Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2
BIOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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BIOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Biology
Class: SHS 2
Term: 1st Term
Week: 6
Grade code: 2.1.2.LI.2
Strand code: 1
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 2.1.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.1.2.LI.2
Theme: EXPLORING BIOLOGY IN SOCIETY
Subtheme: BIOLOGY AND ENTREPRENEURSHIP
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Good morning, class. Today, we are moving beyond the biology of the cell and the textbook to see how biological knowledge can create jobs and improve our lives. In Ghana, many families raise animals like chickens, goats, sheep, and cattle. This is not just a hobby; it is a business—an enterprise. This field is called animal husbandry or animal production. Our focus today is to understand that successful animal farming is not about luck. It is applied science. By understanding basic biological concepts, a farmer can turn a small backyard farm into a profitable business that helps feed their family and the community.
Here, we will explore some of the most important biological concepts used to improve animal production. Concept 1: Selective Breeding (or Artificial Selection) What is it? Selective breeding is the process where humans intentionally choose animals with desirable characteristics (traits) to be the parents of the next generation. This is done repeatedly over many generations to enhance those specific traits in the population. The Biological Principle: The principle is rooted in Genetics and Heredity. We know that traits like fast growth rate, high milk yield, disease resistance, and body size are controlled by genes. These genes are passed from parents to offspring. By selecting parents that both possess the gene for a desired trait (e.g., large size), we increase the probability that their offspring will inherit these genes and also be large. It is essentially "guiding" evolution to suit human needs. How It Improves Production: Increased Yield: Breeding cows that produce more milk or chickens that lay more eggs directly increases the farm's output. Improved Quality: Breeding goats for more meat (e.g., Boer goats) or sheep for better wool. Disease Resistance: Breeding animals that are naturally more resistant to local diseases (like the N'Dama cattle's resistance to trypanosomiasis) reduces veterinary costs and animal loss. Ghanaian Example: A goat farmer in the Northern Region notices that some of his local West African Dwarf (WAD) goats survive the dry season better than others and are very resistant to diseases. He also has a Boer goat buck (male) which is much larger and meatier but less hardy. Selective Breeding in Action: The farmer can crossbreed his Boer buck with his hardiest WAD nannies (females). Desired Outcome: The offspring (crossbreeds) will hopefully inherit the hardiness and disease resistance from their WAD mother and the large size and fast growth rate from their Boer father. This new generation of goats is more valuable and productive in the local environment. Concept 2: Supplementary Feeding What is it? This is the practice of providing extra nutrients to animals in addition to their primary food source (like grazing on pasture). This "supplement" is carefully formulated to provide what is missing from their natural diet. The Biological Principle: This is based on Nutrition and Biochemistry. Animals, like humans, require a balanced diet of macromolecules (carbohydrates for energy, proteins for growth and repair, fats for energy storage) and micronutrients (vitamins and minerals for metabolic processes). Grass alone, especially in the dry season, is often low in protein and energy. Without these building blocks, an animal cannot grow, produce milk, or reproduce efficiently. How It Improves Production: Faster Growth Rate: Providing high-protein feed (like groundnut cake or fish meal) allows animals to build muscle mass more quickly, reaching market weight sooner. Increased Milk/Egg Production: Dairy cows and laying hens require huge amounts of energy, protein, and calcium. Supplementary feed provides these, directly boosting their output. Improved Health & Reproduction: A well-nourished animal has a stronger immune system and is more likely to have a successful pregnancy and healthy offspring. Ghanaian Example: A poultry farmer in the Ashanti region wants to raise broilers (chickens for meat). Natural Diet: Letting them roam and eat insects and grass is not enough for commercial production. Supplementary Feed: The farmer buys or mixes a special feed containing: Maize/Corn: For carbohydrates (energy). Soybean or Fish Meal: For protein (muscle growth). Oyster Shells: For calcium and phosphorus (bone development). Vitamins/Minerals Premix: For overall health. Outcome: The broilers grow from chicks to market size in just 6-8 weeks, something impossible