Chap 4-Livestock Production in the Tropics Flashcards
What is the primary importance of protein in life sustenance?
Protein provides energy during emergencies (starvation, extreme dieting, diseases), and vital components like collagen, hemoglobin, myoglobin, hormones, insulin, and enzymes are made from amino acids from protein breakdown
What is the main difference between protein sources from animals versus plants?
Animal protein sources are of greater quality than plant sources
What are livestock?
Animals raised for food or other products, or kept for use, especially farm animals
What are the two main classifications of farm animals based on anatomical and physiological differences?
Monogastric (simple stomached animals) and ruminants (complex stomached animals)
What are the four compartments of a ruminant’s stomach?
Rumen, reticulum, omasum, and abomasum
Why is the rumen compartment important?
It contains millions of beneficial microorganisms that help break down fiber components in forages and roughages
What is the abomasum also known as and why?
It’s known as the ‘true stomach’ as it functions like the simple stomach of non-ruminants
List examples of monogastric livestock
Poultry (chicken, turkey, duck, guinea fowl, goose, quail), pigs, and rabbits
List examples of ruminant livestock
Cattle (meat and dairy), sheep, and goat
Why is the rabbit considered a peculiar farm animal?
It can grow and develop solely from fibrous feed consumption, making it a monogastric herbivore or pseudoruminant
What makes rabbits able to digest large amounts of fiber?
They possess an enlarged caecum containing large populations of micro-organisms
What are the three commercial types of chicken breeds?
Egg type, broiler (table type), and dual purpose type
What are the key characteristics that breeders select for in poultry?
Egg production/size/shape/color/quality, body weight, growth rate, feed efficiency, liveability, disease resistance
What is a Class in chicken breeding?
Groups of poultry breeds developed in certain geographical regions of the world
What is a Breed in chicken breeding?
Established groups of chickens of common origin with similar characteristics of color, body shape, and form
What is a Variety in chicken breeding?
A sub-division of a breed largely determined by plumage color and comb differences
What is a Strain in chicken breeding?
Family name or breeder name that developed a particular variety, with genetic differences selected for specific purposes
What are the characteristics of white egg laying breeds?
White earlobes, white shelled eggs, small body size, large mostly single combs, non-broody, nervous disposition
What are the characteristics of brown egg laying breeds?
Red earlobes, eggs vary from light beige to dark brown, heavier than white egg layers, eat more feed per egg
What is the typical weight range for white egg laying breeds?
Females weigh about 2 kg, males about 2.7 kg by 20th week
What is the typical weight range for brown egg laying breeds?
Adult females weigh about 3 kg, males about 3.6 kg
What are examples of meat breeds?
White Rocks, Cornish, Barred Rocks, Dorking, Orpington
What is the typical weight and age for meat breeds at slaughter?
They weigh about 2-3 kg at 7-8 weeks
What are the key factors to consider when selecting a chicken breed?
Product type, production rate, mortality rate, body size/vigor, egg size/quality, feed conversion, environmental adaptability
What temperature should be maintained in the brooding area when chicks arrive?
About 35°C
When should chicks be vaccinated against Infectious Bursa Disease (Gumboro)?
On the 8th day, with a repeat on 21st day
When should chicks be vaccinated against Newcastle Disease?
On the 14th day, with a booster on 28th day
What is the recommended age for fowl pox vaccination in layers?
42nd day
When should laying boxes be placed in the house?
By the 19th week
What percentage of eggs should be expected at peak production?
85-95 eggs per day per 100 hens
What factors influence how long a flock of layers will produce economically?
Breed type, feed prices, management, seasonal considerations
What is the typical productive laying period for Leghorn breeds?
Up to 18 months under good management
What are the three categories of feed for layer breeds?
Pullet chick starter (day old to 8th week), Pullet growers’ diet (8th to 18th week), Layers’ diet (20th week to end of lay)
What is the protein content range for broiler starter diet?
22-23% crude protein
What is the energy level range for broiler finisher diet?
2800-3000 kcal/kg diet
What are the two main classifications of pig breeds in Nigeria?
Indigenous and exotic breeds
What are the characteristics of indigenous pig breeds?
Small size, shorter legs, large head, well-developed forequarters, light hindquarters, early sexual maturity
List the common exotic pig breeds in Nigeria
Large White, Land Race, Duroc, Hampshire, Berkshire
What are the characteristics of Large White pigs?
White colored, long bodied, smooth and strong framed, erect ears, highly prolific, good mothering ability
What are the characteristics of Land Race pigs?
