ANDITALE SECONDARY SCHOOL  Supply of meat for protein

“Working Harder to Serve the Community”  Form of wealth

AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT  Manure applied to vegetable gardens
Gr.9 Notes, Term 3, 2025–Compiled by Ms. WANGAE
2. Goat
STRAND 2: ANIMALS
 Supply of meat for protein
Unit 2: Animal Farming Systems and Practices  Supply of milk
 Manure applied to vegetable gardens
Content Standard 2.2: Students will be able to
 Form of wealth
investigate and analyze the different types of animal
husbandry and management principles, systems and
3. Cattle
practices used in different environments and places to
Supply of meat for protein
farm animals.
Supply of milk
Benchmark: [Link]: Research and explain the Skin used for making leather products
purposes and benefits of different animals Offal ‘s used for stock feed for other animals
such pigs
Topic: PURPOSE AND BENEFITS OF ANIMALS
 Manure can be used for fertilizing plants
Livestock are used by humans for a variety of  Used as draught animal to pull ploughs and
purposes, many of which have an economic value. The carts
main purpose of livestock is for subsistence and
commercial benefits. 4. Sheep
 Supply meat for protein
Livestock products include: meat, dairy products,  Wool used for blankets, clothes and other
clothing and adornment, fertilizer, labor and land products
Management.
Benefits of raising different animals
 Meat- the production of useful form of dietary
protein and energy. There are many benefits of farming animals but
 Mammalian livestock can be used as a source the main ones would include
of milk, which can in turn easily be processed
 Income generation - Income generation
into other dairy products, such as yogurt,
opportunities are very high. The money
cheese, butter, and ice-cream.
earned can be used to pay for goods and
 Livestock produce arrange of fiber textiles. For
services that others provide.
example, sheep and goats produce wool and
 Animals such as buffalos and horses can be
mohair;
used for transportation and ploughing
 cows, deer, and sheep skins can be made into
leather, livestock bones, hooves and horns can In Papua New Guinea pigs are looked after for
be used to fabricate jeweler, pendants, or two reasons: as a commercial business and
head gear. because they have a high value in traditional
 Manure can be spread on fields to increase society. In a commercial business farmer look
crop yields. after their pigs and sell them for money. Farmers
get more money if their pigs are well fed.
Purpose for raising different animals
Looking after pigs in a traditional village has far
The purpose for raising animals may vary, but the most more traditional importance than commercial
important one is to provide protein. The type of value. For instance, pigs raised in the village are
protein available depends on the choice of the farmer. important in marriage, settling family, clan and
land disputes, or paying for someone ‘s death.
Some examples and their purposes;

1. Pig
ANDITALE SECONDARY SCHOOL written first, beginning with an uppercase letter,
“Working Harder to Serve the Community” followed by the specific name, which begins with a
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT lowercase letter. Both names are written in italics
Gr.9 Notes, Term 3, 2025–Compiled by Ms. WANGAE (if typed) or underlined (if hand-written).
STRAND 2: ANIMALS For example, pigs belong to the genus Sus and
species scrofa so the systematic name of the pig is
Unit: 2 Animal Farming Systems and Practices
Sus scrofa.
Benchmark 9:2.2.2 Investigate and classify animals
Classification of Domesticated Pigs
according to their species, breeds, and products
I. Kingdom= Animalia
Topic: ANIMAL SPECIES, BREEDS AND PRODUCTS
II. Phylum= Chordata
CLASSIFICATION OF FARMED ANIMALS III. Class= Mammalia
IV. Order= Artiodactyla
Classification means organizing living things into class
V. Family= Suidae
or groups. Classification is important because it helps
VI. Genus= Sus
us to identify different types of farm animals easily.
VII. Species= Sus scrofa
The branch of biology which deals with classification is
Classification of Cattle
called taxonomy.
I. Kingdom= Animalia
The current system of classification was developed by
II. Phylum= Chordata
Swedish scientist called Carolus Linnaeus and
III. Class= Mammalia
published in 1735. The Linnaean system of
IV. Order= Artiodactyla
classification establishes seven taxonomic levels:
V. Family= Bovidae
I. Kingdom VI. Genus= Bos (cattle). Other genera in this
II. Phylum family are: Bubalus (Asiatic buffaloes),
III. Class Syncerus (African buffaloes), Bibos (banteng
IV. Order and guar) and Bison (e.g. bisons of Europe and
V. Family America)
VI. Genus VII. Species= There are two species of cattle
VII. Specie namely Bos indicus and Bos Taurus.

