Introduction 

• In the management of livestock there are many activities that are carried out on animals to enhance production. 

• They require care in feeding, health, breeding.

• Specific management also important in bee and fish farming.

Routing livestock rearing practices. 

• A routine is a fixed/regular way of doing something.

• done repeatedly after a certain period of time

Feeding Practice 

• Animals are fed to cater for both maintenance and production requirements. 

• These are special types of feeding carried out on certain animals to cater for specific needs. 

These include: 

Flushing 

• The practice of giving extra quality feed to an animal around service time. 

• In sheep it is done 2-3 weeks before tupping and 3 weeks after tupping. 

• In pigs it is done 3-4 weeks before service. 

Importance of Flushing 

• It increases conception rates. 

• It enhances implantation of the zygote. 

• In sheep it increases twinning percentage by 15-20%. 

Steaming Up 

• Giving extra quality feed to an animal during the last weeks of gestation. 

• In cattle it is done 6-8 weeks before calving. 

Importance Steaming Up 

• It provides nutrients for maximum foetal growth. 

• It helps in the build up of energy for parturition. 

• It ensures the birth of a healthy animal. 

• It promotes good health of the mother. 

• It increases and maintains high milk yield after birth. 

Creep Feeding 

• Feeding of young animals from birth to weaning. 

Piglets 

• 10 days old - introduced to creep pellets. 

• 5 weeks old - creep pellets mixed with sow and weaner meals. 

• 8 weeks old - weaning. 

Lambs 

• Run with their mothers for natural suckling. 

• Bucks - introduced to succulent feeds and concentrates. 

Kids 

• Meat goats kids suckle naturally. 

• Dairy goats, fed on milk artificially, 

• Given 0.5-1.25 litres up to the third week. 

• Introduced to concentrates at 3-4 months. 

• Weaned at 6-8 weeks of age. 

Parasite and Disease Control Practices 

Vaccination 

• Introducing active disease organsms which are reduced in strength or virulent into the animals' body to induce immunity. 

Administration of Vaccination done through: 

• By injection. 

• Orally through the mouth. 

• By inhalation through the nose. 

• Eye drops. 

Deworming 

• Practice of killing/removing internal parasites by administering drugs known as dewormers / antihelmitics. 

Hoof Trimming 

• Cutting back overgrown hooves with the help of a hoof trimming knife, a hoof cutter or a hoof rasp. 

     Importance 

• Facilitate easy movement. 

• Control of foot rot disease. 

• Facilitate mating - prevent the ram from injuring the ewe during tupping. 

Docking /tailing 

• This is the removal (cutting oft) of tails in sheep during the first week after birth. 

Importance 

• Even distribution of body fat. 

• Facilitate easy mating in adult life. 

• Minimise fouling of the wool with faeces. 

• Reduce incidences of blowfly infestation. 

   Methods of Docking /tailing 

• Cutting with sharp knife or scalpel. 

• Use of elastrator and rubber ring. 

Dipping and Spraying 

• These are methods of applying acaricides on the animals to control external parasites. 

Dusting 

• It is the application of chemical powders on the animal body or on the walls of the animal house to control external parasites. 

• It is used to control stick-fast parasites and fleas in poultry. 

Breeding Practices 

These are practices carried out to enhance successful breeding. 

• Crutching and Ringing 

- Crutching - cutting of wool around the external reproductive organs of female sheep. 

- Ringing - trimming wool around the sheath of the penis of the rams to facilitate mating. 

Tupping and Serving 

- Tupping refers to mating in sheep and goats. 

- Serving refers to mating in cattle and pigs. 

• Raddling 

- This is the practice of fitting the rams with breeding chutes which are painted in different colours during mating 

- to identify mated ewes and to indicate the active rams hence help in culling of the weak rams. 

Identification 

The practice of putting identification marks on animal. 

• Branding - burning marks on the animals skin. 

• Ear tagging - placing marked plastic or metallic tags on the animals ears. 

• Ear notching - cutting different shapes bearing different values on the ear lobes. 

• Tattooing - use of permanent ink or dye to mark animals with light skin. 

• Neck strap or chain - Fixing of tags round the animals neck with a chain or a strap. 

Importance/ purpose of Identification 

• record keeping 

- Setting disputes in case animals get mixed up in the pasture. 

Debeaking 

• Cutting about 1/3 of the upper beak with a knife, scissors or hot iron. 

• Importance 

• Control egg eating. 

• Control cannibalism. 

Tooth Clipping 

• The removal (clipping) of the needle (canine) teeth in piglets 24 hours after birth. 

Culling 

• Removal of undesirable animals from a herd. 

Dehorning 

• Removal of horns or horn buds from an animal. 

       Importance 

• It prevents animals from injuring each other. 

• It makes the animal docile and therefore easy to handle. 

