Few candidates attempted this question and their performance was below average. In questions 7(a) and 7(b), majority of the candidates could. not list the characteristics of beef cattle and mention the features a farmer should consider in selecting a rabbit for breeding.
Characteristics of beef cattle:
- Ability to fatten
- High food conversion efficiency
- Possession of good quality carcass
- Short legs and horns.
- Thick muscles in· meat carrying parts such as shoulder and loin
- Long, broad back and squared lumps/blocky/rectangular body conformation
Features to consider in selecting a rabbit for breeding:
- Select from families which have large and big litter
- Select from families that grow fast /families with high feed conversion ration
- Select from those that show resistance to diseu.se:~i/disease free stock
- Select from parent stock with heavy milk producing ability/Good mothering ability.
- Select from reliable breeders who have records of their litters
- Select from those that wean five litters a year/high prolificacy
However, in question 7{c), many candidates were able to name female reproductive hormones and state one function of each.