Long, all white, floppy ears, excellent litter size and mothering ability, fast growing, sturdy
What are the characteristics of Hampshire pigs?
Black with white belt around forequarters, long straight face, erect ears, medium sized, prolific
What are the three basic systems of pig production?
Extensive system, semi-intensive system, intensive system
What should be done to prepare farrowing pens?
Clean and scrub with disinfectant, ensure they’re dry and free from draught, provide rails to prevent piglet crushing
When should iron dextran be administered to piglets?
Day 1
When should male piglets be castrated?
Within a week of farrowing if not designated as future breeders
What is the recommended weaning age for piglets?
3-8 weeks depending on breeding management and feeding regime
What characteristics should be considered when selecting breeding gilts?
At least 12 teats, from sows that wean 9-10 piglets/litter, good dams, fast growing, good feed conversion
What characteristics should breeding boars have?
Come from fertile parents, sound feet, good hams, uniform back curve, good length, 12+ functional teats
At what age should a boar start mating?
Over eight months of age
How many matings per week should a new boar do in first two months?
Two times per week
How many sows can one boar service?
Fifteen sows
What is the recommended first mating age for gilts?
Eight months when weight is between 100-130 kg
What is the reproductive life of a sow?
Four to eight years
What are the different categories of pig feed?
Creep feed (18-20% protein), Weaners’ feed (16-18% protein), Growers/gilts’ feed (15-16% protein), Sows’ feed (13-15% protein), Boars’ feed (13-14% protein), Finishers’ feed (12-14% protein)
What is the water requirement for lactating sows per kg of feed?
5.0 liters
What is the water requirement for fattening pigs per kg of feed?
2.5 liters
What is a barrow?
A male pig castrated before sexual maturity
What is a gilt?
A female pig that has not yet produced a litter
What is a shoat?
A young pig of either sex generally weighing less than 50 kg
What is the weight range for a slaughter pig?
90-120 kg
What is the primary reason for feed processing?
To achieve maximum potential nutritional value of feedstuff by changing ingredients to maximize their natural value
List the main reasons for processing feed
Change moisture content, alter particle size, change density, improve palatability, increase nutrient availability, detoxify, remove harmful substances, reduce storage space
What are the different dry processing methods for grains?
Grinding, dry rolling/cracking, popping, extruding, micronising, roasting, pelletizing, dehulling
What are the advantages of pelletizing feeds?
Less dusty, more palatable, reduces storage space, facilitates handling
What are the different wet processing methods for grains?
Soaking, steam rolling, steam flaking, pressure cooking, exploding, reconstitution, ensiling
What are the physical methods for processing roughage?
Wet methods: green-chopping, soaking, steam processing; Dry methods: baling, grinding, pelletizing, cubing, drying, irradiation
What are the chemical methods for treating roughage?
Alkali treatment, ammonia treatment, lime treatment, urea-generated ammonia treatment, urine treatment, urea addition to dry roughages, urea mixed with silage
What is the purpose of alkali treatment of straw?
Reduces intermolecular hydrogen bonds binding cellulose fibers, increases nutritive value
What are the benefits of ammonia treatment of straw?
Adds nitrogen for rumen microorganisms, improves degradability of fibrous constituents, increases crude protein content
What is the advantage of urea-generated ammonia treatment over direct ammonia treatment?
It’s more practical at farmers’ level and avoids handling problems of direct ammonia
What percentage of urea should be added when treating straw?
3-5% urea for about four weeks
How should urea-molasses solution be prepared for treating straw?
10 kg molasses and 2 kg urea in 10 kg water per 100 kg of straw
What are the main energy feeds for livestock?
Maize, wheat, rice, barley, sorghum, oats, cassava, sweet/Irish potato, fruit pulp
What are the main protein feeds for livestock?
Oil seed meal, cotton seed cake, soybean meal, groundnut cake, blood meal, meat and bone meal, fishmeal, skim milk
What are the important minerals needed in pig rations?
Calcium phosphorus and salt (Sodium Chloride)
What is creep feeding and when should it start?
Providing high protein feed to piglets in an area inaccessible to sows starting from day 10
What is the purpose of brooder guards?
Keeps chicks confined to brooder area, ensuring adequate consumption of feed and water
What should be monitored when observing chick behavior?
Size uniformity, feather development rate, activity levels
What is the recommended depth for fresh litter on the brooder house floor?
About 5 meters deep
When should chicks be checked for signs of coccidiosis?
On the 4th day
