Unit2 - Subjective Questions
AGR117 • Practice Questions with Detailed Answers
Discuss the primary objectives of providing proper housing to livestock. What are the essential features of a good animal house?
Objectives of Housing:
- To protect animals from adverse climatic conditions (sun, rain, wind, extreme heat/cold).
- To protect animals from predators and theft.
- To provide a hygienic environment for clean milk/meat production.
- To facilitate efficient management (feeding, watering, cleaning, and healthcare).
Essential Features:
- Ventilation: Adequate air circulation to remove ammonia and moisture.
- Lighting: Sufficient natural and artificial light.
- Drainage: Proper slope (gradient 1:40 to 1:60) for efficient urine and water removal.
- Flooring: Non-slippery, durable, and impervious.
- Orientation: Usually East-West orientation in tropical climates to minimize solar radiation exposure.
Explain the Selection of Site for the construction of livestock farm buildings. List the key factors to be considered.
The selection of a site determines the long-term efficiency of the farm. Key factors include:
- Topography: High-level ground with good natural drainage to prevent waterlogging.
- Water Supply: Availability of abundant, clean, and soft water for drinking and cleaning.
- Electricity: Accessibility to a reliable power source.
- Accessibility: Nearness to all-weather roads for transport of inputs and produce.
- Sunlight and Wind: Open area to receive maximum sunlight and protection from strong prevailing winds.
- Distance from Residential Areas: Should be away from human habitation to avoid foul smell and noise issues.
- Soil Type: Soil should not be too dehydrated or waterlogged; firm soil is preferred for foundations.
Differentiate between the Loose Housing System and the Conventional Barn System (Stanchion Barn) for dairy cattle.
| Feature | Loose Housing System | Conventional Barn System |
|---|---|---|
| Definition | Animals are kept loose in an open paddock with a shelter for resting. | Animals are tied in stanchions inside a covered shed. |
| Cost | Low construction cost. | High construction cost. |
| Comfort | Animals move freely; more comfortable. | Movement is restricted. |
| Disease Control | Better owing to sunlight and exercise. | Higher risk of contagious diseases/parasites. |
| Labor | Less labor required for cleaning. | More labor required for cleaning and feeding. |
| Heat Detection | Easy to detect heat signs. | Difficult to detect heat. |
| Suitability | Suitable for most Indian conditions. | Suitable for temperate/very cold regions. |
Provide the Floor Space Requirements (Covered Area and Open Area) for different categories of dairy cattle as per BIS standards.
The recommended floor space requirements are as follows:
| Category of Animal | Covered Area (/animal) | Open Area (/animal) |
|---|---|---|
| Young Calves (< 8 weeks) | ||
| Older Calves (> 8 weeks) | ||
| Heifers | ||
| Adult Cows | ||
| Buffaloes | ||
| Down Calver (Pregnant) | ||
| Bulls | $12.0$ | $120.0$ (Exercise paddock) |
Describe the immediate care and management of a newborn calf immediately after birth.
Immediate Care of Newborn Calf:
- Cleaning: Remove mucus from the nostrils and mouth to facilitate breathing. If the cow does not lick the calf, wipe it dry with a clean cloth/gunny bag.
- Artificial Respiration: If the calf is not breathing, perform artificial respiration by pressing and releasing the chest or swinging the calf carefully.
- Navel Cord Management:
- Cut the navel cord about cm from the body using sterile scissors.
- Ligate it if there is bleeding.
- Apply Tincture of Iodine to prevent 'Navel Ill'.
- Colostrum Feeding: Feed colostrum within the first 1-2 hours of birth. Rate: 1/10th of body weight.
- Excretion: Ensure the calf passes meconium (first faeces). If not, a warm water enema may be given.
What is Colostrum? Explain its specific properties and importance in calf management.
Definition: Colostrum is the first milk secretion of the mammary gland after parturition.
Importance & Properties:
- Immunity: It is rich in Immunoglobulins (Ig) or antibodies (especially IgG), which provide passive immunity to the calf against diseases. The calf's gut is permeable to these antibodies only for the first 24 hours.
- Laxative Effect: It acts as a natural laxative to help expel Meconium (first faeces).
- Nutritional Value: It contains higher protein, vitamins (especially Vitamin A), and minerals compared to normal milk.
- Gut Health: It coats the intestinal lining, preventing the attachment of pathogens.
Write a note on the management of growing heifers. Why is proper feeding crucial at this stage?
Heifers are the future cows of the herd. Their management aims to attain early maturity and optimal weight at first calving.
