a) Mention five characteristics considered during selection of livestock for breeding. b) State five characteristics of a Zebu cattle. c) State five functio...

Answer Details

(a) Characteristics considered during selection of livestock for breeding;

• Productivity /yield/prolificacy           
• Resistance to diseases
• Quality of product                             
• Early maturity/growth rate
• Adaptation to climatic conditions      
• Good mothering ability
• Male with high libido                        
• Resistance to diseases
• Age of the animal       
• Body form /conformation of livestock/body shape
• Economy in use of feed/feed conversion efficiency  

                                                
(b) Characteristics of  Zebu cattle;

• Humped                                             
• Large ears
• Horned                                                           
• Resistant to trypanosomiasis
• Large dewlaps                                    
• Large size
• Tolerant to drought       

                                                         
(c) Functions of water in farm animals;

• Helps in the excretion of waste products            
• Lubricates joints
• Helps in blood circulation                              
• Helps in salivation
• Helps to maintain cell turgidity/body shape  
• Osmoregulation
• Aids in digestion of feed/nutrient dissolution
• Needed for transporting nutrients to various parts of the body
• Helps to regulate body temperature/wallowing in pigs/body cooling/homeostasis
• Important constituents of milk, egg and meat

                                                                                               
(d) Nutritional disorders in farm animals;

• Rickets                                                           
• Pellagra
• Scurvy                                                
• Anaemia
• Bloat                                                  
• Milk fever
• Osteomalacia                                      
• Osteoporosis
• Grass tetany                                       
• Constipation
• Diarrhoea                                           
• Alopecia
• Pica                                                    
• Cannibalism
• Night blindness