WAEC SSCE - Animal Husbandry - 2025 (Essay)

(a) Advantages of Castration in Livestock Production:

-Prevents indiscriminate mating/breeding control.

-Increased animal weight/growth improvement.

-Improved meat quality.

- Animals docile for easy handling.

-Removal of male odour

- Improvement of market value.

Disadvantages of Castration in Livestock Production:

- Blood may be lost in the process

- If not well treated, wound may persist.

- There could be excess deposit of fat.

- Desirable traits may be lost.

- It is stressful/painful to the animal.

- Death may occur.

(b) (i) 

(ii) Functions of Parts:

Beak: - picks the feed. - moistens the feed:

Oesophagus/gullet/gut/throat: - Passage for feed from mouth to Crop:

Crop - Temporary storage of feed -Further moistening of feed.

Proventriculus:- Secretion of gastric juice/digestive enzyme;-Digestion of proteins

Ventriculus:-Mixing/churning of feed.

Small intestine:-Digestion of feed. - Secretion of digestive enzymes. -Absorption of nutrients.

Large intestines: -Absorption of water.

Pancreas: - Secretion of pancreatic juice.

Liver: - Secretion of bile.

Gall bladder: - Storage of bile.

Caeca/Caecum: - Microbial fermentation, - Absorption of water.

Rectum: - Absorption of water. -Collection of faecal material.

Cloaca/anus/vent: - Passage for droppings-

Gizzard:-Grinding of feed. 

(a) Parasites of Farm Animals: (i) Roundworm (ii) Ringworm (iii) Trypanosome (iv) Liver fluke 
(v) Tape-worm (vi) Tick (vii) Louse (viii) Keds (ix) Coccidia (x) Schistosome 
(xi) Mite (xii) Flea (xii) Pin worm (xiii) Thread worm (xiv) Hookworm (xv) Fly 
(b) Ways in which Keeping of Ruminant is Important to the Economy of Nigeria: 
(i) Source of feed for animals e.g bone meal, blood meal, digesta 
(ii) Source of food for humans/source of protein/meat (iii) Source of industrial raw materials e.g skin/hides. 
(iv) Source of foreign exchange (v) Source of income (vi) For tourism

(vii) Aesthetic purpose e.g horn, bone, skin 
(Viii) Used as gifts/bride price 
(ix) Source of employment (x) Pet (xi) Manure could be used as organic fertilizer 
(xii) some animals can be used as collateral security/wealth/loan (xiii) Source of farm power/animal traction/draught animal 
(xiv) Means of transport e.g cattle (xv) Source of bio-fuel/bio-gas (xvi) For research purposes/educational purposes. 
(xvii) For sport e.g ram show/fight. 
(c) Management Practices Undertaken in Cattle Production: (i) Castration (ii) Identification (iii) Dewomming (iv) Drenching 
(v) Feeding/grazing/ herding (vi) Disease control (vii) Parasite control (viii) Record keeping (ix) Weaning (x) Vaccination/inoculation (xi) Water supply (xii) Breeding, e.g cross breeding, inbreeding (xiii) Sanitation/cleaning often (xiv) Docking (xv) Weighing 
(xvi) Culling (xvii) Dehorning/disbudding (xviii) Hoof trimming (xix) Milking (xx) Dipping (xxi) Washing of animal/ grooming. 

(d) Importance of Management Practices: (i) Brooding: (i) Ensures easy access to feeds. (ii) Ensure easy access to water. 
(iii) Reduces mortality of chicks/ piglets. (iv) Enhances growth of chicks/piglets. (v) Protects chicks and pigs from predators. 
(vi) Protects chicks and piglets from bad weather. (vii) optimizes health status/ quality of the chicks/piglets. 
(ii) Debeaking (i) Reduces aggressiveness in birds. (ii) Reduces/prevents cannibalism/pecking/feather picking. 
(iii) Reduces egg eating/sucking (iii) Culling: (i) Eliminates the cost of feeding unproductive animals/minimize cost of feeding / reduces feeding. 
(ii) Reduces the spread of disease among the flock. (iii) Maintains high level of productivity in farm animals. (iv) Removes unproductive/ Unhealthy animal from the herd. 
 

(a) Explanation of Mating Methods in Farm Animal:

(i) Hand mating - It is a mating method in which the farmer identifies the female on heat and bring it together with the male for mating.

(ii) Pen mating - In this method. a group of male and female animals are kept together in an acceptable ratio for mating in the same pen/ enclosure.

(iii) Pasture mating - This is a mating method in which male and female animals are allowed to run together and mate freely/female animals on heat are mated by any of the males in the group.

(b)i) Advantages of Mating Methods:

(1) Hand mating:

• The line of offspring can easily be identified hence records can also be adequately kept.
• Indiscriminate mating is prevented/mating can be scheduled.
• It can prevent inbreeding.
• The frequency of use of male can be regulated.
• Desired characteristics can be preserved.
• It is possible to calculate the probable date of parturition.

(2) Pen mating:

• It required less labour.
• Does not need experienced handlers.
• Female animals are more aroused and receptive
• Degree of successful mating is high.
• Cost of keeping animals is low.

(3) Pasture mating:

• Conception rate is higher because the chances of missing heat is lower.
• Requires low labour input.
• Low housing cost since male and female animals are housed together.
• Females on heat are easily detected by the males
• Aggressive and high libido males can easily be identified.
• Animals have access to regular exercise.
•  

(ii) Disadvantages of Mating Methods:

(1) Hand mating:

• It requires experienced handlers to detect heat.
• The cost of keeping male and female animals separately is high.
• Requires more labour.
• Heat may go undetected.
• Male and female animals may reject each other resulting in unsuccessful breeding.