Management Practices:
- Grouping: Group heifers according to age and size to prevent bullying.
- Feeding: Provide high-quality leguminous fodder and balanced concentrate mixture. This ensures rapid growth and early onset of puberty.
- Housing: Loose housing with sufficient open space for exercise.
- Health: Regular deworming and vaccination against FMD, HS, and BQ.
- Breeding: Heifers should be bred when they attain about 60-70% of mature body weight, not just based on age.
Importance of Feeding:
- Prevents delayed maturity.
- Ensures proper development of pelvic bones (reducing dystocia risks).
- Promotes mammary gland development.
Define and differentiate between Steaming Up and Challenge Feeding in dairy cattle management.
Steaming Up:
- Definition: The practice of feeding extra concentrates to a pregnant cow/heifer starting 2-3 weeks before expected calving.
- Purpose: To build up body reserves, facilitate udder development, and prepare the animal for the stress of calving and ensuing lactation.
Challenge Feeding:
- Definition: The practice of feeding concentrates to high-yielding cows during early lactation, starting with a low level and increasing until the peak milk yield is reached.
- Purpose: To challenge the cow to express her maximum genetic potential for milk production and prevent negative energy balance (Ketosis).
Describe the care and management of Pregnant Animals (Down Calvers) during the last stage of gestation.
The last trimester, especially the last 15 days, is critical.
- Isolation: Shift the animal to a clean, disinfected calving box about 1-2 weeks before calving.
- Bedding: Provide soft, clean bedding (straw) to prevent injury.
- Nutrition:
- Practice 'Steaming Up'.
- Provide laxative feeds (wheat bran, green fodder) to prevent constipation.
- Ensure adequate Calcium intake to prevent Milk Fever, but balance the DCAD ratio.
- Observation: Watch for signs of parturition: swelling of vulva, relaxation of pelvic ligaments, and filling of the udder.
- Hygiene: Wash the hindquarters with mild antiseptic solution before calving.
Explain the concept of 'Drying Off' in dairy cows. What are the methods used to dry off a cow?
Drying Off: The process of stopping milking in a lactating cow about 60 days before the next expected calving. It allows the mammary gland to regenerate (involution) and the cow to replenish body reserves.
Methods:
- Intermittent Milking: Milking is done once a day, then every alternate day, and finally stopped. Suitable for low yielders.
- Incomplete Milking: Leaving some milk in the udder during milking to increase pressure and inhibit secretion.
- Abrupt Cessation: Complete stopping of milking abruptly. This is the preferred method for high yielders to prevent mastitis (often accompanied by dry cow therapy antibiotic infusion).
Discuss the Housing Management of Goats, with specific reference to raised platform housing.
Goats require dry, comfortable housing as they are susceptible to pneumonia and parasitic infestation in damp conditions.
General Requirements:
- Well-ventilated, rain-proof sheds.
- Separate pens for kids, does, and bucks.
Raised Platform Housing (Slatted Floor):
- Structure: The floor is elevated meters above the ground.
- Material: Wooden planks or bamboo slats with gaps of about cm.
- Advantages:
- Urine and pellets fall through the gaps, keeping the floor dry.
- Reduces contact with faeces, significantly lowering the risk of internal parasites (worms) and coccidiosis.
- Prevents ammonia accumulation near the animal's nose level.
- Ideal for heavy rainfall areas.
What is 'Flushing' in sheep and goat management? How is it performed and what are its benefits?
Definition: Flushing is the practice of providing extra nutrition (high energy/protein feed) to ewes or does 2-3 weeks prior to the breeding season.
Procedure:
- Move animals to a better pasture.
- Supplement with grams of grain/concentrate per head per day.
Benefits:
- Increases the ovulation rate.
- Increases the chances of multiple births (twinning/triplets).
- Improves the conception rate.
- Brings the female into heat promptly.
Detail the Housing Requirements for Swine (Pigs). Describe the layout of a typical pig sty.
Pigs are sensitive to extreme heat and cold. Housing (Pig Sty) layout usually includes:
- Covered Area: For sleeping and feeding. floor space varies (e.g., Sow: ).
- Open Run: An open yard attached to the covered area for exercise and defecation.
- Wallowing Tank: Essential in hot climates as pigs do not sweat effectively. A water tank in the open run helps in thermoregulation.
- Farrowing Pen: Special pen for sows giving birth, equipped with Guard Rails or Farrowing Crates to prevent the sow from crushing the piglets.
- Creep Area: A separate corner in the farrowing pen accessible only to piglets for 'Creep Feeding'.
