Theory question 104
Pasture and Forage(a) A piece of land measuring 200m by 150m is to be used to establish a pasture of Pancium maximum. What would be the plant population if the spacing is 50cm by 50cm and the expected germination percentage is 70? (b) Mention four marketing agents invloved in the distribution of milk. (c) State five causes of low production of ruminants in West Africa. (d) (i) Explain the term fodder crop. (ii) Give three examples of fodder crops.
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(a) Area = 200 × 150 = 30,000 m²; space per plant = 0.5 × 0.5 = 0.25 m²; plants = 30,000 ÷ 0.25 = 120,000; at 70% germination: 0.7 × 120,000 = 84,000 plants
(b) Any four: producer/dairy farmer; collector/assembler; processor (dairy company); wholesaler; retailer; cooperative society; transporter
(c) Any five: poor local breeds; poor nutrition, especially in the dry season; diseases and parasites (e.g. trypanosomiasis); poor management/extensive system; lack of capital and credit; inadequate veterinary services; land tenure problems; high cost of feed; farmer-herder conflicts; poor marketing
(d)(i) Fodder crop: a crop grown to be cut and carried to animals as fresh feed or conserved as hay or silage
(ii) Any three: elephant grass; Guinea grass; maize/sorghum (for silage); Leucaena; Gliricidia; Centrosema; cowpea
Show each step of the calculation in (a).