Farmers' groups

It is to the advantage of farmers to form groups (see Booklet No. 9, page 31 ) to buy a bull together; to pay a herdsman together; to sell their milk together; to sell their animals together.

Farmers in a group can organize their work better, organize their sales better.

For a group to succeed, it must

· decide the aims of the group in advance;
· settle who is in charge of the group;
· not be too big;
· have members who trust each other.

Suggested question paper

FILL IN THE MISSING WORDS

A modern animal breeder has a fine. . .

He gives his animals enough ........................and ........................especially in the dry season.

For this he makes and ........................ with pasture grass at the end of the rainy season.

He gives pregnant cows a feed........................He also gives oil cake to cows which give........................

So that his cattle will have well formed bones he also gives them a........................

The animal breeder builds a........................

His herd is protected from sun and rain, and the animals make ........................for the fields.

To keep his animals in good health, he protects them against diseases by........................He has only one........................in his herd, but a very fine bull because he wants to have........................calves.
For each animal he keeps a record in a........................
A cattle breeder should........................before selling.
With his friends he forms a........................

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS

At what age can a bull serve cows?
What is a mineral supplement?
How much water does an ox need?
Why must a cow which has a calf be well fed?
What is weaning?
How many bulls should you keep in a herd?
Why must cattle be vaccinated?
How is hay made?
What do you do when an animal is injured?
Where you live, how do you make a shed for cattle?
What must you do when an animal is ill?

EXERCISE

A cow weighs 300 kg.

Its maintenance requirement in feed units is . ........................

This cows gives 4 litres of milk a day /to produce 1 litre of milk 0.3 feed unit is required). The cow's production requirement in feed units is:
4 x ... = ... feed units.

The cow's total requirements in feed units are: maintenance requirement plus production requirement,

... feed units plus ... feed units = ... feed units.

The farmer has some groundnut hay which gives 0.4 feed unit per kg.

How many kilogrammes of groundnut hay must the farmer give the cow?

....
= ... kg of groundnut hay.
....

When should animals be sold? ........................................................................
Why? ......................................................................................................
How will you choose bulls and cows for breeding? ................................................
Why? ................................................................................................