• For easy transportation and feeding. 

• Prevents destruction of farm structures. 

Shearing 

• The practice of cutting wool from all over the body of a sheep. 

• It starts at the age of 8 months and then done once a year. 

• Should be done during the dry season. 

• Tools used: wool shears. 

• Care must be taken not to cut the skin, testicles, udder, vulva and penis. 

Castration 

• It is the rendering unserviceable the testicles of a male animal. 

    Importance 

• To control breeding diseases. 

• To control breeding. 

• For faster growth rates. 

• Increase quality of meat by removing unpleasant smell especially in goats. 

Methods Used: 

• Closed/bloodless method  

- involves use of burdizzo or rubber ring and elastrator. 

- Animals do not bleed but may not be 100% effective. 

• Open method 

- A surgical method used for castrating cocks, piglets and rabbits whose testes are internal. 

- Also used for lambs, kids and calves. 

- Animals bleed a lot. 

- However, it is 100% effective. 

- It is not recommended for mature adults. 

• Caponisation 

- It is the practice of making male birds lose their male characteristics by use of hormones. 

- Hormones used include stilboestrol which is injected into the birds when they are one day old and female hormones implanted beneath the skin at the neck. 

- Birds which have lost their male characteristics in this way are referred to as capons. 

Management During Parturition 

• Parturition is the act of giving birth to fully grown foetus. 

Parturition in Cattle 

• It is referred to as calving. 

• Gestation period lasts 270-285 days after conception. 

• When the signs of parturition are observed the cow should be separated from the rest of the herd. 

• Normal calving should take 2 hours and the normal presentation is the muzzle, face or fore head on top of the forelegs first. 

• In case of other presentations the mother should be assisted. 

• Provide the mother with plenty of water and feed after parturition. 

• If the after birth does not come out within 48 hours a veterinarian should be called to remove it. 

Parturition in Sheep 

• It is referred to as lambing. 

• Gestation lasts 21 weeks (150 days) after conception. 

• The ewe lamb naturally without any problem. 

• If complications arise the ewes should be assisted. 

     Signs of Parturition in Sheep 

• Udder becomes full. 

• Teats are bright red in colour. 

• Restlessness and bleating. 

• Slackening of the hip muscles. 

After these signs 'are seen the ewes should be separated from the others. 

• The normal presentation is forelegs and head first. 

• After birth the mother should be allowed to lick the lamb to ensure the coat is dry. 

Parturition in Goats 

• It is referred to as kidding. 

• It takes place 150 days after conception. 

• Nannies carrying twins, kid a few days earlier. 

• Kidding nannies should be kept in a clean dry place which should be well sheltered. 

• Signs of parturition are similar to those of ewes. 

• Kidding nannies should be kept with another female for company. 

Parturition in Pigs 

• It is referred to as farrowing. 

• Gestation period 113-117 days ( 4 months). 

Signs of Farrowing 

• The sow becomes restless. 

• There is enlargement of the vulva .

• Muscles on each side of the tail slacken. 

• There is loss of appetite. 

• The udder and the teats become enlarged. 

• The sow collects bedding material in one comer to build a nest. 

• Milk present in the teats 24 hours before farrowing. 

After the signs are seen;

• Farrowing takes about 2-6 hours under normal condition. 

• An attendant should be there to assist the mother and piglets. 

• Ensure the removal of the after birth to prevent the sow from eating it. 

• The sow should be fed well and given plenty of clean water. 

Parturition in Rabbits 

• It is referred to as kindling. 

• It takes place 28-32 days after conception. 

• Provide a nesting box and plenty of dry soft beddings in the hutch towards the fourth week of gestation . 

 Signs of Parturition 

• The doe plucks off the fur from her body. 

• Uses the fur to build a nest about 3-10 days earlier. 

Bee Keeping (Apiculture) 

• Bees are insects which live in very well organised colonies. 

Each colony consists of: 

• Queens - fertile females that breed to ensure the continuity of the species. 

• Drones - fertile males that mate with the queen for reproduction process. 

• Workers - non-fertile or sterile females that maintain the colony. 

Duties of Workers 

• They rear and nurse the brood (eggs, larvae and pupae), queen and drones. 

• They collect nectar and make honey. 

• They make the honey combs. 

• They protect the hives. 

• They clean the hive. 

Importance of Bees 

• Collect nectar from flowers. 

• Make honey - a nutritious product used by man as food. 

• Helps in crops pollination of plants.

• Bees produce wax used to make candles. 

• They make propolis - a bee product which is medicinal. 

Routine Management 

Siting/locating of an Apiary

Factors to consider; 

• Nearness or accessibility to nectar or flower-producing vegetation. 

• Areas with shade. Bees are sensitive to the sun's heat and require some shade to protect them. 

