WAEC SSCE - Agricultural Science - 2013 (Practical)

(a) Identification of specimens

• Specimen Q: Pieces of meat (beef, mutton, pork, goat meat or poultry meat).
• Specimen R: Leather.
• Specimen S: Feather.

(b) Three types of livestock from which both specimens Q (meat) and R (leather) can be obtained

1. Cattle
2. Sheep
3. Goat

(Horses and camels are also acceptable.)

(c)(i) Three nutritional values of specimen Q (meat)

• It supplies proteins to the body for growth and repair of tissues.
• It supplies vitamins to the body.
• It supplies oil and fat, which provide energy to the body.

(c)(ii) Four uses of specimen R (leather)

1. For making shoes and sandals.
2. For making belts and bags.
3. For making hand gloves and clothing materials.
4. For upholstery work (covering furniture), making drums, mats and for decorative purposes.

(d) Two ways by which specimen S (feather) is important to poultry

• It covers and protects the body of the bird and keeps it warm (insulation), and generates heat during natural brooding.
• It aids flight and gives shape and beauty to the bird.

(a) Identification of the specimens

• Specimen I: Shears
• Specimen J: Secateurs
• Specimen K: Spade

(b) Two uses of specimens I and J

Specimen I (Shears)

• Trimming and shaping hedges and live fences.
• Cutting grass and the edges of lawns.

Specimen J (Secateurs)

• Preparing cuttings and pruning.
• Cutting flowers and ornamental plants.

(c) Two maintenance practices for specimens I and K

Specimen I (Shears)

1. Sharpen the blade and oil it, tightening the bolt at the fulcrum.
2. Clean and dry after use and store in a cool, dry place.

Specimen K (Spade)

1. Sharpen the cutting edge and apply grease or oil to the blade.
2. Wash, dry and store in a cool, dry place, replacing any damaged handle.

(d) Description of specimen K (Spade)

The spade has a long wooden handle fixed at one end to a rectangular, flat metal blade whose lower edge is sharpened. The other end of the handle is shaped to give a firm grip during use.

(e) Two other farm tools that perform the functions of specimen K

• Shovel
• Hoe

(a) Identification of specimens N, O and P

(b) Method of propagation

• Specimen N (Elephant grass): propagated vegetatively by stolons (also by stem cuttings).
• Specimen O (Centro): propagated by seeds.

(c) Four characteristics of specimen O (Centro)

1. It is a vigorous, aggressive, creeping and twining leguminous plant.
2. It has trifoliate leaves attached to the stem by a pulvinus.
3. It is a leafy perennial that is shade tolerant and drought resistant.
4. It is highly nodulated, containing nitrogen-fixing bacteria in the root nodules, and is palatable and nutritious to livestock.

(d) Three uses of specimen N (Elephant grass)

1. It is used as fodder for feeding livestock.
2. It is used for roofing and thatching, and its dried stems for fencing.
3. It is planted to check soil erosion and used as mulch to conserve soil moisture.

(a) Identification of the specimens

• Specimen D: Pebbles (sandstone)
• Specimen E: Granite
• Specimen F: Marble

(b) Classification according to mode of formation

(c) Three characteristics each of specimens D and E

Specimen D (pebbles / sandstone):

• Occurs in layers or strata.
• Non-crystalline in nature and may be coarse, fine, soft or hard.
• May contain fossils (plant and animal remains) and is not resistant to erosion.

Specimen E (granite):

• Crystalline in nature, containing visible interlocking crystals.
• Very hard, massive and impermeable to water.
• Highly resistant to erosion and weathering, and contains no fossils.

(d) Three ways specimen E (granite) is economically important

• Used for road construction on farms and for building houses.
• Polished and used for decorations, and used as a grinding stone or for sharpening cutlasses and knives.
• Serves as a source of minerals, a source of foreign exchange and a source of employment.