Establishing Animal Husbandry Enterprises

Overview

Everything else in this subject, genetics, nutrition, housing, and health, has been building toward one practical question: how does a person actually start a livestock enterprise and keep it standing? Good intentions and a love of animals are not enough. Every enterprise that survives its first year was tested on paper before it was tested by a single naira of real money.

In this lesson you will learn the factors a would be farmer must weigh before choosing what to keep and where to keep it, the ordered steps of setting an enterprise up, why a feasibility study must come before capital is committed, the sources of capital open to a Nigerian livestock farmer, and the real challenges that decide whether an enterprise, once started, is still standing a year later.

Objectives

  1. State the factors to consider when establishing an animal husbandry enterprise
  2. Explain the steps involved in establishing an animal husbandry enterprise
  3. Explain the importance of a feasibility study to a new enterprise
  4. State the sources of capital for establishing an animal husbandry enterprise
  5. Explain the challenges of establishing an animal husbandry enterprise in Nigeria

Lesson Note

Two young graduates in Ibadan each inherit ₦1,200,000 and decide to keep livestock. One spends an afternoon totalling costs, checking local egg demand, and visiting a site with a borehole nearby, before she buys a single chick. The other buys 300 day old chicks the same week, on a plot with no reliable water, forty minutes from any market. Within three months his birds are stunted and unsold, and his capital is gone. Hers is turning a small profit. Neither lacked knowledge of poultry. What separated them was whether the enterprise was established properly before it was started.

Lesson Evaluation

Congratulations on completing the lesson on Establishing Animal Husbandry Enterprises. 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.

  1. Which of the following is a factor to consider when choosing a site for a livestock enterprise? A. The farmer's favourite colour B. Availability of water C. The distance to the nearest cinema D. The season of the year the farmer was born Answer: B
  2. Which of these is the FIRST step in establishing an animal husbandry enterprise? A. Constructing housing B. Sourcing foundation stock C. Conducting a feasibility study D. Marketing the produce Answer: C
  3. A feasibility study is best described as: A. A record of daily feed given to animals B. A structured check of whether an enterprise is likely to be profitable, done before capital is committed C. A veterinary inspection carried out after an outbreak D. A government tax assessment on farm income Answer: B
  4. Which of the following is a federal development bank dedicated to agricultural lending in Nigeria? A. Bank of Agriculture B. Central Securities Clearing System C. Nigerian Stock Exchange D. Corporate Affairs Commission Answer: A
  5. A pen costing 450,000 naira, 10 weaner pigs at 35,000 naira each, and equipment costing 60,000 naira. What is the total of these three cost heads alone? A. 545,000 naira B. 800,000 naira C. 860,000 naira D. 910,000 naira Answer: C

Recommended Books

Introduction to Animal Science: Global, Biological, Social and Industry Perspectives
Introduction to Animal Science: Global, Biological, Social and Industry Perspectives
Subtitle: Sixth edition
Publisher: Pearson
Year: 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
Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Year: 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
Publisher: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations
Year: 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.

Past Questions

Wondering what past questions for this topic looks like? Here are a number of questions about Establishing Animal Husbandry Enterprises from previous years

WAEC SSCE - Animal Husbandry - 2020

Question 1 Report

TEST OF PRACTICAL KNOWLEDGE QUESTION


(a)(i) Name the farm animal which produces specimen A (Honey).

(ii) Mention two other products which could be obtained from the farm animal named in 1(a)(i).

(iii) State four uses of specimen A.

(b)(i) Outline the steps involved in the preparation of bone meal from specimen B (Bone) for livestock feed.

(ii) State two precautions which should be taken during the preparation of bone meal.

(iii) Mention two minerals which could be obtained from specimen B.

View Answer