Comprehensive Animal Science Review – Flashcards

A broad set of question-and-answer flashcards covering key facts in animal production, reproduction, nutrition, behaviour and management drawn from the provided lecture notes.

What anatomical feature allows hedgehogs to copulate without injury?

The male’s penis is located mid-abdomen and the female raises her tail out of the way.

Why must bears be handled carefully during restraint?

They are very prone to hyperthermia (over-heating).

How much linear feeder space is required per chick?

5–8 cm (about 2–3 inches) per chick.

What brooder temperature is recommended for 1-week-old chicks?

≈ 32 °C (range 31–33 °C).

What is the ideal relative humidity inside a chicken egg incubator?

About 70 % RH.

How long is the incubation period of the Mallard duck?

35–37 days.

Approximately how many litres of water are used to slaughter one head of cattle?

About 240 L.

Which carcass trait has the highest heritability in pigs?

Back-fat thickness.

Which trait has the lowest heritability in layer chickens?

Egg weight.

What structural feature is essential when building housing for goats?

An elevated, well-drained floor.

In what order should animals be visited to minimise disease spread on a farm?

From the youngest to the oldest animals.

Which vitamin is NOT synthesised by rumen microbes?

Vitamin D.

How soon after foaling (parturition) does a mare normally return to estrus?

About 9 days (foal heat).

How soon after weaning do sows usually return to estrus?

3–7 days.

A sow returning to estrus 35 days after service indicates what?

Failure of conception / pregnancy loss.

From which side is a boar best evaluated for breeding soundness?

From the rear view.

Bow-leggedness in pigs is best assessed from which view?

The front (anterior) view.

Give two common routes for mass vaccination of chicks against Newcastle disease.

Intra-ocular (eye drop) and coarse spray (also via drinking water).

What percentage of body-weight dry matter does a growing foal require daily?

About 1.5–2.5 % of body weight.

On which days are chicken eggs commonly candled?

Day 11 and Day 18 of incubation.

Which chemical is used to neutralise residual chlorine in drinking water for animals?

Sodium bisulfite.

What is the incubation period of an ostrich egg?

≈ 42 days (range 42–45 days).

At what temperature is frozen semen stored for artificial insemination?

−160 °C to −170 °C in liquid nitrogen vapour.

The ‘paunch’ of a ruminant is better known as the _.

Rumen.

Which agricultural by-product is most abundant in Region 10 of the Philippines?

Pineapple residues.

What is the meat of a goat called?

Chevon.

At what age do horses usually reach sexual maturity?

About 2 years of age.

A goat with two permanent incisors is approximately how old?

1 year old.

What moisture level is ideal when making silage?

60–70 % moisture (30–40 % dry matter).

Aside from weight, name two visual traits considered when selecting broilers.

Comb and wattle development, and feather colour.

What colour is fresh buffalo milk?

Bluish-white.

Which small mammal practices cecotrophy (eating soft faecal pellets)?

Rabbit.

Which poultry species has a 28-day incubation period?

Turkey.

In horse dentistry, what is the purpose of ‘floating’?

To remove sharp enamel points on the teeth.

How many hours of light per day are needed to stimulate egg laying in layers?

14–16 hours of light.

Simmental cattle are primarily used for what purpose(s)?

Dual-purpose: beef (meat) and draft power (and milk in some systems).

Chickens aged 7–16 weeks are referred to as what?

Pullets.

Deficiency of which mineral can cause grass tetany?

Magnesium deficiency.

What is the typical market age of a baconer pig?

8–10 months old.

Which vitamin deficiency causes polyneuritis in poultry?

Vitamin B₁ (thiamine) deficiency.

Define ‘cribbing’ in horses.

The horse grasps a solid object with its incisors, flexes its neck, and swallows air.

Define ‘windsucking’ in horses.

The horse swallows air without grasping an object with its teeth.

Which pig breed originates from China and is NOT considered a Western breed?

Meishan.

Which pig breed is mahogany-red, noted for lean meat?

Duroc.

In horse height measurement, one ‘hand’ equals how many inches?

4 inches (≈ 10.16 cm).

What is a ‘balanced ration’?

A feed mixture that supplies all necessary nutrients in proper proportions for the animal’s purpose.

Which fence material should never be used for horses?

Barbed wire.

Why must a rabbit’s hind limbs be supported when carrying it?

To prevent kicking that can cause spinal (back) fracture.

At approximately what age is a gilt first bred?

Around 8 months of age (after the 2nd or 3rd estrus).

What is the primary purpose of a farrowing crate?

To prevent the sow from crushing her piglets.

When during bovine gestation can ‘membrane slip’ be palpated?

