TYPES AND USES OF FARM ANIMALS.

          Types and Uses of Farm Animals 

Common Name	Types	Location	Remarks
Cattle	(i) Zebu e.g. White Fulani, Sokoto Gudali, and Red Bororo	Indigenous to Northern Nigeria	Tolerant to trypanosomiasis (transmitted by tsetse fly)
	(ii) Muturu	Mainly in Southern Nigeria	Resistant to trypanosomiasis
	(iii) N'dama	Imported from Guinea mainly in Southern Nigeria	Resistant to trypanosomiasis
	(iv) Friesian	Imported from Netherlands mainly in Southern Nigeria	Not tolerant to trypanosomiasis
	(v) Jersey	Imported from the Channel Islands mainly in Southern Nigeria	Not resistant to trypanosomiasis
Sheep	(i) Ouda or Fulani	Extreme North of Nigeria	The Southern breed is tolerant to high humidity and trypanosomiasis
	(ii) Yankasa	Mainly in Northern Nigeria
	(iii) West African Dwarf	Mainly in Southern Nigeria
	(iv) Balami	North East of Nigeria
Goat	(i) Sokoto Red	Mainly in Northern Nigeria	They are extremely hardy.
	(ii) Sahel	Mainly in Northern Nigeria
	(iii) Kano Brown	Mainly in Northern Nigeria
	(iv) Bornu Red	Mainly in Northern Nigeria
	(v) West African Dwarf	Mainly in Southern Nigeria
Pig	(i) Large White	Imported, and found mainly in the Southern part of Nigeria	They are very prolific, producing 8–16 piglets at a time. Not reared in Muslim communities for religious reason.
	(ii) Landrace	Imported, and found mainly in the Southern part of Nigeria
	(iii) Poland China	Imported, and found mainly in the Southern part of Nigeria
	(iv) Duroc	Imported, and found mainly in the Southern part of Nigeria
	(v) West African Dwarf	Indigenous to Southern Nigeria
Rabbits	(i) New Zealand White	Imported breeds and	Becoming popular in Nigeria and easy to raise
	(ii) New Zealand Red	Common across Nigeria
	(iii) Chinchilla	Common across Nigeria
	(iv) Californian White	Common across Nigeria
	(v) Giant Flemish	Common across Nigeria
	(vi) Beveren	Common across Nigeria
	(vii) Angora	Common across Nigeria
	(viii) Dutch	Common across Nigeria
	(ix) Lop	Common across Nigeria
Poultry	(i) Fowls (chicken, Guinea fowl)	Guinea fowl is predominantly found in Northern Nigeria while other types of poultry are common across Nigeria	Found in all parts of Nigeria
	(ii) Ducks/Geese	Common across Nigeria
	(iii) Turkey	Common across Nigeria
	(iv) Pigeons	Common across Nigeria
Fish	(i) Carp	Common in fish ponds scattered across Nigeria	Fish ponds not common in Nigeria. Most fish caught in oceans.
	(ii) Tilapia	Common in fish ponds scattered across Nigeria

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Uses of Farm Animals

Milk and Eggs

The main milk products are butter and cheese. Chickens form the main source of supply of eggs, but ducks, turkeys and guinea fowl also supply eggs which are consumed by human beings.

Eggs are a source of protein and other nutritional needs; they represent a balanced food since they contain protein, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and water.

Egg-white (albumen) is also used in the production of vaccines which have helped to revolutionise medicine. Animal products also serve as feed supplements for livestock feeding.

For example, blood meal is made from the blood of slaughtered animals, and it is a good source of protein in the compounded rations of livestock.

Similarly, we have bone-meal and meat-meal, which are also used as mineral and protein supplements respectively in livestock feeds.

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Work

Farm animals are used on the farm as a source of farm power.

Oxen (cows, bulls and bullocks) can be trained to draw ploughs, harrows, cultivators and carts. This is common practice in the drier areas but is not possible in the tsetse fly zones of the forest areas.

Camels and donkeys are mainly used to transport loads in the semi-arid areas and across deserts. Camels have the advantage of being able to survive for long periods without water. Horses may also be used as a means of transport. Cattle drawn ridging plough

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Race, Pleasure and Protection

Some animals are kept mainly for race, pleasure, recreation, racing or protection of their owners. Some are kept as pets.

Animals kept in the zoo are meant for pleasure or recreation of the visitors.

Horses are used for sports (racing) and riding during ceremonial occasions and are useful in certain games as polo. Horses are also used for wars in the olden days.

Dogs are used for hunting, watching animals to protect their owners against thieves. Dogs are also raised and trained to lead blind people.

Animals in the field of medicine are raised for hormone production, e.g. insulin from cattle and pig pancreas. Medicines are manufactured from the thyroid glands.

Animal Products and Their Uses

Glands of sheep and cattle and are used to cure diseased thyroid glands of human beings. Hormone (insulin) from bodies of animals cure diabetes. Vaccines from body of cows is used to protect people against small pox.

Clothing: Animal products such as wool, silk, skin and furs are used by man for clothing. Skins from cattle, sheep and goats are used for clothing and leather works. Skins from rabbits are for decoration. Footwears, leather bags and drums are made from the skins of animals. Wool from sheep removed by shearing during the beginning of hot weather is sold to textile firms where it is used in making clothing materials such as woollen dresses, cardigans, pull-overs, socks and hats. Hairs of animals are also used for making brushes. Skin of animals are also used for making hunting dresses. This behaviour bravery is made from the skin of wild animals, like lion, leopards and tigers.

Manure: The remains and excreta of farm animals are also used as manure, and livestock feed. Animal droppings such as excreta and remains are used as organic fertilizers or farm manures. When applied to the soil they increase the fertility of the soil for growing crops. While grazing animals drop their faeces on the field. This faeces constitute a good source of organic manure (farm yard manure, FYM). Poultry dropping (faeces) also serve as organic manure.

By-products: Animal products such as blood meal and bone meal serve as sources of protein and minerals respectively, in the diets of poultry and pigs. Animal products are also used for producing a vast number of articles useful to man. Examples are shown below.

Table 11: Animal Products and Their Uses

Animal Products	Used in the production of
1. Wool, hairs and bristles	Fabrics used as cloth, tent covers etc.
2. Horns	Gelatin, combs, buttons, handles for spoons, knives and other kitchen household equipment.
3. Glands, blood	Drugs, as sources of hormones (like insulin) and protein in substances (like albumin).
4. Hooves	Glues and gelatin, nitrogenous fertilizers.
5. Hides and skin	Leather for making shoes, bags, belts, household furniture etc.
6. Animal fats (e.g. lard from pigs)	Glues and adhesives, candles, protective clothing, phonographic records, soap, lubricating grease, linoleum and synthetic rubbers. Also used in drug manufacture.