(King Philip come over for good spaghetti) Classification of Goats

Importance of Classification I. Kingdom= Animalia

II. Phylum= Chordata
Biologists find it useful to classify organisms into
III. Class= Mammalia
groups that have similar characteristics.
IV. Order= Artiodactyla
The organisms are mainly classified in order to: V. Family= Bovidae
VI. Genus= Capra
1. Provide an acceptable scientific name for VII. Species= Capra hircus
every organism.
2. Show relationships between different groups Wild species of goats:
and.
1. Capra aegragus (ancestors of domestic goats)
3. Place every organism into an ordered system
for easy identification. 2. Capra aegragus ibex (called ibex)

The Linnaeus system gives a two-part, unique 3. Capra aegragus falconeri (called makhor)
scientific name to each organism by combining it
genus and species name. The name of the genus is
Classification of Chicken 2. Berkshire

I. Kingdom= Animalia Berkshire is an introduced British pig with erect

II. Phylum= Chordata ears and white hair on the legs, tail and face, the
III. Class= Mammalia rest being black. This pig walks with a stilted walk
IV. Order= ___________ when compared with the native pig. Unlike the
V. Family= Aves native pig its forequarters are not fully developed,
VI. Genus= Galus but its hindquarters are bigger with a lot of meat.
VII. Species= Galus galus Under good management conditions, sows
produce large litters of nine or ten. The sow is a
Classification of Fish (Tilapia)
good mother producing large and healthy piglets.
I. Kingdom= Animalia
3. Tamworth
II. Phylum= Chordata
III. Class= Pieces Tamworth is an introduced pig with erect ears. It is
IV. Order= Teleostei red colored with a long, narrow snort and long,
V. Family= Cichlidae straight face. It is betted adapted for grazing
VI. Genus= Oreochromis because it can root and dig up ground for itself.
VII. Species= Oreochromis niloticus The sow is a reasonably good mother and can
regularly produce a large litter of up to eight.

4. Large white
Species
The large white is an introduced pig. It is a large,
Species is a category used in the taxonomic
pure white animal with a straight snort. The ears
classification of living organisms which is subordinate
are erect and its body is long with good depth of
to a genus; it is generally the final category and is
size. This animal is very easily sunburnt and not
composed of individuals having common
suitable for farming at lower altitudes. Large white
characteristics which distinguish them from other
perform well where there are high management
categories. They are given scientific names to
levels. The average litter size for sows is ten.
differentiate them from other species

Breeds of animals
5. Large black
A breed is a group of individuals having a common
The large is an introduced pig. It is large and black
origin and possessing certain distinguishing
with floppy ears which fall over its eyes. The large
characteristics not common to other members of the
black performs well where there are high
same species.
management levels. The average litter size sows is
Examples of pig breeds and their characteristics. usually nine to ten.

