Livestock Management II

Back to: AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE SS1

 

Welcome to class! 

In today’s class, we will be talking more about livestock management. Enjoy the class!

Livestock Management (cattle)

CONTENT:

Management of ruminant [cattle]

• Cattle
• Breeds of cattle
• Terms used in cattle management
• Characteristics of cattle
• System of rearing cattle
• Feeding of cattle
• Management of cattle

Cattle are ruminant animal (they have complex or complicated stomach structures). Cattle have hollow horns and hoofs. They are reared for meat, milk, hide and skin, manure and draught animals for farm work. They belong to the family Bovidae and genus Bos; humped cattle are Bosindicushumpless are Bostaurus.

Breeds of cattle

Breeds of cattle can be grouped into three. These are

• Beef cattle: They can produce good quality meat. Examples are SokotoGudali,  Red Bororo, Kuri, N’dama, Muturu, Keteku, etc.
• Dairy cattle: They are reared mainly to produce milk. Examples are White Fulani, Jersey, etc.
• Dual-purpose cattle: They can produce meat and milk. Examples are Muturu, Wadara (Shuwa) etc.

Terms used in cattle management

• Bull: an adult male cattle                        Cow: an adult female cattle
• Calf: a young or baby cattle                   Heifer: a growing female cattle up to her first calving.
• Serving: the act of mating in cattle       Calving: the act of parturition in cattle
• Herd: a group of cattle                          Beef: meat of cattle

Evaluation

1. State five breeds of cattle
2. List five importance of cattle

Characteristics of cattle

1. They are large-bodied animals.
2. Most male and female cattle have horns some are polled.
3. They are either humped or humpless.
4. The calf at least once in a year.
5. They have a gestation period of about 275-283 days (9 months).
6. The female produces a calf in one parturition.

Systems of rearing cattle

• Extensive system:

This is the system in which the herdsmen move about with their cattle from one place to another in search of food and water. Movement is under the influence of rainfall, availability of pasture and Tse-tse fly. No organized housing and health care provided. The animals are exposed to natural hazards, thieves and wild animals attack and disease outbreak cannot be easily controlled. It is a very cheap system of rearing cattle and the animals enjoy a feed of their choice and freedom of exercise.

• Semi-intensive system:

In this system, housing is provided and they are allowed to move about a fenced compound with pasture. They spend more time outside their pens. The system needs low capital investment but the labour requirement is high. Diseases and parasites infestation are slightly high.

• Intensive system:

In this system, the cattle are confined within a building with little access to grazing. Grasses by zero-grazing, water and medication are supplied effectively to the cattle. Disease and parasite infestation is very low.

Evaluation

1. Outline five characteristics of cattle.
2. What are the disadvantages of an extensive system of rearing cattle?

Feeding

1. The feed for cattle must be a balanced diet; they are grazers.
2. Cattle feed mainly on roughages (grasses and legumes). Common grasses that can be fed on by cattle include elephant grass, guinea grass and giant star grass etc.
3. Cattle should be fed on concentrate feed to supply the required nutrient in their diet.
4. Zero-grazing or rational grazing can be practised.
   • Zero grazings: the grasses are cut and taken to the cattle in their pens.
   • Rational grazing: cattle are moved about in paddocks as they graze on the pasture.
5. Other feeds that can be fed to cattle include hay, silage, straw, etc.
6. Dairy cattle should be given more concentrate than the beef cattle

Management of cattle

The management of cattle from breeding to market size can be grouped under three headings which includes:

• Breeding to calving (birth):

Breeders are housed in the breeders’ house. The house is made up of the railed wall and concrete floors. Bulls and heifers should be at least 24 months before they are bred. The cow or heifers should be properly fed on concentrate as well as roughages. The bull is introduced to the cow when she is on heat. The gestation period is about 283 days. During gestation, the cow is made to eat in the ranch to exercise its body. A special diet is given to cows 8 weeks to calving for milk production after birth. This is called steaming up. The cow is taken to calving.

• Birth of calf to weaning:

During parturition, the cord from the navel breaks on its own. Iodine solution should be applied to the navel stump to prevent infection. The animal should be helped to suck milk from the mother’s udder. The first milk called colostrum is secreted by the mammary gland and it gives young animals natural immunity against diseases. The calf should be vaccinated against diseases and de-worm at intervals. Those not for breeding are castrated.

• Weaning to finishing:

The weaned calf is fed with concentrate and roughages. The de-horning or dis-budding is performed for easy handling of the cattle when they grow up. De-horning can be done by using a hot iron to burn out the horn bud or by applying caustic soda to the horn bud. The saw can also be used to cut off the horn and later treated with iodine. Branding and tattooing are later done for identification of the calf. Ear notching can also be used for identification.

Common parasite and disease of cattle

Diseases of cattle:

1. Mange is caused by mites

Symptoms include skin irritation, alopecia due to scratching to get rid of mites, thick and scaly skin.

It is transmitted by direct body contact. Treat all infected animals with insecticides and repeat after 2weeks, maintain proper hygiene and sanitation in pig houses, administer ivermectin or ivomec injection.

Some effective insecticide again mange are diazuntol, malathione, benzyl benzoate, benzene hexachloride, etc.

2. Tuberculosis is caused by bacteria

This disease is zoonotic, poor sanitation and hygiene are major factors that cause this disease.

It is transmitted via direct body contact, suckling infected milk, inhaling infected droplets from a coughing or sneezing animal with the disease, inhaling infected dust particles etc.

Symptoms include frequent dry coughing with a whitish or yellowish discharge, swelling of the lymph node on necks and front leg, hard lumpy and enlarged udder with pus-filled/yellowish milk droplets, emaciation and death.

It can be treated by administering 10mg/kg bodyweight of isonicotinichydracide for eight weeks but does not guarantee 100% recovery. It can be prevented by avoiding overcrowding, maintaining proper hygiene and sanitation, slaughtering of infected animals etc.

Common parasite of cattle:

Worms of cattle include roundworm, flatworms, liver fluke etc.

Ectoparasites include tick, mites, tsetse fly, and lice.

General evaluation

1. List five breeds of cattle
2. List five products that can be obtained from cattle
3. Outline five characteristics of cattle
4. Discuss briefly the intensive system of rearing cattle
5. Discuss briefly the management of cattle from
   • breeding to calving
   • birth to weaning
6. List four other feeds that can be fed to cattle apart from fresh grasses.
7. Discuss briefly the common parasite and disease of cattle.

Reading assignment

• Essential Agricultural Science for Senior Secondary Schools by O.A. Iwena chapter 32 page 318 – 323
• Answer the following questions from WAEC PAQ 1992 question 7, 2012 theory question 7, 2005 theory question 7 and 8, 2006 theory question 7, 2007 theory question 7 and 8

Theory

1. Define the following in cattle rearing a) tattooing b) zero-grazing c) rotational grazing.
2. Outline five economic importance of cattle.

 

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