12.2 - Animal Husbandry

Animal husbandry refers to the care, breeding, and management of animals to enhance their production and productivity. It includes practices like feeding, breeding, health management, and ensuring proper care for animals. The major branches of animal husbandry are cattle farming, poultry farming, fish production, and bee keeping.

12.2.1 - Cattle Farming

Cattle farming is the process of raising cattle for various products such as milk, meat, leather, and draft power. There are two main types of cattle farming:

• Dairy Farming: Focused on the production of milk and its by-products.
• Beef Farming: Focused on raising cattle for meat production.

Cattle are fed a balanced diet of grass, silage, grains, and fodder. Proper breeding, disease control, and health management are essential in improving productivity. The scientific management of cattle also involves breeding for better milk yield, faster growth, and disease resistance.

12.2.2 - Poultry Farming

Poultry farming refers to the breeding and rearing of birds, mainly chickens, for their eggs and meat. There are two main types of poultry farming:

• Layer Farming: Primarily for the production of eggs.
• Broiler Farming: Primarily for the production of chicken meat.

Poultry farming includes providing the right temperature, space, and nutrition to ensure healthy birds. Disease control is critical, and vaccination programs are implemented to prevent outbreaks. The major components of poultry management are:

• Housing: Well-ventilated, clean, and spacious shelters.
• Feeding: A balanced diet of grains, protein supplements, vitamins, and minerals.
• Health Care: Regular vaccinations and disease prevention measures.

12.2.3 - Fish Production

Fish farming, also known as aquaculture, involves the breeding, rearing, and harvesting of fish and other aquatic organisms. Fish farming can be done in freshwater or saltwater environments. The key aspects of fish production include:

• Species Selection: Choosing species of fish that are suitable for farming in specific water conditions.
• Water Management: Maintaining the quality of water by controlling parameters such as temperature, pH, oxygen levels, and salinity.
• Feeding: Fish are fed specially formulated diets to promote growth and health.
• Harvesting: Fish are harvested once they reach marketable size.

Fish farming helps meet the demand for fish products, reducing pressure on wild fish populations. Common species farmed include tilapia, carp, salmon, and trout.

12.2.4 - Bee Keeping

Bee keeping, or apiculture, is the practice of managing honeybees for the production of honey, beeswax, and other bee-related products such as royal jelly and propolis. Key points in bee keeping include:

• Bee Hive Management: Beekeepers maintain and manage hives to encourage optimal honey production.
• Feeding: During periods of low nectar flow, beekeepers may feed bees sugar syrup to ensure they have enough food.
• Pollination: Bees play a crucial role in pollinating crops, which helps increase agricultural productivity.
• Health Management: Regular inspection for diseases such as American Foulbrood and Varroa mite infestations is important.

Bee keeping is an environmentally sustainable practice that supports biodiversity by promoting pollination in agricultural fields.