1. Native
6. Landrace
Very common breed found in PNG. Its short dummy
and smooth walker. Body length is short and the The landrace is an introduced pig. It is white in
animal makes very little noise as it walks. It has short colour and easily identified by its large floppy ears
erect ears, long narrow, broad shoulders and light which fall over its eyes. It is easily sunburnt. As
hindquarters. It is a slow growing animal but can grow with the large whit, it requires a level of high
faster if fed an improved diet. The sow is a very good management skills. The sow produce about the
mother and can produce a litter every twelve or same litter size as the large white.
eighteen months. An average litter size is about five.
 7. Wessex saddleback

The Wessex saddleback is an introduced pig and it is

easily recognized by the distinctive whit saddle across
introduced breed or a native pig with and introduced
its shoulders with the rest of its body being black. It
pig. The offspring is called a crossbreed. These features
has large floppy ears and the body length is shorter
are summarized in the table below.
than that of white breeds. The sows are very mothers
with a good litter size. These breeds is well adapted to Cattle breeds
the PNG climate.
1. Simmental Cow
8. Durock 2. Hereford cows
3. French meat breed Salers
This breed is also known as Duroc-Jersey. Durocs have
a solid color hair-coat ranging from a very light golden Goat and Sheep breeds
to a dark mahogany red. The durocs perform better
than other pig breeds in the quality of its muscle. It
also has a low incidence of disease if properly 1. Fine wool ewes (Rambouillet)
managed. Other desirable characteristic include its 2. Long wooled rams (Romney and Lincoln
ability to adapt to various environment conditions, and 3. Primitive breed (Old Norwegian Sheep)
ability to grow well even on village farm waste; low 4. Medium wool ewes
mortality rate if well looked after and high efficiency in 5. Fat-rumped ram
converting feed to meat. Many tropical farmers the 6. Hair sheep (Pelibüey)
duroc to all other breeds. The major problem with the
duroc is that its front legs are usually not very strong.
Careful selection is needed to ensure that this
undesirable characteristics is prevented from being
introduced into a new herd of cross breeds

9. Crossbreds

Many cross breeds found in PNG are obtain from

cross- breeding between introduced breeds (for
example, large black crossed with landrace) or
between an introduced breed and a native breed and
a native breed (for example, Wessex saddle back
crossed with a native pig). Cross breeds are introduced
as a way of combining the desirable characteristics

Although there are many breeds of pig only one or

more is suited to a particular climate. Three types of
pig breeds are found in PNG; the native bush pig, the
introduced pig and crossbreeds. The common
introduced pigs found in PNG are Berkshire,
Tamworth, Large white, Landrace, Wessex saddleback
and large Black. These breeds have their own
characteristics. If farmer wants to have good breed
then he will mate a sow and boar to get an offspring.
This can be done either by mating one introduced
breed with another
 ANDITALE SECONDARY SCHOOL
“Working Harder to Serve the Community”
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
Gr.9 Notes, Term 3, 2025–Compiled by Ms. WANGAE

STRAND 2: ANIMALS

Unit: 3 Animal Farming and Technology

Content Standard 2.3 Students will be able to explore how technology is used in the farming, processing,
preservation, marketing, consumption, regulation, and management of animals in different contexts and
environments, and analyses their advantages and disadvantages.

Benchmark [Link] Analyze and discuss the impact of technology in animal farming.
Topic: Impacts of technology in animal farming

STRAND 2: ANIMALS

Unit: 3 Animal Farming and Technology

Topic: Problems of Using Technologies in Animal Farming

POSITIVE AND NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF TECHNOLOGY ON THE FARMING SYSTEMS IN PNG

The utilization of technology makes human lives very easy with the use of tools and machineries. The evolvement of
technology has advanced from past until today and has changed human lives very completely. Whenever new
technologies are introduced, some changes may take place, not only in the life of the people, but the environment as
well. However, the negative impact of technology can also live a lifetime scar where generations after generation can
face the consequences. The table below summarises the major positive and negative effects of technology on the
farming systems in PNG.
STRAND 2: ANIMALS

Unit: 3 Animal Farming and Technology

Benchmark [Link] Discuss the current and emerging trends in animal farming and justify how it is used to improve
farming, production, and marketing of animal products.

