Animal Husbandry WAEC

Rabbit And Grasscutter Production

Aperçu

Not every animal on a Nigerian farm is a cow, a goat or a chicken. Step into a backyard in Ibadan or a small enterprise on the edge of Enugu and you may find rows of wire hutches holding rabbits, or raised cages holding a stockier, greyish-brown rodent called a grasscutter. Both are non-traditional livestock: species farmers have only recently begun to rear deliberately, in place of hunting or ignoring them, because both convert cheap, simple feed into meat that sells at a premium.

In this lesson you will meet the breeds, housing, feeding and breeding routines of rabbit production, then do the same for grasscutter production, and finish able to explain the differences examiners like to test: one is a fully domesticated animal that breeds almost continuously, the other a semi-domesticated wild species that breeds far more slowly but commands a far higher price.

Objectifs

  1. State the common breeds of rabbits reared in Nigeria
  2. Explain the management practices in rabbit production
  3. Explain the management practices in grasscutter production
  4. State the economic importance of rabbit and grasscutter production
  5. Distinguish between rabbit and grasscutter husbandry

Carte mentale

Ce theme est schematise pour montrer comment les idees se relient.

Cartes memoire

Entrainement rapide sur les faits evalues dans ce theme.

Note de cours

Land is scarce and feed is costly, so any animal that grows fast, breeds readily and needs only a small cage is attractive to a Nigerian smallholder. Rabbit and grasscutter production answer that need: neither competes for grazing land, both suit a backyard or small commercial unit, and both supply a lean, protein-rich meat in rising demand across Nigeria and West Africa.

Évaluation de la leçon

Félicitations, vous avez terminé la leçon sur Rabbit And Grasscutter Production. Maintenant que vous avez exploré le concepts et idées clés, il est temps de mettre vos connaissances à lépreuve. Cette section propose une variété de pratiques des questions conçues pour renforcer votre compréhension et vous aider à évaluer votre compréhension de la matière.

Vous rencontrerez un mélange de types de questions, y compris des questions à choix multiple, des questions à réponse courte et des questions de rédaction. Chaque question est soigneusement conçue pour évaluer différents aspects de vos connaissances et de vos compétences en pensée critique.

Utilisez cette section d'évaluation comme une occasion de renforcer votre compréhension du sujet et d'identifier les domaines où vous pourriez avoir besoin d'étudier davantage. Ne soyez pas découragé par les défis que vous rencontrez ; considérez-les plutôt comme des opportunités de croissance et d'amélioration.

  1. Which of the following rabbit breeds has a pure white coat and pink eyes, and is the commonest commercial breed kept in Nigeria? A. Dutch B. Chinchilla C. New Zealand White D. Californian Answer: C
  2. The rabbit's habit of re-ingesting soft night faeces directly from the body is called: A. Rumination B. Coprophagy C. Kindling D. Weaning Answer: B
  3. The gestation period of a rabbit is approximately: A. One week B. One month C. Three months D. Five months Answer: B
  4. The grasscutter is best described as: A. A fully domesticated exotic species B. A semi-domesticated species close to its wild ancestor C. A breed of rabbit D. A dairy animal Answer: B
  5. Grasscutters are housed in cages built mainly of metal mesh rather than wood chiefly because: A. Metal is cheaper than wood B. Grasscutters gnaw through wood C. Metal keeps the cage warmer D. Wood attracts predators Answer: B

Livres recommandés

Introduction to Animal Science: Global, Biological, Social and Industry Perspectives
Introduction to Animal Science: Global, Biological, Social and Industry Perspectives
Sous-titre: Sixth edition
Éditeur: Pearson
Année: 2017
ISBN: 978-0-13-443605-0
Description: A comprehensive introduction to animal science covering anatomy and physiology, nutrition, genetics, reproduction, animal health and the major farm animal species and their production systems.
Small-scale Poultry Production: Technical Guide
Small-scale Poultry Production: Technical Guide
Éditeur: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Année: 2004
ISBN: 978-92-5-105082-8
Description: An FAO Animal Production and Health Paper written by a Nigerian animal scientist, covering breeds, housing, feeding, incubation, disease control and marketing for small-scale poultry keepers in developing countries.
Tropical Animal Feeding: A Manual for Research Workers
Tropical Animal Feeding: A Manual for Research Workers
Éditeur: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Année: 1995
ISBN: 978-92-5-103758-4
Description: An FAO Animal Production and Health Paper on the principles of ruminant and non-ruminant nutrition and the practical use of tropical feed resources, including crop residues and by-products, in sustainable livestock systems.

Questions de révision

Vous vous demandez à quoi ressemblent les questions passées sur ce sujet ? Voici plusieurs questions sur Rabbit And Grasscutter Production des années précédentes.

WAEC SSCE - Animal Husbandry - 2018

Question 1 Rapport

specimens

(a) Give four reasons why farmers keep specimen E.

(b) Mention two products that could be obtained from specimen E.

(c) If specimen E was serviced on 12th May 2016 and conceived on the same day, calculate the expected kindling date.

(d) Sate two ways of controlling ear manage on specimen E.

(e) Mention two endoparasites and two ectoparasites that could infest specimen E.

Détails de la réponse

Specimen E is a rabbit.

(a) Four reasons why farmers keep the rabbit

  • It provides meat that is rich in protein and low in fat.
  • It is a source of income to the farmer.
  • It is prolific, matures early and has a short gestation period, so it multiplies rapidly.
  • It provides raw materials such as fur/pelt and also droppings used as manure. (It is also kept as a pet and for research.)

(b) Two products obtained from the rabbit

  • Meat.
  • Pelt/skin (fur). (Bone and manure are also obtained.)

(c) Expected kindling date

The gestation period of a rabbit is about 31 days (30 to 32 days). Counting 31 days from the date of conception, 12th May 2016:

From 12th May to 31st May is 19 days; the remaining 12 days fall in June (19 + 12 = 31). Therefore the expected kindling date is 12th June 2016 (allowing 30 to 32 days, between 11th and 13th June 2016).

(d) Two ways of controlling ear mange on the rabbit

  • Apply a recommended acaricide/miticide or sulphur ointment (or medicated oil) into the affected ears.
  • Maintain good sanitation of the hutch, isolate affected animals and treat with a veterinary drug such as ivermectin.

(e) Endoparasites and ectoparasites that could infest the rabbit

  • Two endoparasites: coccidia (Eimeria) and tapeworm (also roundworm and liver fluke).
  • Two ectoparasites: mange mites (ear mites) and fleas (also lice and ticks).
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