(2) Pen mating:

• Record keeping is difficult.
• Competition could occur among males leading to injury/death.
• The males may be overworked and easily exhausted.
• The sire may not be known.
• Mating may not occur due to male competition.
• 0ver mating of females may occur leading to bleeding/injury/death.

(3) Pasture mating:

• It may be difficult to identify the sire
• Competition among males may lead to injury of males.
• Record keeping is difficult.
• Competition among males could lead to failed mating.
• Over mating of females can lead to bleeding/injury/death.

(c) Methods of Semen Collection from Bull:

• Use of dummy/teaser.
• Use of artificial vagina.
• Use of electro-ejaculator/electrical ejaculation.
• Use of hand massage.

(a) Description of  life cycle of louse;

• Eggs are laid on the surface of the body of the host
• Eggs hatch into nymphs
• Nymphs moult
• Moulted nymphs become adult
• Adults live on the surface of the body of the host                                         

(ii) Effects of louse on its host;

• Bites cause skin irritation/restlessness/discomfort
• Sores on skin may result in secondary infection
• Results in low productivity
• Transmits diseases e.g. Typhus, trench fever
• Causes anaemia
• Emaciation/loss of weight
• Death/coma                                                                                        

    (iii)  Ways of controlling louse;

• Regular cleaning of animal pens/good sanitation
• Avoidance of overcrowding of animalsDipping animals in insecticide solution
• Dusting of birds with appropriate chemicals
• Drenching with appropriate chemicals
• Quarantine new birds
• Ethno veterinary practices
• Use of injectable                  -      
• Vaccination/immunization                                                                             

(iv)  Farm animals infested by louse;

• Cattle                         
• Sheep                        
• Goat                                       
• Pig                             
• Camel                         
• Horse
• Rabbit                       
• Donkey                      
• Duck  
• Turkey                        
• Quail                          
• Ostrich
• Guinea fowl               
• Grasscutter                 
• Chicken/fowl

                                                                                                                        
(b)  Discussion on Coccidiosis;
(i)  Animals mostly infected

• Rabbit                      
• Turkey                        
• Chicken/fowl                         
• Duck                          
• Geese                         
• Grasscutter
• Goat                           
• Pig                              
• Ostrich
• Quail                          
• Guinea fowl               
• Cattle

                                                                                                                       
(ii)  Causal agent;
-   Protozoa/Eimeria spp.

1. Symptoms

• Blood stained diarrhoea                     
• Loss of appetite/anorexia
• Loss of weight /emaciation                 
• Low productivity
• Loss of hair/alopecia in rabbits         
• Anaemia
• Death                                                 
• Sluggishness               
• Droopy wings in poultry/rough feathers

(iii) Control measures

• Regular changing of litter                 
• Proper sanitation measures
• Vaccination                                       
• Fumigation
• Use of coccidiostat in feed/water      
• Burying/burning/incinerating dead animals

(a) Agents involved in the marketing of animal products

- Media/advertiser

- Producer

- Wholesaler

- Importers

- Co-operative society 

- Middlemen

- Exporter

- Marketing boards/commodity boards

- Retailers

- Processor

- Transporter

(b) (i) Definition of pasteurization 

- This is the process of heating milk at a specific temperature for a specific period of time to make it wholesome for human consumption. 

(ii) Imoprtance of pasteurisation of milk. 

- it reduces contamination by harmful micro organisms in milk. 

- It slows down the process of spoilage

- it improves the quality of milk 

- it improves the shelf life of milk/preservation.

(iii) Milk products
- Powerded milk
- Butter
- Yogurt 
- Whey 
- Condensed milk 
(c) Factors affecting the yield of milk in cows 
- Pest infestation 
- Physiological state of the anilnal 
- Age of the animal 
- Health of the anilnal/ illness 
Digestive disorder 
- Climatic/ weather conditions/ environment 
- Method of collection/milking 
- Disease 
- Frequency of feeding 
- Nutrition of the animal/ inadequate feeding 
- Breed of animal 
- Excitement/agitation/ stress 
- Length of lactation period 
- Water availability 
- Hormonal imbalance/inability to secrete 
oxytocin

(d)(i) Reasons for starving an animal before  slaughtering
- Reduces contamination of meat with digesta/ faeces 
- Promotes easy cheesing/correct dressing percentage 
- Promotes meat tenderness 
(ii) Pre-slaughtering activities 
Cleaning/sanitation 
- Starving/fasting 
- Weighing of animals 
- Restraining 
- Provision of water for the animals to drink 
- Assembling of slaughtering tools 
- Inspection/pre-mortem  

(a) Explanation of Ration

Ration is the amount of feed/ diet that is given to animals daily / 24 hour period.

(b) Explanation of how factors affect feed formulation

(i) Physiological status of animal Animals of different physiological state will require different types of diet, e.g.

- Healthy animals need balanced, production or maintenance ration.

- Poor slate of an animal requires a fortified feed.

- Pregnant animals - Lactating animal.,

(ii) Age of animal

- Animals at different stages of growth will require different formulas ion of diet.

- Older animals require lower nutrients.

- Younger animals require higher nutrients.

(iii) Purpose of production

- Different breeds require different nutrient composition in the feed.

- Feed content will depend on the purpose of production which might be for lactation, egg production or wool production.

- Fattening/beef/broiler/growth will require higher energy and protein in the feed for efficient production.

- Higher energy and protein are required in the feed for traction, draught, work and transportation of animals.

(iv) Availability of feed

- Determines which ingredient

- Determines the nutrient

- Determines level of

 - Determines the cost

- Determines the quantity

(c) Preparation of palm

- Seeds of palm kernel

- The seeds are roasted.

- The seeds are crushed

- The ground seeds are

- The residue is pressed

(d) Differences between Broiler Starter Mash and Broiler Finisher Mash