Quiz 4 Flashcards
Outline, including a diagram, the egg layer chicken cycle in a farm and indicate the age of chickens at the start and finishing of egg laying.
Cyclic diagram;
- Preparation-cleaning of sheds, fresh litter, etc.
- Growing/rearing-pullets up to 17-18weeks.
- Moving to layer shed-17weeks onwards.
- Laying/egg collection-start laying 18weeks.
- Egg grading.
- Marketing.
- Depopulate-78-80weeks. All in-all out.
Bio security is important on poultry farms. For a poultry farm in Australia outline and describe the biosecurity objectives including their purpose and application.
- Prevent the introduction of pathogens to poultry farm.
- Prevent the spread of pathogens from an infected farm to an uninfected farm.
- Minimise the incidence/spread of pathogens of public health significance.
The purpose of these objectives is to minimise the risk of introducing disease into a flock and to prevent or control the introduction of infectious agents to flocks.
Objectives can be applied through variety of measures; all in all out, disinfection, disposal of dead, isolation of sick, visitor and traffic control, hygiene, pest control, fencing, water treatment, vaccination.
Outline the production system for a broiler farm. Include the lifecycle for the birds, including the weights of birds and products from the various pick ups.
Flow chart; parent flock-egg hatchery-day old chick-transport-placement-brooding-grow up-pick up-transport-clean out-disinfection-preparation. Preparation feeds back to placement. Brooding and growth management occurs over period of placement through to pick up.
Average meat chicken-2.4kg with terminal weight of 3.3kg
First pickup-1.7-1.8kg used for take away and fast food.
Second pickup-2.2kg whole chicken/tray packed
Final pickup-2.9-3.4kg de-boned products such as breast and thigh fillets. Meat from deboned carcass used for sausages and nuggets.
First harvest may occur 30-35 days, last at 55-60 days.
Outline the role aquaculture plays in current food production systems.
Increasing population, therefore increasing demand for food.
Fastest growing food producing sector globally.
Provides almost 50% of worlds food fish.
Consistent supply, highly efficient.
What are the main benefits from aquaculture production?
Less input, more output: more efficient than cattle and pork production due to FCR (1:1) and environmental effects.
Health benefits-omega fatty acids, protein, low fat.
Low risk for environment, local and temporary impacts, water quality improvement.
Consistent supply.
Fast growing industry-good for economy and local employment, income generation for local communities and rural communities.
What are the major aquaculture species produced globally? Which species are most important in Australia?
Globally-freshwater fish(54.7%), molluscs(24.9%), crustaceans(9.5%), diadromous fishes(6.3%), marine fish(3.4%), aquatic animals(1.2%).
Australia-5 main species contribute >90% of gross value of aquaculture production: pearls, oysters, Atlantic salmon, shrimp, southern bluefin tuna.
Main export species; rock lobster, tuna, abalone, prawns.
Domestic products; trout, silver perch, barramundi, prawns, red claw, oysters and mussels.
Outline the important questions you would ask before establishing an aquaculture system for a client. Why are these questions important?
Species choice-consider nutrition, growth, reproduction, genetics, disease, predation, harvesting.
Economics-consider processing costs, employment, harvesting cycle.
Water sources and systems-consider environment, temperature, oxygen, pH, nutrient supply, residues.
In order to develop aquaculture sector in a country, which factors should be considered? Name only three factors and briefly explain implications of each factor.
Market demand-good demand, high prices for selected species.
Environments-initial availability of inland waters, lagoons, sheltered bays, suitable water quality, production temps, nutrient supply for shellfish.
Technical capability-techniques for hatchery production, husbandry, feeds, ponds, cage and other culture systems, employment availability.
What are the main stages of the life of a fish in an aquaculture system?
Hatchery stage-24hrs, produces fertilised eggs, larvae or fingerlings.
Nursery stage-1-2weeks, small larvae, fingerlings or juveniles.
Grow out stage-months to years, fingerlings or juveniles to marketable stage.
Times depending on species.
Outline the relationship between livestock and the environment including issues around climate change.
Livestock occupy 1/5th of land surface.
Livestock production impacts on, but is also, partially controlled by physical environment. Livestock are important contributors to climate change and land use change. In terms of climate change, livestock account for; 40% total ammonia emissions (acid rain/acidic environment), 50% nitrous oxides (greenhouse gas contributor), 25% methane (greenhouse gas) emissions. Mostly from respiration, manure, and gastric fermentation.
Indirect impact through demand for feed grains and other feed concentrates; expansion of cropped areas, intensification of cropping.
Impacts on air, water, land, biodiversity.
In Asia, the demand for livestock products is changing as is the structure of the livestock industries. Briefly outline the key changes in demand for livestock products and the impact that demand is having on the approach to livestock production in the Asian region.
Strong growth and demand for livestock production and products 'livestock revolution'. This is driven by rising incomes, population growth and urbanisation. South has much higher demand than east due to emerging middle class and higher population growth. Increased milk and meat consumption, increased demand for feed grains for production. Important structural shifts on production side; trade position worsening, increasing importance of importation as well as structural sector change; massive increase in industrial production systems over more traditional pasture based systems.
Draw a diagram that illustrates the four key areas involving livestock policy and the difference in the importance of the various areas between a poor country and a post industrialised country such as Australia. Explain why they are different.
Diagram with 4 quadrants: environment, equity, food supply, food safety.
Poor country; food supply and poverty reduction of paramount importance because of food insecurity and lack of alternatives. Food safety not an issue because few would be prepared to pay for it.
Environment not issue because negative effects are long term .
Industrial country; environment is very important, food safety very important, food supply and equity not very important-consumers are prepared to pay for safe food.
Define a breeding value, describe how EBVs can assist farmers in selecting animals from which to breed.
Breeding value of animal is the genetic worth of an animal based on the genes it carries and could possibly pass on to their progeny.
Estimated breeding values can be used by producers as a selection tool for determining which sires or dams to breed from within their herd or from other herds. Provide farmers with an unbiased view of how sires and dams compare to each other for their capacity to affect the average of the next generation for the trait/s. Allow better prediction and management of growth objectives and to maximise selection opportunities.
Can compare ‘genetic base’ (historic genetic level of breed), and current breed average. Animals ranked by percentile band for specific traits, each parent contributes 1/2 of their value to progeny, check accuracy. Cannot compare between breeds, take into account herd/year/season, family history.
If a farmer is considering EBVs when reviewing data on bulls at the time of purchase, which EBVs might be of interest to him from a welfare and productivity point of view, and why?
Weight-birth, milk, 200/400/600 day, mature cow weight.
Fertility-scrotal size, calving ease, days to calving, gestation length. (Longer gest=larger calf=harder birth).
Carcass-fat depth, intramuscular fat, carcass weight, eye muscle area, retail beef yield, shear force.
Other-docility, structural soundness, net feed intake, flight time.
Which carcass traits are important to processors in providing a consumer perceived, quality product to the market place?
MSA grading system; grain fed @120d, marble score (+1), 320-400kg HSCW, fat depth (12-13th rib, 10-18mm), ossification (
