Free Livestock and Dairy Management MCQs with Answers
59 Livestock and Dairy Management MCQs from Veterinary Science, each with the correct answer and a written explanation of why it is correct. Free and unlimited, with no account needed.
Covers the housing, handling, breeding, feeding, identification, health care and record keeping of cattle, buffalo, sheep, goats and other livestock. Dairy topics include milking hygiene, udder health, mastitis, milk composition, lactation management, calf rearing and evaluation of production performance.
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59 questions · page 3 of 3
41. For breeding a replacement dairy heifer, which criterion is generally more useful than age alone?
- A. Body weight relative to mature size
- B. Colour pattern of the hair coat
- C. Length of the tail switch
- D. Amount of horn development
Explanation: Heifers are commonly bred when they reach an appropriate proportion of mature body weight and have adequate reproductive development.
Correct answer: Body weight relative to mature size- A. To replace all milk from the ewe
- B. To provide extra nutrients inaccessible to adult sheep
- C. To prevent lambs from developing rumen function
- D. To increase the gestation length of the ewe
Explanation: Creep feeding allows young lambs to consume a concentrated or high-quality ration while limiting access by ewes.
Correct answer: To provide extra nutrients inaccessible to adult sheep- A. Milk fever
- B. Copper deficiency
- C. Urea toxicity
- D. Simple indigestion
Explanation: Excess dietary urea is rapidly converted to ammonia in the rumen, and toxic ammonia absorption can cause tremors, salivation…
Correct answer: Urea toxicity- A. It eliminates the need for pasture observation
- B. It makes supplementary minerals unnecessary
- C. It prevents all internal parasite transmission
- D. It allows planned recovery of grazed pasture
Explanation: Rotational grazing provides rest periods that allow pasture plants to recover and produce new growth.
Correct answer: It allows planned recovery of grazed pasture- A. It has consumed starter feed consistently for several days
- B. It has developed a long hair coat
- C. It drinks more milk than other calves
- D. It has a completely empty rumen after feeding
Explanation: Consistent intake of calf starter indicates that fermentation and rumen development are sufficient to support life after milk removal.
Correct answer: It has consumed starter feed consistently for several days- A. It increases the fat percentage of colostrum
- B. It reduces exposure of the cow and calf to contamination
- C. It prevents every case of dystocia
- D. It removes the need for post-calving observation
Explanation: A clean calving area lowers exposure to environmental pathogens during a period when the cow and newborn calf are vulnerable.
Correct answer: It reduces exposure of the cow and calf to contamination- A. It removes all lignin from the plant material
- B. It converts the straw into a high-fat concentrate
- C. It increases its nitrogen content and improves digestibility
- D. It prevents the straw from being fermented in the rumen
Explanation: Urea treatment supplies ammonia, which increases the nitrogen content and can improve the digestibility and intake of fibrous straw.
Correct answer: It increases its nitrogen content and improves digestibility- A. Overfeeding energy throughout the whole year
- B. Using rams with very large birth-weight genetics
- C. Restricting water during the final month
- D. Monitoring nutrition and fetal numbers before lambing
Explanation: Late-pregnancy nutrition should be adjusted according to fetal number and ewe condition, because oversized or poorly positioned lambs…
Correct answer: Monitoring nutrition and fetal numbers before lambing- A. To assess reproductive ability before mating
- B. To estimate the butterfat percentage of future milk
- C. To determine the age of every cow in the herd
- D. To increase the length of the breeding season
Explanation: A breeding soundness examination evaluates physical fitness, reproductive organs, semen quality and libido.
Correct answer: To assess reproductive ability before mating- A. Prolactin
- B. Oxytocin
- C. Progesterone
- D. Follicle-stimulating hormone
Explanation: Oxytocin causes contraction of the myoepithelial cells surrounding the alveoli, forcing milk into the ducts.
Correct answer: Oxytocin- A. To increase its lactose content
- B. To improve its fat percentage
- C. To slow bacterial multiplication
- D. To stimulate further milk secretion
Explanation: Rapid cooling slows the growth of bacteria that can spoil milk and reduce its hygienic quality.
Correct answer: To slow bacterial multiplication- A. Reduce energy density of the ration
- B. Delay access to drinking water
- C. Withhold concentrate feed completely
- D. Provide greater energy and nutrient support
Explanation: Multiple fetuses increase the ewe's nutrient requirements, especially during late pregnancy when abdominal space also limits feed intake.
Correct answer: Provide greater energy and nutrient support- A. To provide permanent individual identification
- B. To increase the animal's appetite
- C. To prevent all infectious diseases
- D. To determine the animal's sex hormonally
Explanation: An ear tag links an individual animal with its health, breeding, production and treatment records.
Correct answer: To provide permanent individual identification- A. Rapid loss of all plant protein before harvest
- B. Clostridial fermentation and production of poor-quality silage
- C. Complete prevention of lactic acid formation
- D. Permanent increase in forage fibre digestibility
Explanation: Very wet forage can undergo undesirable clostridial fermentation, producing foul-smelling, unstable silage and nutrient losses.
Correct answer: Clostridial fermentation and production of poor-quality silage- A. Give only dry grain
- B. Withhold all fluids for 24 hours
- C. Provide oral fluids and electrolytes
- D. Remove milk permanently
Explanation: Oral fluids and electrolytes help replace water and salts lost through diarrhoea when the calf can still suck.
Correct answer: Provide oral fluids and electrolytes- A. It causes ovulation of every follicle
- B. It permanently suppresses ovarian activity
- C. It maintains pregnancy by increasing progesterone
- D. It causes luteolysis and permits a new cycle
Explanation: Prostaglandin F2 alpha regresses a responsive corpus luteum, causing progesterone to fall and allowing the next oestrous cycle to begin.
Correct answer: It causes luteolysis and permits a new cycle- A. Pregnancy toxemia
- B. White muscle disease
- C. Contagious ovine epididymitis
- D. Photosensitisation
Explanation: Pregnancy toxemia develops when energy demand exceeds energy intake, especially in heavily pregnant ewes carrying twins or triplets.
Correct answer: Pregnancy toxemia- A. To destroy all milk enzymes permanently
- B. To reduce pathogenic microorganisms while preserving quality
- C. To increase the natural milk fat percentage
- D. To convert lactose into mineral salts
Explanation: Pasteurisation uses controlled heat to reduce disease-causing microorganisms and improve safety without seriously damaging the normal…
Correct answer: To reduce pathogenic microorganisms while preserving quality- A. Bulk feed-delivery invoices
- B. Daily shed-cleaning records
- C. Individual breeding and pregnancy records
- D. Routine hoof-trimming dates alone
Explanation: Individual breeding and pregnancy records show services, return to oestrus, conception results and calving history for each cow.
Correct answer: Individual breeding and pregnancy records