<h1>ANIMAL IMPROVEMENT</h1> CONTENT <ol> <li>Meaning of Animal Improvement</li> <li>Aims of Animal Improvement</li> <li>Methods/Processes of Animal Improvement</li> <li>Artificial Insemination</li> </ol>   <h2>Meaning of Animal Improvement</h2> Animal improvement is the process whereby inherited superior traits are transferred from one animal to the other of the same species. Certain characteristics such as good feeding conversion, growth rate, meat quality, high milk yield, good body form, etc. are major considerations in animal improvement.   <h2>Aims of Animal Improvement</h2> The following are the aims of animal improvement: <ol> <li>To produce animals with high yielding quality</li> <li>To produce animals with high feed conversion rate</li> <li>To produce animals with high growth rate and early maturity</li> <li>To produce animals that can adapt to varied climatic conditions</li> <li>To produce animals that are resistant to disease and parasites</li> <li>To produce different breeds of animals</li> <li>To produce animals that meets a particular purpose</li> </ol>   <h2>Methods/Processes of Animal Improvement</h2> The following are the methods/processes of animal improvement: (a) Introduction (b) Selection (c) Breeding   <h3>(a) Introduction</h3> This is bringing animals which are not native of a place but are known to have certain desirable characters into a new place from the place of origin. Such animals are called exotic. Introduction can be by physical importation either of the animals themselves or their semen. <h4>Advantages of Introduction</h4> <ol> <li>It enhances greater productivity.</li> <li>It leads to absence of pests and diseases.</li> <li>Breeds may perform better and able to adapt to local conditions.</li> </ol>

<h1>ANIMAL HEALTH MANAGEMENT</h1> <ol> <li>Meaning of Animal Health Management</li> <li>Meaning of Disease</li> <li>Causal Organisms of Animal Diseases</li> <li>Predisposing Factors to Diseases</li> <li>Signs of Infections in Animals</li> <li>Reactions of Animals to Pathogenic Attacks</li> <li>Economic Importance of Diseases</li> <li>Selected Diseases of Farm Animals - Affected Animals; Causal Organisms; Mode of Transmission; Symptoms; Prevention/Control</li> <li>General Prevention of Livestock Diseases</li> </ol>   <h2>Meaning of Animal Health Management</h2> Animal health management deals with monitoring the health status of the animals on the farm. It is apparent that a healthy animal will be productive while unhealthy animal apart from not been productive becomes a liability as money would be spent for their treatment. Besides, there is a high risk of transferring the infections to other animals.   <h2>Meaning of Disease</h2> A<strong> disease condition</strong> is a deviation from normal functioning state of the animal’s body which comprises of different components working in unity. In a nutshell, disease is any condition in which there is departure from the normal functioning of the system of the animal’s body.   <h2>Causal Organisms of Animal Diseases</h2> The causal organisms of animal diseases are classified as follow: <h3>1. Pathogenic organisms/factors</h3> These are; <ul> <li>Bacteria</li> <li>Virus</li> <li>Fungi</li> <li>Protozoa</li> <li>Nematodes</li> <li>Parasites</li> </ul> <h3>2. Non-pathogenic factors</h3> These are factors like; <ul> <li>Nutritional deficiency</li> <li>Inanimate objects like chemicals, environmental conditions (extreme cold or heat)</li> </ul>   <h3>Bacteria</h3> They cause diseases by secretion of toxins. Diseases are infectious and contagious. They are transmitted by air, water and animals inform of spores. Examples of bacteria diseases are contagious abortion, anthrax, mastitis, T.B, fowl pox, cow pox, etc.