Animal Husbandry Revision Questions
Item 1
Mr. Kapotebo is a farmer who decided to rear dairy cows on his farm. He obtained the cows from his neighbours. Some cows appeared undernourished and had visible signs of illness. He built a simple shed for the cows but did not provide adequate ventilation or clean bedding. Mr. Kapotebo initially fed the cows with available grass from his farm, which was of low nutritional quality. He also noticed that the cows produced less milk than expected, and some cows showed signs of mastitis. Despite his efforts to take care of the cows, he did not seek veterinary advice or follow proper feeding and milking procedures. As a result, the milk yield was significantly lower than the expected amount, and the overall health of the cows deteriorated.
Item 2
Mr. Basagwa keeps traditional cattle with big humps and prominent dewlaps, inherited from his grandfather. He uses these cattle for meat and milk production, grooms one bull for breeding purposes and grazes this herd on natural plants. His 30 lactating cows produce 45 liters of milk per day. The cattle drink water once a day from a nearby swamp which poses some issues. Additionally, the cattle are infected with blood-feeding organisms, although they are not clearly showing signs of illness. Mr. Basagwa’s brother, on the other hand, owns six cows imported from Ireland that produce 120 liters of milk per day. These cows are fed on well-chopped elephant grass, cotton seed cake, minerals, and maize bran. He has suggested that Mr. Basagwa sell his cattle and purchase cows like his, but Mr. Basagwa has refused.
Item 3
Mr. Linto is raising poultry for egg production. Initially enthusiastic, he has seen a decline in production and profitability over time. To address the issues, he invited Mr. Buugi, an expert in animal husbandry from the district production office, to assess his farm. Mr. Buugi observed several issues: the poultry house was overcrowded, there were insufficient laying nests, feeders were contaminated with droppings, some birds had wounds, empty egg shells were on the bare floor, the house had a foul odor, and the windows were covered with dark curtains all day. Additionally, the birds were only fed whole grains and given water once a day starting at 3:00pm.
Item 4
Innocent, who is an agricultural extension worker, visited a farm and in his report he indicated that the roof of a calf pen was blown off. Also, the cows were bony and their dung contained worms. The adult animals could hardly find what to eat and were grazing on woody natural pastures. The only source of water had snail shells, algae, and dung. The lactating cows had cracks on their teats. Hair-like substances were seen in the milk, which was filtered using an old cloth. The farm owner uses a basin for mixing the acaricide.
Item 5
Peter is a poultry farmer producing both eggs and meat on a large scale. Recently he got a new farm manager and instructed him to establish a poultry breeding unit using the parent stock he has to produce chicks for sale. However, the farm manager was not getting the expected number of chicks from the hatchery. The farm is located in an area with many other poultry farmers and there is free movement of chickens from one farm to another. Birds from the neighboring farms were observed with cough, blood-stained feces, mucus discharge, and scratch marks on their bodies. Operation Wealth Creation has provided tools and equipment to livestock farmers in the community, especially for disease and parasite management.
Item 6
Nabimanya has always dreamed of starting a small dairy farm. Through the Parish Development Model, he received funds and purchased two in-calf heifers from a nearby breeding center. However, Nabimanya has never handled dairy cattle before and is unsure how to manage the animals. He plans to keep the cattle in a simple shed on his compound.
Item 7
Mudingo has always been interested in raising layers using the deep litter system. He applied for funds from the Parish Development Model to start his business. After receiving the money, he ordered day-old chicks from a nearby government stock farm, with the birds set to arrive in two weeks. However, Mudingo has no experience in caring for chicks from day-old to five weeks of age. He plans to raise the birds in his garage until they are four weeks old.
Item 8
Anek has recently started milking her two dairy cows after receiving support from a local agricultural program. She intends to sell the milk to a nearby cooperative society. However, she has little knowledge about how to ensure the milk is of good quality and safe for consumption. She uses ordinary household utensils and milks the cows in her backyard.
Item 9
Okello has started a small beef enterprise after receiving support from the Parish Development Model. He plans to sell beef to the local market and currently slaughters his animals at home using simple tools. However, Okello is unsure whether his methods meet the required standards for producing clean and safe meat.
Item 10
Namata recently started a project to raise layers for egg production. She bought 200 point-of-lay birds and housed them in a permanent poultry house. However, Namata has limited knowledge about how to properly manage the layers to ensure good egg production and bird health.
No comments:
Post a Comment