Today livestock farmers increasingly use robots on production or algorithms to optimize their farm management
decisions. Technological developments are creating a new automation system in which smarter and more flexible
work possibilities in livestock production. The automation of animal husbandry and integration of on-farm systems
and processes have a key role to play in facilitating the process of meeting each of important challenges for
competitive market. The main technology is electronic.
ANDITALE SECONDARY SCHOOL and easy to grow. Adult hen can lay 4 to 6 eggs in
“Working Harder to Serve the Community” a week. Can feed family for several days.
AGRICULTURE DEPARTMENT
Gr.9 Notes, Term 3, 2025–Compiled
2. Geese

Friendly and very useful, easy to keep and can

Strand 2: ANIMALS bring variety of rewards. Lays 20 to 40 eggs in a
year and known for its delicious dark meat. It is a
Unit 4: Types of Birds
weedier of flat leafy weeds and an excellent guard
Content Standard 2.4: Students will be able to identify animal – honking loudly when predators or
and evaluate the characteristics of different types of intruders are around. Feeds on ½ pound a day and
domesticated and farmed Birds, categorize them needs water to swallow its food.
according their characteristics, functions, and benefits,
3. Ducks
and investigate the different contexts, environments,
and places where they are farmed. Farmed for thousands of years- different types
such as skinny runners, meat-faced, unique
Topic: TYPES OF DOMESTICATED AND FARMED BIRDS
muscovery plumber swimming breeds which have
Types of domesticated birds their own needs. Use water to bath and swallow
their food and eat. Need space of 4 sq feet per
Domestic bird is neither wild caught not bred in
bird, sleeps on the ground and eats ¼ pounds of
another country and imported. For example, Cockatoo
feed a day.
originates from Australia but is a domestic bird in the
United States of America. When the parent bird bred 4. Guinea Fowl
has its baby hatched within the country that makes the
African bird has blue bald heads and speckled.
bird to be a domestic bird. They offer great
Lays 30 eggs a year and during summer does not
companionship, food and fiber to humans. People
feed. Has better flavor than chicken – use for pest
raise them as pets and to provide fresh eggs every day.
control and has good fresh eggs.
Large commercial chicken industry farms them to
produce egg and meat in large quantities to meet 5. Quail
consumer needs and wants.
Great birds and require space of 1sq feet per bird.
There are 8 common types of pet birds Does not require nest boxes- lays eggs in private
corners – skittish, runs and hides, 200 eggs/year –
1. Budgerigar
tiny and speckled and delicacy. Eats 1.5 grains per
2. Cockatiel
day – should be kept away from large predators
3. Cockatoo
such as rats and cats.
4. Hyacinth Macaw
5. Parrotlet 6. Turkey
6. Green Cheeked conure
7. Hahn‘s Macaw Striking addition to your farm. Male bird, when it’s
happy will show off its plumage and has bright
Types of farmed birds blue head. Originally from Mexico and Central
America. Lays 2 to 3 eggs per week, has good meat
There are 6 farmed birds according to research by
and can be kept as a pet- very affectionate but
Kristen Lie-Nielsen (Aug.14, 2017)
notorious.
1. Chicken

Can be domestic and farmed for its delicious eggs

and meat, has beautiful feathers and make as
great pets. Eat bugs and eats 1\4 pound in a day
Strand 2: Animals

