Basic 7 · Science · ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Domestic Animals in the Community
In this topic you will identify and list domestic animals in your community, classify them into groups, and describe the similarities and differences among them.
By the end of these notes you should be able to:
- Identify and list domestic animals in the community
- Classify domestic animals into groups
- Describe the similarities and differences among domestic animals
What you already know
- Animals and their habitats (Upper Primary)
Copy everything that has a blue line on its left into your notebook. The other parts are for reading.
Lesson 1
- Strand
- Cycles
- Sub-strand
- ANIMAL PRODUCTION
- Indicator
- B7.2.4.1.1 – Examine and list domestic animals in the community
Introduction
Walk through any Ghanaian village and you will see goats tied to trees, chickens scratching the ground and sheep resting in the shade. These are domestic animals.
1. What Are Domestic Animals?
Domestic animals: Animals that are kept, cared for and bred by people for food, work, products or companionship.
Wild animals live on their own in forests and grasslands. Domestic animals depend on people for food, water, shelter and protection, and in return they provide many benefits.
2. Common Domestic Animals in Ghana
| Animal | Young | Local examples or breeds |
|---|---|---|
| goat | kid | West African Dwarf goat, Sahelian goat |
| sheep | lamb | Djallonké sheep |
| cattle | calf | West African Shorthorn, Sanga, Zebu |
| pig | piglet | Large White, local pigs |
| chicken | chick | local chickens, broilers, layers |
| guinea fowl | keet | common in northern Ghana |
| duck | duckling | Muscovy duck |
| rabbit | kit | kept in hutches |
| grasscutter | pup | domesticated cane rat |
| dog and cat | puppy, kitten | kept as pets and guards |
3. Where Domestic Animals Are Kept
Animals may be kept in free range (moving about freely, as many village chickens and goats do), semi-intensive systems (housed at night and allowed out during the day), or intensive systems (kept indoors in pens or cages all the time, as on commercial poultry farms). Each system has advantages and disadvantages for cost, disease control and animal welfare.
4. Survey of Your Community
To identify domestic animals, observe homes, farms and markets, ask farmers and record the animals you see, how many there are and how they are kept. This information helps the community plan veterinary services and food production.
New words
- domestic animal
- An animal kept and cared for by people.
- free range
- A system where animals move about freely.
- intensive system
- Keeping animals indoors all the time.
- livestock
- Farm animals such as cattle, goats and sheep.
Summary
- Domestic animals are kept by people for food, work, products or companionship.
- Common ones in Ghana include goats, sheep, cattle, pigs, poultry, rabbits and grasscutters.
- They are kept in free-range, semi-intensive or intensive systems.
Class activity: Community Animal Survey
- Walk around the school area with the teacher.
- Record the domestic animals seen and how they are kept.
- Present your results in a table.
You need: Printed photographs of Ghanaian goats, Chickens, Chicken feather, Eggshell
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. The young of a goat is called a…
- A. kid
- B. calf
- C. lamb
- D. piglet
Show answer
Answer: kidYoung goat.2. Keeping animals indoors all the time is the…
- A. intensive system
- B. free-range system
- C. wild system
- D. nomadic system
Show answer
Answer: intensive systemPens or cages.3. Grasscutters can be domesticated.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueCane rats reared for meat.4. Farm animals such as cattle and goats are called ______.
Show answer
Answer: livestockDomestic stock.5. List five domestic animals in your community and their young.
Show answer
Answer: Goat (kid), sheep (lamb), cattle (calf), pig (piglet), chicken (chick).Any five.6. State one advantage and one disadvantage of the free-range system.
Show answer
Answer: Advantage: cheap because animals find their own food. Disadvantage: animals may be stolen, killed or spread disease.Both.
Lesson 2
- Strand
- Cycles
- Sub-strand
- ANIMAL PRODUCTION
- Indicator
- B7.2.4.1.1 – Examine and list domestic animals in the community
Introduction
Domestic animals can be grouped in several ways: by what they eat, by their body coverings, by how they digest food or by what they are mainly kept for.
1. By Type of Animal
| Group | Examples |
|---|---|
| poultry (birds) | chickens, guinea fowls, ducks, turkeys |
| ruminants | cattle, sheep, goats |
| non-ruminants | pigs, rabbits, grasscutters, dogs |
| pets | dogs, cats, parrots |
2. Ruminants and Non-Ruminants
Ruminants have a stomach with four compartments (rumen, reticulum, omasum and abomasum). They swallow grass quickly, bring it back up later and chew it again. This is called chewing the cud. Non-ruminants have a simple stomach with one compartment and cannot digest much tough grass.
3. By Feeding Habit
| Feeding habit | Meaning | Examples |
|---|---|---|
| herbivores | eat plants only | cattle, goats, sheep, rabbits, grasscutters |
| omnivores | eat plants and animals | pigs, chickens |
| carnivores | eat mainly meat | cats, dogs (largely) |
4. By Main Purpose
Animals can also be grouped by why they are kept: meat animals (broilers, pigs, goats), egg producers (layers), milk producers (dairy cattle), work animals (donkeys and bullocks for ploughing in the north), and companion or guard animals (dogs and cats). Some animals serve more than one purpose.
