Page 107 - Agriculture Form Two

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Activity: 6.5
Visit the school farm or nearby livestock farms, make observations and inquiry on:

(a) Signs/behavioural changes of a farm animal on heat; and
(b) Management practices for the animal.
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY

Livestock breeding systems
In livestock breeding, the animals with desired characteristics are selected and
allowed to mate. In this way, the desirable genes from these animals are inherited,
that is, transmitted to the offspring, making it perform similarly or even better
than the parents. Proper livestock breeding ensures the continuity improvement
of farm animal generation after generation. Thus, the main objectives of livestock
breeding are to:

(a) Obtain high-quality animal products, e.g., milk, meat, wool, and eggs.
(b) Increase the production capacity of the animal in terms of quantity, such as
milk yield, growth rate, weight gain, and number of eggs.

(c) Increase the tolerance of an animal against diseases.
(d) Increase animal adaptability to the environment.

Factors to consider in selecting an animal for breeding
For a breeding system to give good results, it has to go together with proper
selection; hence, selection and breeding systems are also termed as tools for
improving livestock’s genetic makeup. Using these tools, different animal traits
are identified, selected, and measured, and the best ones are used as parent
animals. In the selection process, specific individuals are chosen to be the next
generation’s parents based on their desirable characteristics. The principle is to
‘keep the best and cull the poorest.’ On farms, various factors are considered
when identifying the individuals to be selected, mainly based on observable and
measurable traits. The factors include:
(a) Age of the animal: Young animals are given priority because they have
longer productive lives than old ones, and breeding efficiency declines
with age.
(b) Performance level: Animals with the highest production records should
be selected first.

Student’s Book Form Two 99

04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 99 04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 99