This topic entails the following:

• Description of reproduction
• Description of reproduction systems
• Selection f breeding stock
• Description of breeding system.
• Identification of livestock on heat
• Description of methods used in serving livestock.

            The following relevant questions and their answers in this topic will greatly motivate and help the             user to comprehend and understand the required concepts and practices.

1. State four ways of minimizing disowning of lambs by ewes
2. State the gestation period of the following farm animals
3.  i) Pigs
4. ii) Rabbits
5. i) What is selection in live stock production
6. ii) State three methods used in selection of livestock                                                           
7. Give four signs of heat observed on female rabbit
8. Name four meat breeds of rabbits        
9. State four reasons for cutting a breeding boar                                            
10. List the methods of selection in livestock
11. Define the following terms as used in livestock breeding
12. i) Heterosis
13. ii) Epistasis
14. State three signs of heat in Does (Female Rabbits)
15. Give the gestation period of the following:
16. i) Cow
17. ii) Sow
18. State three disadvantages of natural methods of mating in cattle breeding            
19. a) Explain the advantage of battery cage system of rearing layers         
20. b) Outline ten factors considered when selecting dairy cattle for breeding                          
21. What is upgrading as used in livestock production?            
22. Define the word breech of birth as used in livestock production            
23. What does the term “drift lambing’ mean in livestock production?

LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION III

(SELECTION AND BREEDING)

• Steaming up of ewes to have milk to be suckled
• Use of lambing pens
• Ewes as made to recognize lambs after lambs
• Blind folding ewes to activate maternal instinct
• Attend/ treat inflamed udders/ painful

• Pig 112 – 15 days

Rabbits 28 – 32 days 

3          (i) Selection.                                                                                                                           

            – It is the process of allowing certain animals to be the parents of the future generations while

culling  others;

(ii) Methods used in selection.

• Mass selection;
• Progeny testing;
• Contemporary comparison;

4. – Restless.

            – Frequent urination.

            – Swollen vulva.

            – The doe throws itself on its side.

            – She (does rubs herself against the wall or any other solid object.

            – The doe tries to contact other rabbits in the next hutch by peeping through the cage walls.

5. four meat breeds of rabbits   

• Flemish giant
• California white
• New Zealand white
• Ear lop
• chinchilla

6. four reasons for cutting a breeding boar

• Bareness/loss of Libido
• Loss of sight, limb, cannot mate
• Old age
• Perpetual sickness/contract
• Reproductive diseases
• Aggressiveness/wildness

7. – Mass

• Progerry testing
• Comparison

8. (i) Heterosis- Increased vigour/ performance resulting from mating two superior unrelated Breeds

(ii) Epitasis- Is a combination of genes that individually could have been both undesirable

                    or inferior                                                                                                                       

• Heat signs in rabbits (doe)
• The doe throws itself on its sides
• She rubs herself against walls or solid objects
• Tries to contact other rabbits in the next hutch (peeping)
• Restlessness
• Swollen vulva
• Frequent urination

10. Gestation periods of :- Cow 270 – 285 days

                                                Sow – 113 117 days

11. Disadvantages of natural mating

• A lot of semen is wasted
• High chances of inbreeding
• Large males can injure small females
• Expensive to transport bull over long distance
• May need extra pasture, extra cost

12. a) the advantage of battery cage system of rearing layers                                          

• Higher  egg production due  to  less  energy wastage  by  birds
• Accurate egg production records re kept
• Cannibalism and egg  eating are  controlled
• Eggs are clean
• Allows for  mechanization
• Birds  do not  contaminate food  and water
• Makes handling  easy as birds  are restricted  within small areas
• Discourages broodiness
• Increases the sticking rate
• Sick  birds can easily  be isolated
• The  wire floor prevails re-infection on the parasites, worms  and coccidiosi
• There  is no bully during feedings
• There is low labour requirement (1×10=10mks)

1. b) Outline ten factors considered when selecting dairy cattle for breeding                                             

• age-young animals  have  longer  productive live and are more productive and

             Economical to keep than old animals

• level of  performance-animals  with highest production level  be kept
• health-consider  animals which are less susceptive to  disease
• body  confirmation  go  for ones well people dairy characteristics
• temperature/behaviour select only decline animals which  are easy to  handle mothering ability
• adaptable under suitability  to  the environment
• prolycacy  ability to give  built to  many  off springs at a time
• physical defects
• quality of products  (1×10=10mks)

13. A type  of mating  where  the female of  low grade  is  mated  to a pure  bred sire of

            superior  quality (1mk)