Write a detailed note on Piglet Anemia. What are the symptoms and preventive measures?
Definition: A condition in nursing piglets caused by Iron deficiency, as sow's milk is very poor in Iron and piglets have low reserves at birth.
Symptoms:
- Pale skin and mucous membranes.
- Labored breathing ('Thumps').
- Rough hair coat and poor growth.
- Listlessness and sudden death.
Prevention/Treatment:
- Iron Injection: Injecting Iron Dextran ( mg) intramuscularly into the neck or thigh muscle at 3-4 days of age.
- Oral Administration: Swabbing the sow's udder with a ferrous sulfate solution.
- Soil: Placing clean, iron-rich soil (sod) in the pen for piglets to root in.
Why and how is Needle Teeth Clipping performed in piglets?
Why:
- Piglets are born with 8 sharp, needle-like teeth (4 on top, 4 on bottom).
- These can cause injury to the sow's udder during nursing, leading to mastitis or refusal to nurse.
- They also cause facial injuries to littermates during fighting.
How:
- Performed within 24 hours of birth.
- Use a side-cutter or tooth clipper.
- Clip the teeth near the gum line without crushing the tooth or injuring the gum.
- Disinfect the instrument and the cut surface to prevent infection.
Describe the Management of Sow during farrowing. What is the importance of a farrowing crate?
Management during Farrowing:
- Clean and disinfect the farrowing pen; provide clean bedding.
- Wash the sow, especially the udder and teats, with lukewarm water and antiseptic.
- Observe the sow closely; farrowing usually lasts 2-6 hours.
- Remove placental membranes immediately after expulsion to prevent the sow from eating them (avoids developing scavenging habits).
- Ensure all piglets nurse colostrum.
Importance of Farrowing Crate:
- It restricts the movement of the sow.
- It prevents the heavy sow from accidentally lying on and crushing the piglets (a major cause of piglet mortality).
- It facilitates easier management and handling of the sow.
Outline the Space Requirements for Poultry (Broilers and Layers) under the Deep Litter System.
Deep Litter System Space Requirements:
1. Floor Space:
- Broilers:
- weeks: $0.05$ per bird.
- weeks: $0.10$ to $0.15$ per bird (roughly $1$ sq. ft).
- Layers:
- Chick ( wks): $0.07$ .
- Grower ( wks): $0.14$ .
- Layer ( wks): $0.20$ to $0.25$ per bird (roughly sq. ft).
2. Feeder Space:
- Broiler: cm linear space.
- Layer: cm linear space.
3. Waterer Space:
- Broiler: cm linear space.
- Layer: $2.5$ cm linear space.
Discuss the principles of Ventilation in livestock housing. Why is it critical for poultry and dairy?
Principles:
- Exchange of fresh air (inlet) and stale air (outlet).
- Removal of excess moisture, heat, dust, and gases (Ammonia, , Methane).
- Prevention of drafts (direct cold air currents on animals).
Importance:
- Poultry: Birds have high respiration rates and produce high heat/moisture. Poor ventilation leads to ammonia build-up ( ppm is harmful), causing respiratory diseases (CRD), wet litter, and ascites.
- Dairy: High humidity and ammonia predispose cattle to pneumonia. Proper ventilation aids in heat dissipation during summer, preventing heat stress and drop in milk production.
List the common causes of Calf Mortality and suggest preventive management strategies.
Common Causes:
- Calf Scours (Diarrhea): Caused by E. coli, Salmonella, viruses, or nutritional errors.
- Pneumonia: Caused by poor ventilation, damp bedding, and drafts.
- Navel Ill (Omphalitis): Infection of the navel cord.
- Internal Parasites: Worm infestation.
Preventive Strategies:
- Hygiene: Clean calving pens and immediate navel disinfection.
- Colostrum: Timely feeding of adequate colostrum (immunoglobulins).
- Housing: Dry, well-ventilated individual calf pens.
- Feeding: Clean milk at body temperature using clean pails.
- Deworming: Regular deworming schedule starting from 10-14 days of age.
Derive the importance of Orientation and Roof overhangs in the design of poultry houses in tropical regions.
Orientation:
- Poultry houses in the tropics should be oriented with the long axis running East-West.
- Reason: This prevents direct sunlight from entering the house through the sidewalls during the morning and evening. The roof takes the solar load, keeping the inside cooler.
Roof Overhangs:
- An overhang of at least $1.0$ meter (3-4 feet) is required.
- Reason: It prevents rainwater from splashing inside the house and wetting the litter. It also provides shade to the sidewalls/mesh, reducing internal temperature.