Give three advantages and three disadvantages of the deep litter system of poultry management….

Explanation

(a) Advantages and Disadvantages of the deep litter system of poultry management:
Advantages  
– It increases efficiency in poultry management 
– It maximizes the use of land/large flock of birds can be managed 
-It maximizes the use of labour/cost of labour is reduced 
-Birds are well protected / protection from predators and thieves 
-Cost of labour is reduced 
-Easy to control houseflies and mosquitoes 
-Birds are able to exercise Suitable for rearing breeding stock 
– Birds are protected against harsh weather 

Disadvantages 
– Cost of construction of deep litter house is high 
– Cannibalism and pecking among birds are common 
– There is wastage of feed by birds 
– Litter makes eggs dirty 
– Diseases spread easily 
– Not easy to identify unproductive birds 
– Pecking of eggs/destruction of eggs is common 
-Pests e.g. lice, fleas etc. infestation is high 
-Feed and water contamination is high  
– Difficult to keep records on individual birds 
-Disease control measures are difficult to carry out.

(b) Reasons for carrying out animal husbandry practices 
(i) Castration of goats 
-To control indiscriminate mating
– To quicken the fattening-up process
 – To remove offensive odour 
-To prevent spread of sexually transmitted diseases 
– To tame the Billy goat/docility Animals feed better/grow faster 

(ii) Creep feeding of pigs
– To avoid overlay of piglets by sow
– To keep the feed meant for the piglets out of reach of sows 
– To provide highly nutritious diet to the piglets for their rapid development
– It facilitates early weaning of piglets 
-Allows for early servicing of sows

 (c) Local breeds of cattle reared in West Africa 
-Kuri 
-Muturu/ West African Short Horn 
– White Fulani 
– Red Bororo 
– Sokoto Gudali 
-N’dama 
– Keteku/Borgu/Sanga/Mere 
– Wadara/Shuwa 
– Azawal 
-Boule 
-Adamawa 
-Lagune
– Somba/Kapsiki/Namohi/Bakosi