(a) State four advantages if artificial insemination. (b) State five functions of the rumen.

(a) Four advantages of artificial insemination (A.I.)

• One superior sire can serve a very large number of females, spreading good genes widely.
• It prevents the spread of venereal and other breeding diseases transmitted during natural mating.
• It removes the cost, danger and difficulty of keeping a large, aggressive bull on the farm.
• Semen can be stored and transported over long distances, allowing use of sires that are far away or already dead.

(It also allows mating between animals of very different sizes and overcomes physical disability of a sire.)

(b) Five functions of the rumen

• Provides a site for microbial fermentation and digestion of cellulose (roughage).
• Stores large quantities of ingested food.
• Allows synthesis of microbial (bacterial) protein used by the animal.
• Enables synthesis of B-complex vitamins and vitamin K by micro-organisms.
• Produces volatile fatty acids that serve as a major source of energy, and releases gases by belching.