(a)Meaning of animal improvement This is the process of producing animals with superior qualities to satisfy human needs
(b) Aims of animal improvement
-To produce animals that can adapt to adverse climatic conditions
- To produce animals that are resistant to diseases
-To produce animals that are tolerant to pests and parasites
-To produce early-maturing breeds of animals
-To produce animals with high feed conversion ratio/efficiency
-To produce animals with fast growth rate
-To develop animals for particular purposes e.g. racing ,
-To produce animals with high-yielding capabilities
(c) Definition of terms used in animal reproduction
(i) Parturition: This is the act of giving birth in farm animals
(ii) Gestation period: This is the period of pregnancy or the interval between fertilization and parturition in farm animals
(d) Systems in the body of farm animals
- Excretory system
-Muscular/skeletal system (
-Digestive system
-Circulatory system
-Respiratory system
-Nervous system
-Reproductive system / Endocrine system
(c) Advantages of castration in animal production
- Castrated animals grow faster
- Removal of odour from meat
-Makes animal docile and easier to handle
-Produces tender meat quality
-Reduces the incidence of venereal diseases in the flocks
-Animals with undesirable qualities are prevented from mating