Unit 4: Types of Birds 3. Beak

Benchmark: [Link]. Examine and evaluate the All birds have beaks, or bills, made of a bony core
characteristics of domesticated and farmed birds. surrounded by a thin layer of keratin. Birds do not
have true teeth, but many species have tomia --
Topic: CHARACTERISTICS DOMESTICATED AND
sharp ridges along the edges of their beaks. Birds
FARMED BIRDS
do not chew food but grind or rip it into pieces
Birds can be carnivores, herbivores or omnivores. small enough to swallow. The shape of a bird's
Adult birds find food for their babies. There are beak indicates the bird's general diet. Meat-eaters
five (5) major characteristics of birds by Michelle like hawks and owls have sharp, hooked beaks for
Ullman ripping and tearing. Strong, cone-shaped beaks
help seed eaters break through shells. Ducks and
1. Feathers geese have broad, flat beaks for straining food out
All birds have Feathers as the definite of the water.
characteristic of Aves, found on every living 4. Eggs
species of bird and no other class of animal.
Feathers are made of keratin, the same substance All birds lay eggs, some very colorful or covered
that forms hair and nails in other animals and are with spots. Eggs are not unique to birds, of course,
highly modified scales. Feathers are critical not as fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects also lay
only for flight but also for warmth and protection eggs. A bird egg has a hard shell made mostly of
against the elements -- and in many species, for calcium and a layer of hardened mucus. Inside the
males to attract mates. Soft, fluffy downy feathers egg, the developing embryo receives nutrition
help keep birds warm, contour feathers streamline from the yolk and the albumin, the egg white.
birds ‘bodies and aid in flying, and flight feathers Most birds construct nests to protect their eggs,
on wings and tail give the bird loft. Birds shed, or and then care for the eggs and the hatchlings. The
molt, old feathers once or twice each year, majority of bird species are devoted parents; in
depending on the species. most cases, both male and female care for young.

