Lesson Notes By Weeks and Term v4 - SHS 2
HEALTH ISSUES IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION
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HEALTH ISSUES IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Download the Lessonotes Mobile Ghana app for faster lesson access on Android and iPhone.
Subject: Agriculture
Class: SHS 2
Term: 2nd Term
Week: 10
Grade code: 2.4.2.LI.2
Strand code: 4
Sub-strand code: 2
Content standard code: 2.4.2.CS.1
Indicator code: 2.4.2.LI.2
Theme: AGRICULTURE AND HEALTH
Subtheme: HEALTH ISSUES IN ANIMAL PRODUCTION
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This lesson introduces the critical topic of animal diseases, a major challenge for farmers across Ghana. Whether you are rearing poultry in your backyard in Accra, goats in the Northern Region, or farming tilapia in the Volta Lake, the health of your animals is the key to your success. Understanding what makes an animal sick, how to recognise the signs of illness, and how diseases are classified is the first step towards preventing losses, ensuring a profitable farm business, and safeguarding public health. Healthy animals mean a healthy food supply and a healthy economy for our communities and the nation.
A. Health vs. Disease in Animals Health: A state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being of an animal, where all its body organs and systems are functioning normally. A healthy animal is productive (grows well, produces eggs/milk, reproduces). Disease: Any deviation or interruption of the normal structure or function of any part, organ, or system of an animal's body. It is a condition of ill health.
To be a successful farmer, you must be able to spot sickness early. Here is how to tell the difference:
| Feature | Healthy Animal | Ill Animal | | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Appearance & Posture | Alert, bright-eyed, stands firmly. | Dull, listless, droopy ears/wings, isolates itself. | | Coat / Feathers | Smooth, shiny coat or neat, well-preened feathers. | Rough, dull, standing-on-end coat (piloerection) or ruffled feathers. | | Appetite & Thirst | Eats and drinks normally and eagerly. | Loss of appetite (anorexia), refuses to eat or drink. | | Droppings (Faeces) | Normal colour, consistency, and amount for the species. | Diarrhoea (watery), constipation, bloody, or contains worms. | | Urine | Normal colour (usually clear to light yellow). | Abnormal colour (dark, bloody), difficulty urinating. | | Movement | Moves easily, with a normal gait (walk). | Limping, staggering, weakness, or paralysis. | | Breathing | Quiet, regular, and effortless breathing. | Rapid breathing, coughing, sneezing, nasal discharge. | | Body Temperature | Normal range for the species (e.g., ~38.5°C for cattle). | Fever (high temperature) or sub-normal temperature. | | Production | Normal growth rate, milk yield, or egg production. | Sudden drop in production. | B. Classification of Animal Diseases
We can classify diseases in several ways, but the most useful way for a farmer is by their cause. Infectious Diseases: These are caused by pathogenic (disease-causing) micro-organisms that can be transmitted from one animal to another. Viral Diseases: Caused by viruses. Viruses are tiny agents that can only multiply inside the living cells of other organisms. They are very difficult to treat with drugs; prevention through vaccination is key. Examples in Ghana: Newcastle Disease (poultry), Peste des Petits Ruminants (PPR) in goats and sheep, African Swine Fever (pigs), Rabies (all mammals). Bacterial Diseases: Caused by bacteria. These are single-celled organisms. Many bacterial diseases can be treated with antibiotics. Examples in Ghana: Anthrax (cattle, sheep, goats), Brucellosis (cattle), Fowl Cholera (poultry), Mastitis (inflammation of the udder in dairy cows/goats). Fungal Diseases: Caused by fungi (moulds, yeasts). They often affect the skin or respiratory system. Examples in Ghana: Ringworm (all animals), Aspergillosis (a respiratory disease in poultry caused by inhaling mouldy feed/litter). Protozoan Diseases: Caused by protozoa, which are single-celled parasites. Examples in Ghana: Coccidiosis (poultry), Trypanosomiasis (sleeping sickness, transmitted by tsetse flies in cattle), Redwater (Babesiosis) in cattle (transmitted by ticks). Non-Infectious Diseases: These are not caused by pathogens and cannot be spread from one animal to another. They are often related to management, nutrition, or the environment. Nutritional Diseases: Caused by a deficiency or excess of certain nutrients in the diet. Examples: Milk Fever (calcium deficiency in dairy cows after giving birth), Bloat (gas build-up in the rumen of cattle/goats, often from eating too much fresh legume), Vitamin A deficiency (causes night blindness). Metabolic Diseases: Caused by a disturbance in the animal's normal metabolic processes. Examples: Ketosis (in high-yielding dairy cows), fatty liver syndrome in poultry. Physical/Traumatic Diseases: Caused by physical injuries. Examples: Wounds from fighting, broken bones, heat stress from poor ventilation or high sun exposure. Genetic/Hereditary Diseases: Caused by inherited faulty genes passed down from parents. Examples: Hernias (a weakness in the abdominal wall) in pigs. Chemical/Poisoning Diseases: Caused by ingesting poisonous substances. Examples: Poisoning from eating toxic plants (e.g., Sodom apple), pesticide contamination of feed or water, snake bites. C. Causes and Symptoms of Specific Diseases in Ghana