• Safe distance from human residence and other livestock. 

• Bees are stinging insects and can be a hazard to humans or other animals. 

• Nearness to a source of water for use in their nutrition. 

• A good distance from source of noise and other disturbances. 

• Safety from predators for example honey badgers, ants (safari ants), birds and other parasites such as wax moths. 

    Feeding 

• Normally bees are self-sufficient in providing their food from the honey they make. 

• However, during the dry season, their feeding should be supplemented by providing a solution (syrup) of sugar water or giving molasses. 

• This should be placed strategically so that it is easily accessible to the bees. 

Parasites 

• Ants 

• Wax moths 

• Bee louse 

• Honey badger 

Control of Parasites 

• Use of physical barriers such as Vaseline/grease to control ants. 

• Smoke the hive to control bee louse. 

• Suspend the hive to control honey badgers. 

• Burn infected combs to control wax moths. 

Diseases and Control 

• African bees are seldom attacked by diseases. 

Harvesting Honey 

Factors to consider; 

• Stage of ripening: Honey must be harvested when it is fully mature. 

• Season of the year: Harvested at the end of the rainy season. 

Procedure 

• Blow light smoke through the hole. 

• This makes bees suck honey and become engorged and docile. 

• Lower the hive to the ground. 

• Open the hive to expose honey combs. 

• Brush the bees off the honey combs. 

• Cut the honey combs, leaving a small margin on the bars and keep them in a closed container. 

Honey Processing 

• Using heat in a water bath to melt the honey. 

• Crushing and straining. 

• Using a centrifugal extractor. 

Precautions When Handling Bees 

• Avoid excessive smoking. 

• This kills the brood and lowers quality of the honey. 

• Use protective clothing to avoid sting. 

• Protect the hive from rain water. 

• Use clean equipment and containers to avoid contamination of the honey. 

• Use recommended method of extracting honey. 

• Use recommended type of hive such as Kenya top bar hive. 

Fish Keeping (Aquaculture) 

Introduction 

• The rearing or keeping of fish is called fish farming and is normally carried out in specially prepared ponds. 

A good fish-pond should have the following features:

• Site should be on a fairly level ground with a permanent supply or source of water. 

• The area should have clayey soil to avoid loss of water through seepage.

• Water must be free from any pollutants such as chemicals and other wastes. 

Construction should provide for: 

• an inlet for fresh supply of water, 

• a spill ¬way channel to take off overflow or excess water, 

• an outlet to drain off the water when it is necessary to replace pond water, 

• a fence to keep off predators and other intruders. 

Feeding Fish 

• Fish naturally feed on worms, insects and algae in the ponds. 

These sources of food must be supplemented by throwing in the pond ;

• kitchen wastes, 

• chopped vegetable materials such as cabbage leaves, 

• cereal brans 

• brewers' grain . 

Management Practices to Ensure Maximum Harvest of Fish 

• Control of stocking rate, that is to, have the recommended population of fish in a pond at anyone time. 

• Harvest at the correct maturity stage. 

• This is done by using the fishing net with correct mesh sizes to avoid catching the fingerlings. 

• Avoid water pollution in the ponds which may poison fish. 

• Ensure adequate supply of food in the pond. 

• Water in the ponds should be kept in motion to facilitate aeration. 

• Maintain appropriate depth (level) of water. 

• Control predators and/or thieves. 

• Drain and refill ponds with fresh water as necessary. 

Harvesting Fish 

• Harvesting or extracting fish from the fish¬ ponds for consumption 

Two main methods: 

• Hook-and-line method: 

- This is slow, injures small fish and is inefficient. 

- It is only suitable for small-scale fishing. 

• Use of fishing nets:

- This is the most efficient method as long as a net with the correct mesh sizes is used. 

- Harvesting may be done 6-8 months after the introduction of fingerlings into the fish pond. 

Maintenance of the Fish Pond 

• Repairing the dyke or any structure on it. 

• Cleaning the pond and removing foreign materials. 

• Planting grass where necessary. 

• Removing un desirable vegetation. 

• Removing the silt. 

Fish Preservation 

Practices before preservation: 

• Clean the fish to remove mud and any worms. 

• Removing scales and slime. 

• Opening the fish on the side to remove the gut and the intestines referred to as gutting. . 

• Cleaning the abdominal cavity thoroughly. 

• Keeping fish in open containers. 

Methods of Preservation 

• Freezing 

• Salting 

• Sun drying 

• Smoking 

Appropriate Handling of Livestock During Management 

• Physical beating should be avoided. 

• Structures which help in restraining animals should be used whenever applicable. 

• The correct methods of securing and casting animals should be used. 

• Use as little force as possible. 

• Equipment such as ropes, halters, lead stick and bull rings are used to handle animals appropriately.