Animal Husbandry Flashcards
Outline the magnitude and scope of animal production around the world
○ World rapidly increasing populations of domestic animals over the last 20 years
○ Most increase in poultry (40%) and pig sectors (30%)
○ Increase via improved management and genetics
○ Increase created a more stable supply of affordable livestock products
○ The urban populations increase & richer so demand
○ Plentiful and safe livestock products
○ Healthy and contented pets and equines
Discuss the variety of reasons for keeping animals in different parts of the world.
○ Provide – wool, fibre, skins, power, manure, store of capital, meat, milk & eggs
○ Different areas have different economic, culture, traditions etc = different consumption levels
To overview and define agribusiness.
○ Agribusiness is group of businesses in agriculture & services for commercial principles
○ Any business involving food & fibre production
○ deal in low-margin commodities - competitive market forces typically
○ result in the cost of production being close to the value created
(leaving thin product margins)
To demonstrate the importance and breadth of agribusiness in the UK.
○ Agri-food sector contributes £120.2 billion in 2018
(9.4% national gross value added)
○ 4.1 million people employed in agri-food sector in 2018
(13% national employment)
○ Food production is the biggest manufacturing sector in the UK
To define and analyse agri-food chains and their role in creating value for UK farmers.
○ Agri-food chains – services & regulators involved in each stage of chain
○ Supply chains – physical flow of goods from raw product to finished product
○ Value chains – Creating value at each link in the chain to achieve sustainable competitive advantage for the businesses in the chain
○ Farmer - different animal breeds which have different value and qualities
○ Trader - not sell abattoir whole pig (divide into different products) selling for
different values
○ Supermarkets - add labels indicating quantity of meat & presentation = allow to
increase price
To discuss the complexities of adding value to agricultural goods.
○ Standardising process – taste same globally ○ Technology ○ Financial ○ Organisation ○ Marketing Research ○ Infrastructure
To acknowledge the role of stakeholders in agribusiness.
○ all commercial firms involved in the production, distribution and processing of agricultural products
○ Food producers are challenged by pressures of industry stakeholders in their effort to feed local and global populations
To list the core drivers of business in the context of business analysis
○ Maximising profitability & minimising costs
○ Value propositions & customer satisfaction
○ Resource allocation - feed amount, land size etc
○ Supply chain optimism - which supermarket (supply stability)
○ Cost management
○ Commercial relationships - inputs needed for farm
To summarise the key economic tools of analysis in farm business, planning and control and acknowledge why they are important in animal health planning.
○ Economic tools - Gross margin analysis, Partial budgets, Investment appraisal, Financial feasibility, Decision tree analysis & Cost-effectiveness analysis
○ Animal health planning - Predicting how people will make animal health decisions in the future & guiding people on how to improve future animal health decisions for the benefit of individuals and society
○ Animal health planning requirements - Technical assessment of the system, Epidemiological analysis of a change, Herd/flock modelling & data
To define productivity
as a measure of the efficiency of the conversion of inputs into outputs.
To understand and perform a gross margin analysis.
○ Calculate value of outputs
○ Calculate variable costs
○ Gross margin = outputs minus variable costs
Understand what a farm budget includes.
○ process of estimating costs, returns and net profit on a farm
○ involves managerial principles of input and output in relation to the production
○ includes: gross margins, fixed costs from farm/tenant/owner, farm profit, tenant/owner notional charges plus interest
To find high-quality information on livestock and livestock product prices.
○ Farming Press – latest farming stats & industry data via farmers weekly, farmers guardian, farmer week
○ Quality Meat Scotland – Market Prices
○ DERFA
To acknowledge the importance of understanding farm management in the value-adding of veterinary services in-practice.
○ Farm animal veterinary enterprises are increasingly offering farm management services to add value to their service provision.
○ Vet costs normally low variable cost, only impact production cost if animals are diseased
Be aware of how to behave around herd animals in order to maintain a safe, quiet, and ordered environment.
○ Morphology – good monocular vision, poor binocular vision
○ Flight zone – animal will move away when entering zone, point of balance determines animal direction
○ Outside flight zone – animals orientate to face threat & some may approach
Compare and contrast the general behaviour of the major livestock species and be able to recognise signs of agitation and aggression.
○ Bulls & heifers with calves
○ Horn ranking - mixing unfamiliar cattle
○ Teeth marks on pigs
○ Kick sideways
Understand how to safely handle large livestock in various livestock systems.
