The West African Examinations Council (WAEC) 2026 syllabus will therefore seek to assess candidates’ knowledge and skills in:

(1) basic animal production practices such as feeding, housing, pest and disease control;

(2) efficient and effective management of animal enterprise;

(3) efficient processing, preservation, packaging, storage and marketing of animal products;

(4) basic entrepreneurial skills in animal husbandry related vocations;

(5) basic knowledge and skills in animal improvement and health.

REQUIREMENTS

(1) Schools offering Animal Husbandry are expected to raise at least one species of farm animals from each of the following groups:
(a) monogastrics e.g. poultry, pigs, snails, camel, donkey, horse, rabbit, bee.
(b) ruminants e.g. cattle, sheep and goat.

(2) It is recommended that the schools should have agricultural laboratories.

(3) It is also recommended that candidates keep practical notebooks and specimen albums which should contain records of activities undertaken and observations made on the school farm and field trips and of specimens collected.

(4) It is also expected that the study would be supplemented by visits to well established livestock and poultry farms, abattoirs, feed mills, animal product-based companies and other institutions related to animal

EXAMINATION SCHEME

There will be three papers, Papers 1, 2 and 3 all of which must be taken. Papers 1 and 2 will be a composite paper to be taken at one sitting

PAPER 1: Will consist of forty multiple choice questions all of which should be answered within 40 minutes for 40 marks.

PAPER 2: Will consist of six essay questions drawn from the entire syllabus. Each question carries 20 marks. Candidates will be required to answer four questions within 2 hours for a total of 80 marks.

PAPER 3: Will be a practical paper for school candidates and a test of practical work paper for private candidates. Each version will consist of four questions all of which should be answered within 1½ hours for 60 marks

A. LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION

Importance of Farm Animals
- Sources of food (meat, milk, eggs, honey, etc.)
- Raw materials (hide, skin, bones, hooves, hair/fur, eggshells)
- Source of manure (fertilizer, biogas, biofuel), growing of maggots and earthworms
- Source of eed ingredients (blood meal, bone meal, mat and bone meal, snail shell, egg shell, feathers, etc.)
- Animal power (animal traction, transportation)
- Research (laboratory, field), drugs, vaccines, hormones, etc.
- Source of employment
- Sales of products and by-products
- Social functions e.g. payment of bride price, cultural displays (weddings)
- For security e.g. ducks, bees, turkeys
- As pets e.g. rabbits, sheep, chickens
- Sports and games e.g. horse racing
Classification of Farm Animals
- Based on stomach type:
  - Simple stomach/ Non-ruminant (monogastric): poultry (avian), pigs, rabbits, horses, donkeys, snails, bees, grasscutters
  - Complex stomach/ Ruminants (polygastric): cattle, sheep, goats
- Identification:
  - External features of common ruminants and non-ruminants
  - Differences should be based on type of stomach and type of feed consumed
Internal Organs and Functions
- Liver, lungs, heart, kidney, spleen, pancreas, stomach, crop, caecum, gizzard, intestines, tongue
Body Systems and Functions
- Digestive, respiratory, nervous, circulatory, skeletal, reproductive systems. Students are expected to understand the functions of each system.
Reproduction in Farm Animals
- Definition of key terms used in livestock reproduction. (ovulation, oestrus cycle, heat period, signs of heat, mating, gestation, parturition, lactation, colostrum, flushing, steaming up, dystocia, vaginal prolapse, etc.)
- Reproduction in livestock (mammals): detection of heat, mating systems, pregnancy detection and signs of parturition.
- Reproduction in poultry: Knowledge of the process of egg formation in poultry is required
- Reproductive hormones: sources and roles of female hormones (oestrogen, progesterone, relaxin, oxytocin, etc) and male hormones (testosterone/ androgen) should be emphasised
- Management of pregnant farm animals: regular and adequate feeding, body exercise, steaming up, separation from male animals, provision of clean and adequate water and administration of drugs where necessary, dipping to eliminate ecto-parasites, parturition, etc.
Livestock Management Systems
- Knowledge of livestock management systems: intensive, semi-intensive and extensive systems is required. Discussion should include advantages and disadvantages of each of the systems.
Management Practices of Livestock
- Housing requirements for each of the farm animals and students are expected to have the knowledge of the use of local materials for construction of animal houses
- Understanding of other management practices: feeding, sanitation, hygiene, castration, dehorning, deworming, vaccination, inoculation, culling, debeaking, smoking (in bees), docking (detailing), means of identification of farm animals (tattooing, branding, ear-notching, rings etc), isolation, weaning, care of the young animal until they are weaned etc, is essential.
- Simple record keeping including income and expenditure accounts is necessary. Importance of each of these practices should be discussed.
- Discussion should also include the management practices from birth to maturity of a named large ruminant, small ruminant, poultry, pigs, grasscutter, bees and snails.

