SS 2 Second Term Agricultural Science Lesson Note – Types and Classification of Farm Animals

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SUBJECT: AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE

CLASS: SS 2

TOPIC:        TYPES AND CLASSIFICATION OF FARM ANIMALS

CONTENT: 1.  Definition of farm animals

2. Types of Farm Animals
3. Classification of Farm Animals

SUB TOPIC 1: Definition

Farm animals are essentially those animals that have been domesticated for production purposes and for other benefits of man. Farm animals vary in their individual characteristics. These include avian species, mammalian species and aquatic species.

TYPES OF FARM ANIMALS

1. Avian Species: This group belongs to all domesticated birds such as domestic fowl, ducks, turkeys, geese, guinea fowl, swarms, pigeons, pheasants, canaries and ostriches. These lay eggs and are therefore refer to as Oviparous animals.
2. Mammalian Species: This group consists of the domestic four-footed animals which include cattle, sheep, goat, pigs, horses, donkeys and camels. They give birth to their young ones alive and as such, they are referred to as Viviparous animals.
3. Aquatic Species: This group consists of animals living and reproducing in both fresh and salt water bodies eg fishes, crabs, snails, crustaceans etc.

SUB TOPIC 2: Classification of Farm Animals

Farm animals are generally classified on the basis of their habitat, uses, digestion, reproduction etc

HABITAT: Classification under habitat comes under three major divisions

(i) Terrestrial Habitat: these may be forest, grassland, arid lands or deserts. Animals found in the forest zones are cattle, sheep, goat, rabbit, pigs, all classes of poultry etc. These animals live and survive in the rainforest. Grasslands are zones where rainfall is only sufficient to support the growth of grasses. During wet season, the predominant animals in this zone are usually mammals while other animals and birds migrate to favorable regions during the dry season. For the desert, the annual rainfall is very low and unfavorable to life. Desert animals show adaptation for conserving water, withstanding a wide diurnal temperature range, living and moving easily in sandy habitat. Such animals include camel, donkey and mountain goat.

(ii). Aquatic Habitat: these are usually fresh water habitat and estuarine/saline habitats. Fresh water habitat includes water bodies like: lake, pond, rivers, streams etc , whereas estuarine/saline habitat favors some species that can survive in salty water.

(iii). Aboreal Habitat : these are usually any tree dwelling creatures living in or among trees eg. Monkey and avians

B USES/ IMPORTANCE: Under uses, classification is based on

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