Page 99 - Agriculture Form Two

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

(d) Light during the daylight hours.
(e) Visual and social contact with other animals.
(f) Roof and walls that protect from bad weather, which neither harms nor
distress.
(g) Rapid identification and treatment of vices, injuries, diseases, and
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parasites.
(h) Well-ventilated: To allow enough air movement in and out of the house.

Activity 6.2

1. Pay a visit to a school farm or nearby farms to:
(a) Observe different types of livestock houses; and
(b) Comment on the appropriateness of each house to the required standard
for each kind of livestock.
2. Summarise your observation in your portfolio.

Feed and feeding management

Feeding farm animals is one of the significant daily activities a livestock farmer
must do. Farm animals depend on feeds for their body maintenance and various
functions, including production, reproduction, growth, and development. Feed is
any nutritional material that can be ingested, digested, absorbed, and utilised by the
animal body. Feed quality and quantity (balanced ration) enhance its utilisation and
performance. Feeds contain nutrients of different types and quantities. Nutrients
are chemical compounds released from the feeds by metabolism processes and
utilised by the body for various functions. Such nutrients are also known as feed
components. The major components of feeds are generally classified into six
groups: water, carbohydrates, protein, fats, vitamins, and minerals.

Before buying/preparing feeds for the animals, it is important to know something
about the digestive systems of farm animals. This will guide you on the correct
feedstuff required by a specific type of livestock. Livestock may be grouped
into two major categories based on their digestive systems. These categories are
ruminants and non-ruminants.
Ruminants (including cattle, sheep, and goats) have complex stomachs, and their

fore-stomach is divided into four sections. They can utilise nutrients from plant-

Student’s Book Form Two 91

04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 91 04/10/2024 18:07
Agriculture form 2.indd 91