that of beef cattle
houses.

Housing for poultry
Proper housing for poultry depends on availability of land, type of poultry farming,
climatic condition and labour availability. There are three major systems for housing
poultry. These are free range or extensive system, semi-intensive system and
intensive housing system. These systems are elaborated in the coming sections.

Free range or extensive poultry housing system
In this system, birds are locked inside a house during the night and, during the day,
the birds are left free. Free range birds are free to roam around but are secured at
night to protect them from bad weather and predators. A bird needs about 20 - 30
cm floor space in the house preferably equipped with perches. This housing system
2
is adopted only where adequate land is available to ensure desired stocking density
and avoiding over crowding. Nearly 250 adult birds per hectare can be reared using
this system. Fields or parts of fields or plots can be kept free from crops so as to
allow birds to move freely from one plot to another in search for food. Almost all
species of birds can be reared in this system.

Student’s Book Form Three
74

10/01/2025 12:31
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 74
AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 74 10/01/2025 12:31