Project 2: Feeding and Caring for Farm Animals – Class 8 Vocational Education Chapter 2 Notes & NCERT PDF

About the Project

Farm animals — cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goats, pigs, poultry, yaks, mithun (gayal) and camels — give us milk, eggs, wool, manure, transport and labour for ploughing. Domestic animals kept on a farm are called livestock, and their care is called animal husbandry. Animal husbandry includes ethical practices: good housing, feed and water, timely treatment, and treating animals with respect.

Humans and animals have been companions for more than 10,000 years — paintings in the Bhimbetka caves (Madhya Pradesh) show decorated bulls and people riding horses. Festivals such as Bendur/Pola (Maharashtra), Kanuma (Andhra Pradesh and Telangana) and Khaturva (Uttarakhand) thank livestock.

What You Will Learn

Materials & Tools

Weighing scale, measuring tape, silage bag, digital thermometer, salt, chopped dry fodder and chopped green fodder.

Step-by-Step Activities

Activity 1: Visit a farm

Talk to a farmer, gaushala, tabela or horse owner. Record feeding (type, source, how often), water, bathing, shelter (floor, light, air, protection from heat, cold and rain), health (diseases, medicines, vaccines) and use of waste.

Activity 2: Visit a veterinary clinic

The Veterinary Council of India (VCI) decides how veterinarians are trained. India ranks first in the world for cow and goat population, is the largest producer of milk, and has 43 registered native cow breeds. Examples: Kasargod dwarf cattle (Kerala, about 1 m tall, good milk at low cost) and Siri cattle (Sikkim, Darjeeling, Bhutan — strong legs for mountain work). Common fodders: green (maize, Napier, berseem, lucerne), dry (jowar, bajra, wheat, paddy straw), concentrates (grains, oil cakes, bran) and mineral supplements.

Activity 3: Vaccination drives

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying (DAHD) runs yearly vaccination drives. Example from the book: Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) affects cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and pigs; vaccination is every six months (for animals aged 4 years and above) and is free at animal healthcare centres. Ask about beliefs (e.g., that milk becomes poisonous after vaccination) and check them with a vet.

Activity 4: Health record

Choose small, friendly animals like goats or sheep (male goats are more aggressive). Visual checks:

Activity 5: Estimating weight

Weight = Volume × Density. Measure length and girth in inches (1 inch = 2.54 cm); weight comes out in kg. This is Schaeffle's Formula:

It is an indirect estimate with a 10–15% error.

Activity 6: Feeding chart

Ruminants (cow, buffalo, goat, sheep) have a four-chambered stomach and can digest low-quality grass. An adult needs Dry Matter (DM) equal to about 2–3% of body weight daily. Worked example for a 32 kg goat:

Activity 7: Making silage

Silage is preserved green fodder — a "pickle" for ruminants. Lactic acid bacteria grow without oxygen (anaerobic) and turn sugars into lactic acid.

Good silage: golden brown, pleasant fruity smell, free-flowing, no mould, pH about 4.0–4.5. Feed 1–1.5 kg/day to a goat or sheep and 10–15 kg/day to a cow or buffalo, only with the owner's permission. White or black mould or a bad smell = throw it away.

Activity 8: Dry fodder mixture

Take 5–10 kg chopped straw. For 10 kg, mix 3% jaggery (300 g) and 1% salt (100 g) in 5 L water (optional 100 g mineral mixture), sprinkle evenly, heap and cover. Ready in 2–3 hours. This improves palatability and digestibility, especially in summer.

Activity 9–10: Feeding and home remedies

Offer silage and treated fodder and observe the animal's response. Farmers use neem, lantana leaves and turmeric against ticks. For indigestion in cows: 10 betel leaves, 20 g ginger, 10 g pepper, 10 g garlic and 50 g rock salt pounded in lukewarm water, every 6 hours for animals of 200 kg and above. Design a first-aid box with exact ingredients and measures.

Safety First

The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act (1960) protects all animals from cruelty, overwork and abuse.

Key Terms

Think and Answer (Hints)

Common Mistakes