Question

5(a) Explain each of the following terms as used in animal nutrition: (i) balanced diet; (ii) maintenance ration; (iii) production ration; (iv) malnutrition.
(b) State six effects of malnutrition on farm animals.
(c) Mention four nursery practices in the production of tomato.

Accepted Answer

(a)(i) Balanced diet: feed that contains all the nutrients required in the right proportion.
(ii) Maintenance ration: the amount of feed given to an animal to sustain/maintain its live weight (with no gain or loss).
(iii) Production ration: the amount of feed supplied to an animal, in addition to maintenance ration, to promote growth and production (e.g. milk, eggs, meat, growth).
(iv) Malnutrition: an unhealthy condition that manifests in farm animals when they are fed with inadequate, excess, or unbalanced feed/diet.

(b) Effects of malnutrition on farm animals:
- Retarded growth
- Low production
- High mortality rate in young animals
- Emergence of diseases
- Weight loss
- Physical deformities
(also constipation)

(c) Nursery practices for tomato production:
- Nursery beds/seed boxes/trays are prepared with top soil mixed and sterilized
- Seeds are sown in drills 5cm apart and 2.5cm deep
- Shading, watering, weeding and mulching are regularly done
- Transplanting is done when seedlings are 3 weeks old on the nursery

WAEC Agricultural Science 2022 Theory — Question 5

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