2. Wings 5. Skeleton

All birds have wings, although not all birds fly. Nor Most birds have lightweight skeletons with hollow
are wings confined to Aves; bats are flying bones. This keeps them light enough for flight.
mammals and most insects have wings. Birds' Many fused bones, including the collarbones or
bodies are beautifully designed for flight, with wishbones, make birds‘skeletons rigid in
strong chest muscles and just enough curve to comparison to mammals'. This helps brace the
their wings to provide lift. Differences in wing birds' wings during flight. Their sternums, or
shape provide different advantages to the various breastbones, are large, providing sturdy
bird species. The narrow, sharp-tipped wings of attachment points for powerful wing muscles.
the falcon provide speed; albatrosses soar high on Flightless penguins have heavy bones filled with
wings much longer than they are wide. Most marrow, helping them to survive in their freezing
songbirds have elliptical, evenly shaped wings that home range. Ostriches have heavy, solid bones in
facilitate quick, small movements in the tight their legs, helping the birds run and defend
spaces of their tree homes. Swimming birds, such themselves with powerful kicks
as penguins and puffins, have flipper-shaped wings
Bird behaviors
that propel them rapidly and gracefully through
water.
Refer to the actions of birds in response to 3. Courtship Behavior – showing its courtship with
environmental situations. Some display instinctive a male or female bird of the same specious
behaviours, while others display learned
4. Nest Building – different birds build their own
behaviours. This means that they care for
nests by nature and specious
themselves by feeding and interacting with other
birds, humans and other animals. The birds view I. Cup Nests
people as part of their flock therefore act II. Cavity Nests
accordingly. III. Other Nest Types
Dominant birds are birds that display their 5. Mating Behavior – between a male and female
behaviours when they believe that they are the bird
head of a pecking order. They can develop bad
behaviours by biting or screeching at people and 6. Mobbing & Predator Evasion - Parent birds
other animals to defend their territory. Following intensely chase, scream & mob, sometimes
are the interpretation of the behaviors that birds directed towards animals that threaten their lives
display; by animals such as rats, jays, squirrels, raccoons,
snakes, etc. when birds are calling and giving an
 Tongue clicking – invitation to interact with alarm because of the threats from the predators.
other birds etc.
 Grinding of the beak – at ease and 7. Fledgling Behavior – behavior shown by the
contentment young birds due to new environment or climatic
 Panting – overheated or uncomfortable changes; when the juveniles have now left their
 Sharp flick of the wing – demonstration of comfortable nest and they seem groggy and
annoyance clumsy as they test their wings. They can land on
 Preening – to keep the feathers in good humans and will find it hard to avoid predators if
condition, the bird smooth its feathers by they don‘t understand their bird languages. They
stroking them with its beak, the garden birds follow their parents begging for food.
do dust baths and splash around in the water. 8. Flocking Behaviors – moving in flocks instead of
 Feeding behavior – changes according to isolation- the juveniles are now self-sufficient, but
temperature, season and time of the day, in remain with the group for safety.
winter they bobble their heads when they are
hungry or excited for being fed. Some birds 9. Migration & Seasonal Movement – flight of
feed at certain time of the day – some species birds from one location to another depending on
are very messy when they feed with the change of seasons.
enthusiasm. Strand 2: ANIMALS
Understanding Bird Behavior” Unit 4: TYPES OF BIRDS
1. Feeding Behavior – various ways of feeding by Benchmark: [Link]. Investigate and explain the
different species of birds importance of Poultry production.
I. Ground Feeding
II. Canopy Feeding Topic: POULTRY
III. Bark Feeding
Poultry
IV. Aerial Feeding
V. Hawking‖ Behavior Poultries are domesticated fowls i.e. chicken,
VI. Predatory Feeding (Hunting) - A heron ducks, turkeys and geese raised for food, either for
hunting voles in the tall grass meat or eggs. Since the 1930s and 1940s
commercial rising of poultry has become one of
2. Territorial Behavior – showing its dominance or
the most efficient producers of protein for human
arrogance behavior
consumption. It has expanded rapidly during
 World War II because of the shortage of beef and into the gizzard where sand grains and small particles
pork, which require a much longer time to develop of grit grind the food up to allow the food to be
i.e. only seven weeks to produce a broiler and five dissolved in the digestive juices. The nutrients are then
months to produce a laying hen. absorbed into the blood stream surrounding the small
intestine. Waste products are passed out through the
In PNG, most domesticated poultry raised are
cloaca. Birds that are carnivorous such as owls and
chickens and ducks, particularly Australorp chicken
eagles have a much shorter small intestine (as in the
and Muscovy duck respectively. Many breeds of
crocodile) than do birds such as chicken that have a
laying chickens and ducks found in Melanesia are
grain-based diet.
fairly good layers and meat producers. It is
therefore, important to know which breeds of Importance of Poultry farming
chicken and ducks are specially bred for high
 Most important aspect of agriculture in
quality egg production
producing meat and egg as part of health and
Types of chicken diet. Commercial farming feeds the large
population in the world.
Chickens are grouped into three types, based on
 Provides research areas in poultry science to
how we use them. They are broilers or fryers
deal with egg and meat production systems,
(meat chickens e.g. Cornish breed), layers (egg
production development, egg and meat
chickens e.g. Leghorn breed) and dual-purpose
quality and economics.
chickens (raised for both meat and eggs e.g.
Australorp breed). Importance of Poultry Production

 Production of eggs , meat and generates

high revenue
Anatomy of Chickens
 Good source of food from eggs and meat

Benefits of poultry production

 It requires less investment compared to

rearing other livestock
 It gives rapid return on investment
 Broilers intake of feed is comparatively
very low while it produces maximum
possible amount of food for us.
 Poultry farming is a continuous source of
revenue and food.

Supply and demand in poultry production

The expectations by consumer population on poultry

production of meat and eggs;

1. Increased Health perceptions: healthier

protein to consume
This figure shows the digestive tract of a hen. 2. Increased in convenience vs. whole bird sales

Birds have a series of stomachs or successive storage Examples- 1980‘s: a shift in the type of meat products
areas in their digestive tract. The first is a storage area people could purchase at the market
called the crops. The crop has some digestive
- Consumer preferred further processed and
function. It softens food such as grains before it passes
already cut-up meat compared to doing it
into the proventiculus where enzymes are produced
themselves at home
and digestion properly starts. The food then passes
 - New products: chicken tenders and other
ready –to eat frozen foods
- Convenience items: rotisserie chickens also
become a big hit