without supplementary feeding. Concept 3: Flushing What is it? Flushing is a specific type of supplementary feeding. It involves increasing the quality and quantity of feed for female animals (like ewes, does, or sows) about 2-3 weeks *before* mating and for a week after. The Biological Principle: This practice is based on Reproductive Physiology. The improved nutrition (especially increased energy intake) sends a signal to the animal's body that conditions are excellent for reproduction. This triggers a hormonal response that increases the ovulation rate—the number of eggs released by the ovaries during a single heat cycle. How It Improves Production: Increased Twinning/Litter Size: If a goat normally releases one egg and has one kid, flushing might cause her to release two or three eggs. If these are all fertilized, she will give birth to twins or triplets. This dramatically increases the number of new animals on the farm from a single pregnancy. Higher Conception Rate: Well-nourished females are more likely to become pregnant when mated. Ghanaian Example: A sheep farmer in the Volta Region wants to increase the number of lambs born each year. Two weeks before introducing the rams (male sheep) to the ewes (female sheep), he moves the ewes to a better pasture and gives them a daily supplement of corn and cassava peels. He continues this for a week after the rams are removed. Result: A higher percentage of his ewes give birth to twins, significantly boosting the flock's population and his potential profit. Concept 4: Deworming and Disease Control What is it? This is the practice of regularly treating animals with medicine (anthelmintics) to kill internal parasites (like roundworms, tapeworms, and flukes) and using other chemicals (acaricides) to control external parasites (like ticks and lice). It also includes vaccination against common diseases. The Biological Principle: This is based on Parasitology and Immunology. Parasites: Internal worms live in the intestines and stomach, stealing nutrients from the food the animal eats. The animal eats well but remains thin and weak—a condition called "ill-thrift." External parasites like ticks suck blood, causing anaemia and transmitting deadly diseases like Heartwater disease. Immunity: Vaccination introduces a weakened or dead form of a pathogen (like the Peste des Petits Ruminants - PPR virus in goats/sheep) into the animal. This stimulates the animal's immune system to produce antibodies, so if it encounters the real disease later, it can fight it off effectively. How It Improves Production: Efficient Feed Conversion: When worms are gone, all the nutrients from the feed go towards the animal's growth, not to feeding parasites. The animal gains weight faster on the same amount of food. Reduced Mortality: Deworming and vaccination prevent diseases that can kill many animals, protecting the farmer's investment. Improved Animal Welfare: A healthy, parasite-free animal is more active, productive, and has a better quality of life. Ghanaian Example: A cattle herder in the Savannah Region notices his cattle are looking thin, have rough coats, and lack energy, even though there is grass to eat. A veterinarian advises him to deworm his herd. He administers a drench (liquid medicine). Result: Within weeks, the cattle regain weight, their coats become shiny, and their energy levels improve. By preventing disease, he ensures his cattle reach a good size for the market.
Guided Practice (With Solutions) Instructions for Collaborative Learning Activity: (To be done in small groups before guided practice) Form groups of 4-5. Each group will be assigned one of the four concepts we have discussed. Your task is to create a 2-minute "radio jingle" or a short drama explaining your assigned concept to a local farmer. Explain what it is, why it works (the biology), and the benefit. Be prepared to present to the class. We will learn from each other's experiences and ideas.
Question 1 (Level 1: Recall)
A farmer wants to start a pig farm. He has two main goals: (a) have many piglets in each litter, and (b) have the piglets grow very fast. Which two biological practices should he prioritise, and why? Solution and Commentary: Practice for Goal (a): Flushing. Reasoning: The farmer should practice flushing by giving his sows (female pigs) extra high-energy food for a few weeks before mating. The biological principle is that this increased nutrition boosts the sow's ovulation rate, causing her to release more eggs. More eggs fertilized lead to a larger litter of piglets. Practice for Goal (b): Supplementary Feeding. Reasoning: To make the piglets grow fast, he needs to provide them with a specially formulated diet rich in protein (for muscle building) and carbohydrates (for energy) in addition to their mother's milk. This is supplementary feeding. The biological principle is nutrition; providing the essential building blocks for rapid tissue growth. Question 2 (Level 2: Conceptual Understanding)