B. ANIMAL NUTRITION

Meaning and Classes of Animal Feeds
- Discussion should include the meaning of animal nutrition, feed nutrients (carbohydrates, proteins, fats and oil, vitamins, minerals and water), their functions and sources and their deficiencies in farm animals.
- Students should also be exposed to classification of animal feeds into concentrates, roughages, supplements, feed additives etc.
Animal Feeds and Feeding
- Livestock rations: Study should include meaning of livestock rations and types (balanced, maintenance, production rations.
- Malnutrition: meaning, causes, symptoms and practical ways to check malnutrition such as feeding balanced rations to animals, feeding weaker animals separately, deworming animals, giving supplementary feeds, addition of feed additives to stimulate appetite, protecting animals from toxic plants and harmful substances, adjusting stocking rates appropriately, provision of good quality and adequate water etc, should be studied
Formulation of Livestock Rations
- Students should be exposed to practical diet formulations for the different classes of farm animals (starter, grower and finisher diets).
- Students should be able to identify different feed ingredients used for diet formulations e.g. blood meal, fish meal, cotton seed cake, oyster shell, groundnut cake, maize grains, salt, premix, glycine etc.
- Factors to consider in feed formulation for farm animals e.g. physiological status of animal, species, age, body weight, production target, acceptability of feed, nutrient composition of the feed, ingredient availability, cost of feed ingredients etc, should be studied.
Processing and Marketing of Animal Products
- Processing techniques for different farm animal products:
  - The processing techniques to include; pre-slaughtering, slaughtering and post-slaughtering activities.
  - Hygienic conditions in processing are also important.
  - Students should understand slaughtering techniques for different farm animals. Students should also be exposed to processing of animal products e.g. egg, milk, meat, skin, wool, honey, snail shell and feathers, fur, hooves, horns, blood, faeces/droppings into other forms (value addition).
- Marketing of animal products:
  - Understanding of common marketing channels and agents such as producers, wholesalers, retailers, consumers etc is required.
  - Advantages and disadvantages of each marketing channel and agent should be discussed.

C. PASTURE AND RANGE MANAGEMENT

Pasture Management
- Meaning and importance of pasture and forage crops: Discussion should include definition, examples and importance of pasture and forage crops.
- Types and features of pasture/forage crops: Understanding of the types and features of pasture and forage crops is required.
- Terminologies in pasture management: Knowledge of basic terminologies in pasture management is required.
Rangeland Improvement
- Meaning and characteristics: Understanding of the meaning and features of rangeland is required.
- Methods of rangeland: Knowledge of methods of rangeland improvement (reseeding, rotational grazing, controlled stocking, deferred grazing, controlled burning, fertilizer application, pest control, disease control etc is required.
- Importance of rangeland: Knowledge of the role of rangeland in livestock production e.g. provision of vegetable and grasses for animals, exercise, provision of hay and silage etc is required.

D. ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT

Meaning of Animal Improvement:
- Terminologies in animal improvement: Understanding of the meaning and terminologies used in animal improvement is required.
- Aims/ Importance of Farm Animal Improvement: Knowledge of aims: high reproductive efficiency, potency, mothering ability, cool temperament, high libido, resistance to pests, resistance to diseases, tolerance to harsh environment, etc is required.
Methods of Farm Animal Improvement
- Methods Used in Farm Animal: Discussion should include various methods used in farm animal improvement: introduction, selection and breeding
- Merits and demerits of methods used in farm and animal improvement: Students are required to understand the merits and demerits of each method used in farm animal improvement.
Artificial Insemination
- Meaning of artificial insemination: Explanation of the term artificial insemination is required
- Methods of artificial insemination: Discussion to include identification of materials, methods, steps and precautions in carrying out artificial insemination.
- Advantages of Artificial Insemination: Knowledge of advantages of artificial insemination is required.

E. ANIMAL HEALTH

Farm Animal Diseases and Pathogens
- Concept, causal agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa): Knowledge of meaning and causal agents (bacteria, viruses, fungi, protozoa) of diseases in farm animals is required.
- General symptoms of diseases in farm animals: Discussion to include signs of a sick animal e.g. loss of appetite, loss of weight, diarrhea, high body temperature, blood stained urine, gnashing of teeth, discharges from natural openings, blood stained feaces, ruffled feathers or fur, standing hair, undue noise, excessive salivation, anaemia, staggering gait, difficulty in breathing, coma, sudden death etc.
- Diseases of farm animals, prevention and control: Ability to identify the main diseases of farm animals, their causal agents, mode of transmission and symptoms is required. Simple preventive and control measures including the use of antibiotics and ethno veterinary practices are required.
- Factors predisposing farm animals to diseases: Knowledge of factors that predispose farm animals to diseases e.g. poor nutrition, poor health status, poor sanitation, inadequate bio security, overcrowding, unfavourable weather conditions, low immunity etc is required.
Livestock Parasites and Pests
- Livestock Parasites:
  - Understanding of the meaning, classes, control/prevention and effects of parasites on farm animals is required.
  - Discussion to include life cycles of the parasites.
  - Ability to identify and understand economic importance of ecto-parasites (ticks, lice, mites, fleas etc.) is required.
  - Ability to identify and understand endo-parasites (tapeworm, roundworm, hookworm, pinworm, liver fluke, trypanosome etc) is required.
- Livestock Pests:
  - Knowledge of livestock pests (rodents, snakes, soldier ants, birds, weevils, termites, flies etc), prevention/control using dewormers, acaricides, pesticides and ethno veterinary practices, and effects of pests on farm animals will be assessed.
  - Ability to identify and knowledge of economic importance of storage pests (rodents, weevils, termites, cockroaches etc), field pests (soldier ants, birds, snakes flies etc) are required.

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY (PRACTICALS)