5. Why Classification Helps
Classifying domestic animals helps farmers and veterinary officers plan care. Ruminants can be grazed on grass and fed crop residues, while non-ruminants and poultry need prepared feeds with grains. Animals in the same group often suffer from similar diseases, so vaccines and treatments can be planned for each group. Classification also helps learners organise what they know about animals.
New words
- ruminant
- An animal that chews the cud and has a four-part stomach.
- poultry
- Domestic birds kept for meat and eggs.
- herbivore
- An animal that eats only plants.
- omnivore
- An animal that eats plants and animals.
Summary
- Domestic animals can be grouped as poultry, ruminants, non-ruminants and pets.
- Ruminants have four stomach compartments and chew the cud.
- Animals are also grouped by feeding habit and by their main purpose.
Class activity: Animal Sorting
- Use photo cards of domestic animals.
- Sort them by type, feeding habit and purpose.
- Explain one animal that belongs to more than one group.
You need: Printed Ghanaian goat, Pig, Chicken photo cards, Printed animal-product cards, Chicken feather, Eggshell samples
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which is a ruminant?
- A. goat
- B. pig
- C. chicken
- D. dog
Show answer
Answer: goatChews the cud.2. How many compartments does a ruminant's stomach have?
- A. four
- B. one
- C. two
- D. three
Show answer
Answer: fourRumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum.3. Pigs are omnivores.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueEat plants and animals.4. Domestic birds kept for meat and eggs are called ______.
Show answer
Answer: poultryBirds.5. Give two examples each of ruminants and non-ruminants.
Show answer
Answer: Ruminants: cattle, sheep; non-ruminants: pigs, rabbits.Any correct.6. Explain what "chewing the cud" means.
Show answer
Answer: The animal swallows food quickly, brings it back up later and chews it again to digest it better.Rumination.
Lesson 3
- Strand
- Cycles
- Sub-strand
- ANIMAL PRODUCTION
- Indicator
- B7.2.4.1.2 – Show the differences and similarities among domestic animals
Introduction
A goat and a chicken are both domestic animals, but one has hair and four legs while the other has feathers and two legs. Comparing animals helps us understand how to care for them.
1. Similarities
- All are living things that need food, water, air and shelter.
- All reproduce to produce young of their own kind.
- All grow and respond to their surroundings.
- All depend on humans for care and protection.
- Most are vertebrates (have a backbone).
2. Differences
| Feature | Goat | Pig | Chicken |
|---|---|---|---|
| body covering | hair | sparse bristly hair | feathers |
| number of legs | four | four | two |
| mouthparts | teeth, no upper front teeth | teeth, snout | beak, no teeth |
| digestion | ruminant | non-ruminant | gizzard grinds food |
| reproduction | gives birth to live young | gives birth to live young | lays eggs |
| main products | meat, milk, skin | meat (pork), lard | meat, eggs, feathers |
3. Mammals and Birds
Goats, sheep, cattle, pigs and rabbits are mammals: they have hair or fur, give birth to live young and feed them with milk. Chickens, ducks and guinea fowls are birds: they have feathers, lay eggs and have beaks. Knowing these groups helps farmers provide the right feed and housing.
4. Why Comparisons Help Farmers
Because animals differ, they need different care. Ruminants need plenty of grass and roughage; pigs and poultry need balanced feed with grains and protein. Poultry need perches and nests; goats need shelters that keep them dry. Comparing animals helps farmers choose which ones suit their land, money and market.
New words
- mammal
- An animal with hair that feeds its young on milk.
- vertebrate
- An animal with a backbone.
- gizzard
- A muscular part of a bird's gut that grinds food.
- roughage
- Fibrous plant food such as grass.
Summary
- Domestic animals share needs such as food, water, shelter and care, and most are vertebrates.
- They differ in body covering, legs, mouthparts, digestion, reproduction and products.
- Mammals and birds need different feed and housing.
Class activity: Comparison Chart
- Choose three domestic animals.
- Make a chart comparing their body covering, feeding, reproduction and products.
- Present your chart to the class.
You need: Printed Ghanaian goat, Pig, Chicken photo cards, Printed animal-product cards, Chicken feather, Eggshell samples
Exercises
Answer in your exercise book first, then check your answers.
1. Which domestic animal lays eggs?
- A. chicken
- B. goat
- C. pig
- D. sheep
Show answer
Answer: chickenBird.2. A bird grinds its food in its…
- A. gizzard
- B. rumen
- C. teeth
- D. beak
Show answer
Answer: gizzardMuscular gut.3. Goats feed their young with milk.
- A. True
- B. False
Show answer
Answer: TrueMammals.4. An animal with a backbone is a ______.
Show answer
Answer: vertebrateBackbone.5. State three differences between a goat and a chicken.
Show answer
Answer: Hair vs feathers, four legs vs two, live young vs eggs (or teeth vs beak).Any three.6. Why do poultry and goats need different feeds?
Show answer
Answer: Goats are ruminants that digest grass, while poultry cannot digest much grass and need grains and protein.Digestion.
Homework
- Choose two domestic animals at home or nearby and write five similarities and differences between them.