Pests Of Stored Feed And Their Control
Overview
A poultry keeper in Sokoto opens a sack of maize bran two months after buying it and finds the feed clumped together with silk webbing, small moths flying up as she loosens the mouth of the sack, and a corner of the sack gnawed clean through overnight. The bran she paid good money for is now partly dust, partly moth silk, partly rat droppings. Every farmer who stores feed for even a few weeks meets these same three enemies: weevils, rodents and moths, and every one of them can be beaten with methods a WAEC candidate is expected to know by name.
In this lesson you will learn to recognise each pest from the damage it leaves behind, so that a torn sack, a bored grain and a web of silk each point straight to their culprit. You will then learn the non-chemical and chemical methods used to control them, and the precautions that keep a chemical treatment safe for the animals that eventually eat the feed and the person who applies it.
Objectives
- Identify common pests of stored animal feed
- Explain the damage caused by pests to stored feed
- State the methods of controlling pests of stored feed
- Explain the precautions taken when applying chemical control methods
- Distinguish between chemical and non-chemical methods of pest control
Mind map
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Flashcards
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Lesson Note
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Lesson Evaluation
Congratulations on completing the lesson on Pests Of Stored Feed And Their Control. Now that youve explored the key concepts and ideas, its time to put your knowledge to the test. This section offers a variety of practice questions designed to reinforce your understanding and help you gauge your grasp of the material.
You will encounter a mix of question types, including multiple-choice questions, short answer questions, and essay questions. Each question is thoughtfully crafted to assess different aspects of your knowledge and critical thinking skills.
Use this evaluation section as an opportunity to reinforce your understanding of the topic and to identify any areas where you may need additional study. Don't be discouraged by any challenges you encounter; instead, view them as opportunities for growth and improvement.
- Grains found with small round holes bored through them, with fine dust at the bottom of the bag, have most likely been attacked by: A. Rodents B. Weevils C. Moths D. Mites Answer: B
- The stage of a moth that actually feeds on and damages stored feed is the: A. Egg B. Larva C. Adult moth D. Pupa Answer: B
- Which of the following is a non-chemical (cultural) method of controlling pests of stored feed? A. Fumigation B. Grain-protectant dust C. Rodenticide D. Proper drying before storage Answer: D
- Rodenticide bait is normally placed in stations away from the feed itself in order to: A. Save the cost of the bait B. Attract more rodents at once C. Prevent the poison from contaminating the feed D. Speed up how quickly the bait works Answer: C
- The required waiting time after a fumigated store is opened before feed may safely be removed and fed to animals is called the: A. Incubation period B. Withdrawal (safety) period C. Gestation period D. Dry season Answer: B
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Revision Questions
Wondering what past questions for this topic looks like? Here are a number of questions about Pests Of Stored Feed And Their Control from previous years
Question 1 Report
Study specimen J (Soldier ants),K (Weaver bird) and L (Weevil) and answer the questions that follows
(a)(i) State two harmful effects of each of specimens J, K, and L in livestock production.
(ii) State two ways of controlling each of the specimen J, K and L on livestock farms.
(b) Mention three other storage pests in farm animal production.
Answer Details
(a)(i) Two harmful effects of each specimen in livestock production
Specimen J (soldier ants):
- They bite and sting the animals, causing discomfort, irritation and restlessness, and can kill young or weak stock.
- They consume and reduce the quality of stored feed.
Specimen K (weaver bird):
- They consume feed and feedstuff meant for the animals.
- They contaminate feed and water with their droppings and act as vectors of diseases.
Specimen L (weevil):
- They consume and destroy stored feed and feedstuffs.
- They reduce the nutrient content and viability of the feed and cause contamination.
(a)(ii) Two ways of controlling each specimen
Soldier ants (J):
- Apply insecticides, hot water or kerosene along their trails.
- Destroy their ant hills/colonies and maintain a high level of hygiene.
Weaver bird (K):
- Use scarecrows and noise-making to frighten them off.
- Trap, hunt or shoot them, and use approved avicides.
Weevil (L):
- Dry the feed and store it properly, and treat with insecticides.
- Apply heat by roasting or boiling and use repellents such as dried pepper.
(b) Three other storage pests in farm animal production
- Rats/rodents.
- Cockroaches.
- Beetles (also termites and mould/fungi).
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