Grade 7 Agriculture ANIMAL PRODUCTION – General management of pests Notes
ANIMAL PRODUCTION — General management of pests
Subject: Agriculture | Subtopic: General management of pests | For: Kenyan learners (age ~12)
- What pests are and how they harm farm animals.
- Common pests in Kenya and the signs to watch for.
- Safe ways to prevent and control pests using simple methods.
1. What are pests?
Pests are animals or insects that cause harm to farm animals or make them sick. They include tiny parasites such as ticks, lice, mites, and worms, and bigger pests like rodents and tsetse flies. Pests make animals weak, stop them growing well, and can spread diseases.
2. Common pests in Kenyan animal production
- Ticks 🐮 — attach to skin, suck blood, spread diseases (e.g., East Coast fever).
- Flies 🪰 — bite animals, cause irritation and spread infections.
- Lice and mites — cause itching and skin problems.
- Worms (roundworms, tapeworms) — live in the gut, cause poor growth and diarrhoea.
- Fluke — affect liver and reduce animal health.
- Tsetse flies — spread trypanosomiasis (nagana) in some parts of Kenya.
- Rodents — eat feed and spread disease.
3. Signs that animals have pests
- Animals scratch a lot, rub on posts, lose hair or have wounds.
- Poor growth, weight loss, anaemia (pale gums), dull fur or feathers.
- Diarrhoea, coughing, low milk yield, or repeated illness.
- Visible ticks, lice, worms in droppings, or many flies around animals.
4. General methods to manage pests
A. Prevention (best and cheapest)
- Keep housing clean and dry. Remove manure and wet bedding often.
- Provide good feed so animals stay strong and resist pests.
- Rotate grazing fields. Move animals to different pastures to break pest life cycles.
- Quarantine new animals for some weeks before mixing them with the herd.
- Keep feed in rodent-proof containers and clean spilled feed to avoid rats.
B. Mechanical and physical control
- Use traps for rodents and fly traps or sticky tapes for flies.
- Use proper housing design: screens on windows, raised floors, good drainage.
- Pluck off ticks by hand (carefully) or use tick removal tools where appropriate.
C. Biological control
Use natural enemies of pests where possible. For example, encourage birds, bats and dung beetles that eat insects. This method is safe and good for the environment.
D. Chemical control (use carefully)
- Use approved acaricides to control ticks and insecticides for flies where needed.
- Use dewormers (anthelmintics) on a regular schedule as advised by a vet.
- Always read and follow the label. Give the right dose for the animal's weight.
- Store chemicals safely, away from children and food. Dispose of empty containers properly.
5. Integrated Pest Management (IPM) — smart mixing of methods
IPM means using several methods together: prevention, good farm management, biological methods and chemicals only when needed. This reduces pests and protects animals, people, and the environment.
6. Safety tips for children and farmers
- Children should not handle strong chemicals.
- Wear gloves and boots when treating animals or cleaning pens.
- Wash hands and clothes after working with animals or chemicals.
- Tell a vet or extension officer if many animals are sick.
- Clean houses weekly and remove manure.
- Check animals for ticks and sores every day.
- Quarantine new animals for 2–4 weeks.
- Keep a deworming and spraying calendar with dates.
- Ask a vet before using any new chemical.
7. Short quiz (test yourself!)
1) Name two external pests that bother cattle.
2) Why is quarantine important?
3) Give one safe way to reduce flies.
Healthy animals come from clean homes, good feed, and careful pest control. If you are unsure, always ask your local veterinary officer or extension worker. They help farmers in Kenya with safe and correct ways to manage pests.
Icons: 🐄 cattle, 🐐 goats, 🐔 poultry, 🪳 pests, 🛡️ prevention