Factors Affecting Livestock Performance

Genetics

100

An animals genotype describes its........

Genetic make-up of an animal = genotype

200

A breed is.......

a group of animals (or plants) that through selection and breeding, have come to have a set of uniform traits that are passed along uniformly to their offspring

300

A phenotype describes an animals

Visual appearance + production, things we can observe

400

An animals maximum production capacity is determined by its......

genetics

500

Why don't we always breed 'purebred' animals?

Heterosis/hybrid vigour

• combining genetics from 2 different breeds can boost production above the average of the parents,

Climate

100

What is the difference between weather and climate?

Weather = what the weather is doing at the time

Climate = patterns in weather over time

200

True or False, young animals are more sensitive to climatic conditions

True

Young animals have less ability to thermoregulate so are much more sensitive to climatic conditions

300

Identify 4 signs of a heat stressed animal

Signs of heat stress – panting, increased RR, increased water intake, reduced appetite, lethargic, increased salivation/drooling

400

Besides making them uncomfortable, a big risk associated with sunburn on pigs and freshly shorn sheep is.......

secondary infection

500

Heat stress impacts livestock production in a number of ways. Identify 3 main impacts

• First consequence: reduced feed intake = reduced growth
• Reduced fertility and reduced immune function = increased disease risk
• Can also impact quality of animal products eg egg size and thickness of egg shells, fat and protein content in milk, colour and water holding capacity of meat – less appealing, ^ waste, reduces price
• severe cases, seizure, unconsciousness or death

Nutrition

100

Cattle have what type of digestive system?

Ruminant

200

True or False: An animal's maintenance energy requirement doesn't change as they grow

False

different animals have different nutritional needs @ different life stages and in different conditions

300

What happens if livestock nutrition is inadequate?

Inadequate nutrition can lead to stunting – animals don’t grow/develop as they should. Eg lambs stay short and get pot bellies

400

What factors influence an animals maintenance energy requirements?

•  the animal’s weight
• the animal’s body composition (fat or thin)
• the animal’s physiological status (pregnant, lactating or dry)
• whether the animal is diseased or healthy
• Production requirements – high-producing animals have higher energy requirements eg single vs twin lambs
• climate

500

What major advantage does ruminant digestion have?

Ruminants can make amino acids through digestion

Disease

100

what are the 4 main categories of livestock disease?

hereditary, metabolic, microbial, metazoal

200

Identify one management control that can be used to reduce the impact of parasites on livestock.....

rotational grazing, quarantine of new stock, resting paddocks

300

What is biosecurity?

procedures and practices aimed to prevent a disease or pest being introduced onto a property or into a livestock population

400

Standard sheep/cattle vaccines such as 5in1 and 6in1 help prevent diseases in which category?

Clostridial (bacterial)

500

The release of Calici virus to control rabbit populations is an example of what type of control method.....

Biological Control

Lucky Dip

100

What do we mean by growth?

Growth = increases in size and weight

200

What do we mean by development?

Development = changes in form and function > maturation of reproductive organs

300

What does NLIS stand for?

National Livestock Identification System

400

Yarding and transporting cattle in hot weather should be avoided where possible as it leads to an increased risk of.....

Heat Stress

500

Bos indicus cattle breeds are natually more resistant to ticks than Bos taurus breeds, this is an example of what type of control?

Genetic Control