○ Funnel race – single file
○ Stepped race – gradual single file
○ Crowding pen - no right angels
Be aware of what farm equipment and facilities are required for the safe handling of different livestock species and the correct use of that equipment & Identify the key factors associated in preventing injury to operators, others and animals.
○ Overhead distractions ○ Ground level distractions ○ Group size ○ Move from dark to light ○ Shadows ○ Droving – forcing boards
Examine different animal housing systems and make a judgement on the suitability of the shelters for the animals involved, and the person(s) working with the animal.
○ shelter belts = 50% porosity
○ ventilation - natural, positive pressure, negative pressure & ducted
○ building location – sheds greater than/equal to 500m apart & face prevailing wind
how animal housing can be designed to respond to different needs or requirements in controlled environment housing
○ Building location – facing prevailing wind
○ Slatted floors – correct size & shape for livestock
○ Bedding material – straw, sawdust, wood shavings
○ Ventilation – natural, positive pressure, negative pressure & ducted
○ Optimum housing temperatures (15-20 degrees approx.)
○ Lighting – intensity, day length & pattern
○ Feeders & troughs – reach animal, competition, delivery method, control
intake & wastage
Describe any problems associated with houses that are not designed to the maximum benefit of the animals.
○ Humid & dusty - need natural airflow to remove heat & dust
○ Air running between them = reduce airborne pathogen
○ Poor ventilation = ammonia, dust, hydrogen sulphide & carbon dioxide
(part 1) Identify common health and production problems associated with sub-optimal housing.
○ Dirty floors & bedding · Slurry heel or heel erosion (cattle) · Interdigital dermatitis (cattle) · Mastitis (cattle, sheep, pigs) · Foot pad dermatitis (poultry) · Hockburn (poultry)
○ Inappropriate floor surfaces
· White line separation (cattle)
· Torn claws (poultry)
· Sole bruising (piglets)
· Slips and falls (horses, cattle)
(part 2) Identify common health and production problems associated with sub-optimal housing.
○ Poor ventilation · Respiratory disease (all species) · Damp bedding (poultry) · Excessive dust (pigs & poultry) · Ammonia (all species)
○ Feeders & troughs
· Leaking drinkers (poultry)
· Fighting at feeders (pigs)
· Fouled water (cattle)
· Drinker height (broilers)
Understand the importance of biosecurity on farms.
○ Biosecurity – measures implemented to prevent disease introduction onto a unit
○ Bio-containment – measures implemented to contain and control disease
transmission within a unit
Recognize common risks to farm biosecurity.
○ buying diseased animals (from a farm of unknown disease status)
○ Fomites - Clothing and footwear of personnel (vets, contractors, other farmers)
○ Fomites - Borrowed equipment
○ Fomites – Vehicles
○ Other - Neighbouring stock, Wildlife, Pets/working dogs/farm cats, Foodstuffs, Water sources
Perform simple hygiene and cleaning procedures to minimize risks to biosecurity on farms.
○ Disinfectant boot dips
○ Farm specific protective clothing
○ Double fencing to prevent over the fence contact with other cattle
○ Fencing off water courses
○ Disease specific buying in policy of livestock
Be able to identify species and sex of commonly kept small mammals
○ Rabbit & small rodent Sexing
· Males – long ano-genital distance, scrotal sacs (entire), round opening
· Females – short ano-genital distance, slit-like opening
○ Guinea Pig Sexing
· Males – long ano-genital distance, round prepuce
· Females – short ano-genital distance, Y shaped genital opening
○ Degu/Chinchilla Sexing
· Males – large testicles either side of anus & prepuce
· Females – short ano-genital distance
○ Ferret Sexing
· Males (hobs) – ventral prepuce & scrotum w/ 2 testes
· Females (jills) – slit-like vulva that enlarges when oestrus
Understand basic principles of handling commonly kept small mammals
○ Rabbit – scoop into arms & support back OR bunny burrito
○ Hamster – in small towel or cupped hands, nocturnal (aggressive)
○ Guinea pig – use a hand to support underbody
○ Chinchilla - supported gently around shoulders with a second hand under rump
○ Degus – wriggly, similar to small rodent handling
○ Ferret – restrain around shoulders & hold vertically for stillness
○ Hedgehog – encourage unrolling & hold hindlegs (wheelbarrow)
Understand the structure and role of the biological services unit at the RVC
○ Research Support & Teaching Reputation
○ Promotes welfare and good husbandry
○ Knowledgeable and experienced team