Day 30–35 of pregnancy.

The most variable phase of the canine estrous cycle is _.

Anestrus.

In tilapia, where are the fry brooded?

Inside the mouth of the female (mouth-brooding).

Which laboratory animal performs ‘popcorning’ jumps when excited?

Guinea pig.

What vitamin must be supplemented to animals fed mainly frozen fish?

Thiamine (Vitamin B₁).

Which true horse coat colour is determined by modifying genes rather than base colour?

Gray.

Which pig breed is identified by six white points on a black body?

Berkshire.

Which white pig breed has erect ears?

Pietrain (also noted for PSS susceptibility).

At what age do milkfish (Chanos chanos) reach sexual maturity?

About 5–7 years; in captivity ≈ 5 years.

What is the fleshy outgrowth on the mandible of chickens and turkeys called?

Wattle.

What is the ideal moisture content of cured hay?

18–22 % moisture (78–82 % dry matter).

‘Concentrates’ are characterised nutritionally as .

Low in fibre and high in energy (and/or protein).

Which chicken breed is considered dual-purpose for meat and eggs?

Plymouth Rock.

What sterile hybrid results from mating a jack (male donkey) with a mare?

A mule.

Describe the ‘frog’ of a horse’s hoof.

A V-shaped, rubbery pad on the underside of the hoof that aids shock absorption.

How much water should remain when aquarium water is changed monthly?

About one-quarter (¼) of the original volume should be left to preserve beneficial bacteria.

Recommended breeding age for dairy cows is about _.

2 years (when they calve around 24 months).

Recommended breeding age for sows in backyard systems?

Around 7–8 months (after reaching 100–120 kg).

Bangus (milkfish) naturally thrives in what type of water?

Brackish water (estuarine and coastal areas).

Which chicken breed lays blue-green coloured eggs?

Araucana (and related Easter-egger types).

Name one indigenous chicken breed from Palawan, Philippines.

Paraokan.

Sexual maturity of ostriches occurs at about what age?

≈ 2–2.5 years (females a little earlier than males).

Which farm animal is considered precocial at birth?

The calf (and most ungulates).

Backyard (small-scale) broiler farms in the Philippines usually house up to how many birds?

Up to 1 000 broilers.

What is Pennisetum purpureum commonly called and what is its feed category?

Napier grass; a tropical fodder grass.

At what age are layer-type chicks commonly debeaked?

Around 9 days old.

At what age are male water buffaloes (carabao) usually castrated for draft?

About 4 years of age.

What behavioural sign is shown by bulls when angry?

They arch their back and may paw the ground or bellow.

Traditional dye used for colouring Philippine salted eggs comes from what leaves?

Guava leaves (tannin source).

Normal gestation length of a rabbit is about days.

31 days (28–33 days range).

Which toxic amino acid is found in Ipil-ipil (Leucaena leucocephala)?

Mimosine.

Which swine breed is highly susceptible to porcine stress syndrome (PSS)?

Pietrain.

What is the major component of saliva in all livestock?

Water.

A newborn rabbit (kit) is born with what characteristics?

Blind, deaf and furless.

Define a ‘barrow’.

A male pig castrated before sexual maturity.

What is meant by a ‘narrow’ protein–energy ratio in feed?

High protein relative to carbohydrates; used for young/growing animals.

What physical difference distinguishes a buck (male goat) from a ram (male sheep)?

The buck commonly has a beard; a ram typically does not.

How should a small lizard be restrained safely?

Hold it just posterior to the jaw with gentle support of the body.

What is the main cause of lead poisoning in wild ducks?

Ingestion of lead shot from gunfire.

Which Asian swine breed is known for large litter size and wrinkled skin?

Meishan.

What is the most accurate method of pregnancy diagnosis in sows under 30 days gestation?

Real-time B-mode ultrasound scanning.

Grooming behaviour in monkeys primarily serves what purpose?

Social bonding and hygiene (removal of parasites).

Lorikeets have brush-tipped tongues; what do they mainly eat?

Nectar and soft fruits.

Optimum time limit for a foal to absorb maternal antibodies from colostrum is within .

The first 18 hours after birth.

Minimum fibre level recommended in pig diets to avoid digestive upset is %.

About 10 % crude fibre.

A feed with a carbohydrate-to-protein ratio greater than 8 : 1 is called a ration.

Wide (energy-dense, low-protein) ration.

Which Mediterranean chicken breed lays white-shelled eggs?

Minorca.

What endangered raptor is the national bird of the Philippines?

The Philippine eagle (Pithecophaga jefferyi).

What is the principal protein found in milk?

Casein.

Define ‘intromission’.

Insertion of the penis into the vagina during copulation.