Products & by-products of farm animals: Ability to identify and knowledge of the uses of animal products and by-products such as meat, eggs, milk, honey, hides, skin, blood, hair, wool, feathers, horn, hooves, bones, snail shell, animal dung etc. will be assessed.
Identification of farm animals: Ability to describe, draw and label the external parts of farm animals will be assessed
Internal organs and functions:
- Ability to identify and draw the major internal structures in the various body systems of a named ruminant, poultry and pig is required.
- Differences in the structures and their functions will also be assessed.
Tools and equipment used in management of farm animals: Ability to identify the following tools and the equipment used in animal management practices is required e.g:
- Housing (head pan, trowel, shovel/spade, hammer, pincers, pliers, spanner, screw driver etc)
- Brooding (coal pots, kerosene stoves, hurricane lantern, electric bulb, hoover, chick feeder, flat trays, chick drinker, brood guard/surround, thermometer, hygrometer etc)
- Feeding (feeders, drinkers, weighing scale etc)
- Identification (branding iron, ear clips, neck chains, marker, ear notcher, indelible ink etc)
- Debeaking (debeaking machine, sharp knife, heater etc)
- Castration (surgical blade/scalpel, burdizzo, elastrator, elastic ring, cotton wool, suture needle, suture thread etc )
- Handling ( krawl, restraining ropes, wooden rod- sanda, pad, nose ring, etc)
- Dehorning (iron saw, knife/cutlass etc), Incubation (incubator, hatcher, chick box, egg tray, humidifier, candler,)
- Milking (cheese cloth, milking machine, milking chute, milk testing cup, drenching bottle, milking pails, buckets etc)
- Slaughtering (cutlass, knife, stunning gun, electric shocker, defeathering machine, eviscerator, conveyor, weighing scale, blast freezer, cold rooms)
- Pasture and forage crops (sickle, knife/cutlass, harvesters, silo etc). The maintenance of these tools and equipment should be discussed.
Feeds & Feedstuffs:
- Ability to identify and knowledge of uses of feeds and feedstuffs such as common feed ingredients (maize, groundnut cake, soya bean meal, palm kernel cake, fish meal, bone meal, oyster shell, limestone, salt, salt lick, premix, wheat offal etc), crop residues, agricultural by-products and nonconventional (jack bean, rumen digesta, cassava peel etc) and the major nutrients they contain will be assessed.
Pasture & forage crops:
- Ability to identify and the knowledge of uses of common pasture and forage crops are required. Hay and silage making should be discussed.
Artificial insemination:
- Ability to identify the tools and equipment and their uses are required.
- Simple techniques of semen collection, preservation and insemination should be discussed.
Pests & parasites of farm animals
- Pests of farm animals
  - Ability to identify and knowledge of the economic importance of storage pests (rodents, weevils, termites, cockroaches etc)
  - Field pests (soldier ants, birds, snakes, flies etc) are required.
- Parasites of farm animals:
  - Ability to identify and knowledge of economic importance of ectoparasites (ticks, lice, mites, fleas etc) and endoparasites (tapeworm, roundworms, hook worm, pin worm, liver fluke, trypanosomes etc) are required.
  - Study should also include life cycles, prevention and control of these parasites.

LIST OF FACILITIES & MAJOR EQUIPMENT

Farm Buildings/ Structure
- Poultry/ Pig House/ Battery Cage - 1
- Cattle/ Goat/ Sheep/ Pen - 1
- Rabbit/ Grasscutter Hutch - 1
- Snairy/ Bee hive - 1
Live Animals
- Poultry/ Pig - 10
- Rabbits/ Grasscutter - 10
- Cattle/ Sheep/ Goat - 10
- Snails/ Bees - 50/100
Specimen
1. Tick
2. Lice
3. Liver Fluke
4. Tapeworm
5. Roundworm
6. Flea
7. Tsetse fly
8. Pests
Machines & Equipment
- Buddizor pliers/ castrators - 2
- Elastrators - 2
- Debeakers - 2
- Candlers - 2
- Dehorning saw - 4
- Ear notching knife - 2
- Electro-ejaculator - 2
- Artificial inseminators - 2
- Hand sprayers/ Knapsack sprayer - 2
- Refrigerators to store materials - 2
- Clinical thermometer - 2
- Films - Many
- Television - 2
- CD Video Player - 2
- 16mm Film Projector - 2
Drugs/ Vaccines/ Materials
- First aids kits/ boxes containing surgical blades, cotton wool, iodine and razor - 2
- Sterilisers e.g. Dettol, Izal - 4
- Syringes and Needles - 10
- Vaccines (various forms) - 5
- Formalin - 2 bottles
Feed Samples
- Bone meal - ½ kg
- Blood meal - ½ kg
- Fish meal - ½ kg
- Groundnut cake - ½ kg
- Maize grains - ½ kg
- Groundnut meal - ½ kg
- Coconut meal - ½ kg
- Egg shell meal - ½ kg
- Palm kernel meal - ½ kg
- Periwinkle - ½ kg
- Mineral salt lick - ½ kg
Other Materials
- Feeding trough (Metal and Plastic) - 5
- Drinkers (Metal and Plastic) - 5
- Lanterns (sources of heat) - 5
- Foot dips - 5
- Notebooks for Accounts and Records - 5
- Wheelbarrow - 5

The average gestation period for cattle is

Explanation

Video Explanation

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