Animal Production Flashcards
Intensive production system
is the type of agriculture where crops and animals are enclosed and environmental conditions are controlled.
Extensive production system
is the type of agriculture where animals roam around, with minimal or no environmental control.
Subsistence / small scale farming
is when crops and animals are produced by farmers to feed their families.
Commercial / large scale farming
is when crops and animals are produced by farmers for money and profit.
The difference between subsistence (small scale) farming and Commercial (large scale) farming
Subsistence farming (small scale farming)
➢ Farms are smaller
➢ Traditional farming methods
➢ Less production
➢ Low capital investment
➢ Less inputs
➢ Less pollution
Commercial farming (large scale farming)
Farms are larger
Modern farming methods
High production
High capital investment
High inputs
High pollution
Examples of INTENSIVE production system
- Battery cage system
– keeping chickens to produce eggs
Design feature of battery cage
➢ Small wire blocks where no movement can occur.
➢ Pick up area that receives eggs.
Disadvantages of using a battery cage system
➢ Stress / cannibalism
➢ Difficult to control diseases
Measures to control diseases in battery cages
➢ Good hygiene practices
➢ Good quality feeds
➢ Quarantine
➢ Limit movement of people in and out
- Backyard system
– is keeping animals such as chickens and goats in home based enclosures.
➢ Animals walk around where they want.
➢ Animals are fed left over food.
- Free range system
– is keeping animals in the open, and allow them to move freely.
➢ Animals are vulnerable to predators.
Advantages of Backyard and Free range systems
➢ Cheaper
➢ Environmentally friendly
➢ Easy to manage
Disadvantages / problems of Backyard and Free range systems
➢ High risk towards predators
➢ High risk towards theft
➢ Easy to contact diseases
Semi-intensive system
animals are kept partly outdoors on pastures.
FACTORS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION UNDER INTENSIVE PRODUCTION
- NUTRITION / FEEDING
➢ Ensure that animals have a well-balanced diet - ENVIRONMENT
- REPRODUCTION / BREEDING
- GENERAL ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT
- ENVIRONMENT
Factors to be considered when planning a broiler house.
➢ Well-drained land
➢ Insulated roofing
➢ Proper heating system
➢ Proper ventilation
➢ Well-orientated lighting
- REPRODUCTION / BREEDING
➢ Ensures proper selection and breeding of animals for specific characteristics such as resistance to diseases, growth and adaptations to certain types of feeds.
- GENERAL ENTERPRISE MANAGEMENT
Successful animal production depends on the following factors
➢ Disease control
➢ General control
➢ Proper sanitation
➢ Healthy chicken stocks
➢ Sanitary provisions
FACTORS TO INCREASE PRODUCTION UNDER INTENSIVE PRODUCTION
- Nutrition / feeding
- Environment
- Reproduction / breeding
- General management enterprise
- General management enterprise
➢ Good record keeping is essential ➢ Monitor the conditions of natural resources
➢ Ensure good health management
- Nutrition / feeding
➢ A balanced and cost effective nutrition programme is essential for optimum production.
- Environment
➢ Shade reduces water loss in animals.
➢ Shelter reduce stress during harsh environmental conditions
- Reproduction / breeding
➢ Ensure optimal reproductive performance by nutritional status, genetic merit, health status and breeding management.
Importance or reasons for shelter/housing
➢ Minimises effects of heat stress.
➢ Improves production.
➢ Provides protection against solar radiation.
➢ Modifies the climate.
Different ways in which animals lose body heat
➢ Evaporation is the loss of heat when sweat dries out of the skin.
➢ Heat radiation is the loss of heat that radiates from a warm body into the colder surrounding atmosphere.
➢ Conduction is the loss of heat when an animal’s body is in contact with a colder surface area. E.g wet soil.
➢ Convection is the upward movement of warm air and downward movement of cold air. ➢ Excretion loss of body heat when urine and faeces leave the body.
Management strategies to reduce heat loss through heat radiation
➢ Provide shelter
➢ Access to drinking water
➢ Breeding heat adapting animals
Signs of heat stress in animals
➢ Excessive salivation
➢ Loss of appetite
➢ Restlessness
➢ Decrease in production
Requirements for a pig house
➢ Good ventilation
➢ Plenty of drinking water
➢ Sleeping area and dung area
Requirements for a chicken shelter
➢ Good ventilation
➢ Roof which is at least 2m high
➢ Floor covered with dry grass
Requirements for a cow pen
➢ Good ventilation
➢ Clean, dry and warm building
➢ Buildings should be constructed of durable materials
Milking shed
Milking shed is a place where animals are milked.
Requirements for Milking shed
➢ Rough concrete floor
➢ Sloppy floors
➢ The roof must be at least 2m high
Holding pen
Holding pen is the equipment used to restrain animals.
Requirements for holding pen
➢ Shade
➢ Drinking water
➢ Soil or concrete floors
Feed shed
Feed shed is a facility where feed is stored
Requirements for feed shed
➢ Proper roof with a door that can lock properly
➢ Protection against rats
➢ Closer to the milking shed
Utility room
is the administration room in the milking shed where paper work is done.
Utility room
is the administration room in the milking shed where paper work is done.
Feeders
Feeders are containers used to give feeds to animals.
Drinkers
Drinkers are equipment that animals use to drink water.