3. Low cost- the price of chicken compared to

other meat is lower because of efficiencies in
productions.
4. Fast food outlets: many meals at fast food
restaurants now have chicken options or are
Figure1: Free-range system in raising poultry.
solely chicken.
5. Designer Eggs; - Contributes to making eggs b) Semi-intensive System
more appealing to health-conscious
consumers, increasing sales. In this system, chickens are housed indoors at night.
During the day, they are left outside in a fenced area
to walk around and free, partly on what they can
Strand 2 ANIMALS scratch from the ground, and partly on commercial
Unit 5: Bird Farming Practices and Management chicken-food.
Systems
Twenty-five broilers would have a yard 3m x 5m. The
Content Standard 2.5 Students will be able to fence should be 1.5m high with posts 3-4 m apart.
investigate and analyze the different types of farm and Chicken-wire fencing is durable and can keep chickens
management principles, systems, and practices used in in and dogs out. If you are using local fencing
different environments and places to farm birds. materials, the posts need to be closer.

Benchmark: [Link] Investigate and appraise the

poultry farming principles, systems, and practices used
in different environments.

Topic: POULTRY FARMING PRINCIPLES, SYSTEMS AND

PRACTICES

MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS IN CHICKEN

a) Free-range System

This is the natural system where the chickens eat

Figure 2: Semi-intensive system of raising poultry.
whatever they can fine and generally are not housed.
Very little, if any, feed is given to the chickens. Free- c) Intensive System
range farming is not as efficient as the other the other
two systems, it requires less capital investment and
skills, production is low. The area available to poultry
is the free range system of management is limited.
They come home at night to a closed or open coop.
Wild animals and dogs can eat some chickens and also
worm infestation and loss due to diseases are high.
The meat of free-range chicken is tastier than the
meat of chickens raised in other systems.
Chicken is an intensive management system are raised
indoors. They are fed with commercially mixed
balanced rations. The initial cost of building a chicken
house, and other costs of production under this
management system, are high. However, returns are
also high, due to efficient use of feed and facilities.
Intensive management systems can be based on deep
litter floors, wire or slatted floors, and battery cages
(layers only).

Figure 3: An intensive system of raising Layer chickens (Battery

cage system).

4. Battery-cage system- especially layer chickens

are raised here, consisting of series of cages
and floors constructed from wire mesh. Feed
and water troughs are hanged on the sides of
cages with an allowance of 10 cm length/bird.
 spread and appear content, the temperature is
probably about right

Poultry diseases
Poultry diseases affect poultry production. It is caused
by infections agents like bacteria, virus and protozoa
when under stress. Parasites like chicken flee feeds on
Brooding poultry birds and causes injuries where it is
Brooding is the providing of warmth for the young susceptible to infection. Infected poultry birds can
chickens and ducklings. An environment created for spread infection to other healthy birds if they are not
the purpose of brooding is called a brooder. Day-old identified immediately. To prevent diseases, good
chicks up to 4 weeks old are brooded in a brooder. management must be provided at all levels at an
acceptable standard.
A brooder can be in different shapes but serves the
same purpose, but the ideal one can be a circular If an outbreak or an infectious disease is found it is
brooder. The main reason for constructing a brooder important to contact a veterinary officer for
are; confirmation, and treatment.

