Page 96 - Agriculture Form Two

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

Activity 6.1
Visit a school farm or any nearby livestock farm or use a library/internet search to:

1. Inquire/study a series of management practices that are taking place on the
farm.
FOR ONLINE READING ONLY
2. Summarise the observed practices in your portfolio.

The principles and practices of livestock production
For a farmer to raise any livestock enterprise successfully, there are principles
and good practices to follow and abide by. The principles include:

(a) Planning for livestock production;
(b) Choosing the suitable breed;
(c) Livestock housing;
(d) Feeding management;

(e) Disease management;
(f) Reproduction and breeding of livestock;

(g) Processing and marketing of livestock products; and
(h) Livestock farm record keeping.

Planning for livestock production enterprise

Livestock enterprise means producing livestock products by using and managing
land, water, labour, capital, and other essential production inputs. Since these
production resources are scarce, planning is an essential and foremost activity for
any livestock enterprise.
Planning requires an individual to have the vision or ability to see the enterprise’s
success before implementation. Knowing where the enterprise will be and what
to achieve in three to five years. Planning entails considering, among others, why
you want to begin a livestock enterprise, the available resources to support the
enterprise, the local markets you have access to, and the risk you will bear.

Current experience in climate change makes planning even more crucial. Like all
other countries, Tanzania is currently experiencing severe weather extremes due to
a changing climate. The increased temperatures, prolonged droughts, floods, and
erratic rainfall affect livestock feed resources and significantly impact livestock

88 Student’s Book Form Two

04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 88 04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 88