(a) Ways of Preventing Malnutrition in Farm Animals:
- Provide sufficient ration.
- Always feed a balanced diet
- Feed weaker animals separately
- Provide supplementary feed to animals.
- Provide feed additives.
- Deworm arm animals regularly
- Use appropriate stocking rate of farm animals
- Provide quality and adequate drinking water.
- Protect animals from toxic plants and harmful substances
- Treat against ectoparasites/dip animals regularly.
(b) Discussion on rickets in farm animals:
(i) Causes:
-Calcium deficiency.
- Phosphorus deficiency.
- Calcium
- Phosphorus imbalance.
- Vitamin D deficiencies
(ii) Symptoms:
- Retarded growth.
- lmproper coordination
- Staggering gait
- Flexible and curved hones bow leg
- Soft-shelled/shelless eggs in poultry.
- Low egg production in poultry.
- Low milk production
(iii) Control measures:
- Add bone meal/oyster shell to feed/provide calcium and phosphorus.
- Sup balanced diet.
- Exposure to moderate.
- Supplement feed with vitamin D.
(iv) Animal which could be affected:
- Poultry, e.g. chicken, turkey.
- Cattle.
- Sheep.
- Goat.
- Pig.
- Rabbit
- Donkey
- Camel.
- Horse.
- Gras cutter
(c) Explanation of additives as used in animal nutrition: Ingredients added to a diet perform a specific role, e.g. to improve the growth of feed efficiency.
- Substances added to feed in small quantities which may or may not Supply nutrients.
(d) Reasons why additives are included in animal feed:
- To provide appetite and encourage feed consumption.
- To supply nutrients to farm animals
- To improve the nutritional value of feed e.g enzymes, herbal products.
- Prevention and treatment of some specific diseases.
- To deworm farm animals.
- For promoting growth.
- As a binder to make certain. target nutrients available.