o Temperature and humidity control

Diseases can be caused by two factors;
o Feeds, feeding methods and time of feeding 1. Environmental
o Ventilation control 2. Infectious
o Growth rate monitoring
o Administration of vaccines and drugs Environmental factors
o Arrangements for transfer to rearing house. This is caused by fault in the environment. It can result
from exposure to hot or cold conditions (stress) in the
When the chicks are placed under the brooder,
environment. Also handling errors of the birds can
observe their behavior. If the chicks are crowded cause physical injuries where it is susceptible to
under the brooder, the temperature is too low. If infection. (E.g. Starvation, chilling, thirst and injuries)
the heat is too high, the chicks will stay away from
the lamp. If they move to one side of the brooder, Infectious factors
there is probably a draught. If the birds are evenly This is caused by living organism that seeks comfort
and nutrition from the host organism. These are
mostly parasitic organisms such as bacteria, virus or Generally, technologies are used both in small scale
protozoa. and large scale production systems to meet the needs
(Fowl pox, botulism) and demands of consumption and market of poultry
egg and meat. This includes the appropriate
Strand 2. Animals technologies and expertise and specialties of labor and
Unit 6: Bird Farming and Technology equipment‘s and materials to structure and build
Content Standard 2.6 Students will be able to housing, brooding, feeding systems, water troughs and
investigate how technology is used for bird farming, collecting eggs processes for the production to be of
processing, preservation, marketing, consumption, expected quality output.
regulation, and management in different contexts and
environments, and analyze their strengths and The different Technologies used in production
weaknesses. systems
Benchmark: [Link] Identify and explain the different
Large scale production systems
technologies used in the poultry farming Topic:
TECHNOLOGIES USED IN POULTRY PRODUCTION The requirements for poultry farms and creating
SYSTEMS optimal conditions have fundamentally changed in the
past couple of years. Without new technologies and
There are many types of poultry equipment available modern approaches you cannot guarantee the high
which are necessary for successful poultry farming. efficiency of farms.
Proper management, care, and sufficient equipment
are a must for successful production of poultry. Some Modern farm poultry breeding is a complex of top
essential poultry products/ equipment include poultry technologies. In order to function as a balanced unit, it
housing, incubator, feeder, water pot, heater, laying is necessary to have not only the appropriate
nests, egg handling nests, fencing, flooring, coops and technology, but the experience of a team of top-class
cages, and others. A lot of research has been and specialists - architects, builders, livestock specialists,
continues to be carried to address the challenges of feed and genetic specialists, electrical engineers and
the existing technologies and come up with creative others.
and innovative technologies to make poultry farming,
management, production, and marketing more To maintain the high efficiency and quality of
efficient and productive, while providing safer production the large scale production systems must
products for consumers. Chicken houses, for example, provide the technologies, structures, and building
are now fully computerized and environmentally components for the following poultry production
controlled. The ability to control the temperature in systems;
the houses is a key advancement in the poultry
industry. Many years ago, a serious heat wave would  Feed storage - silos
have caused significant losses. Tunnel ventilation and  Feeding lines and chain conveyors
cooling cells changed the nature of the industry.  Watering lines
Temperature changes can be monitored through  Ventilation and monitoring systems
applications on the cell phones and adjustments can  Cooling systems
be done remotely when necessary. Even on hottest  heating systems
days, the combination of evaporative cooling and wind  Surveillance systems
chill in modern tunnel-ventilated broiler houses keeps  Lighting systems
the temperature the chickens feel in the mid-70s  Laying nests
 Cages and alternative systems
 Egg collection
 Building construction
  Hatcheries
 Processing of manure and composter systems
 Transport of eggs, chicks and feed
 Feed mills

Unit: 6 Bird Farming and Technology

Benchmark: [Link] Explore the advantages and

disadvantages of technologies used in the production
systems in different environments.

Topic: ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF THE

USE OF TECHNOLOGY

Advantages of the technologies used in the

production systems

 Increases the efficiency of the poultry systems

 Streamline relationships with suppliers and
customers
 Increase the speed , flexibility and efficiency
of the production process
 Expand the range of what can be produced
from meat and eggs.

Disadvantages of the technologies used in the

production systems

 May be very costly – you need to have the

capital to start up a poultry farm and its
production system
 To be successful, you need adequate feed for
the birds
 You require the presence of non-acidic clean
water- colorless, odorless, clear and tasteless
for birds to drink.
 Environment to be conducive for bird species
to survive