FIELD OFFICER

FIELD OFFICER 

ANIMAL HUSBANDRY 

(CATEGORY NO. 551/2011) 

Part I – Livestock Management (Animal Husbandry)
• Introduction to livestock farming
Livestock farming, importance,, merits and demerits, population status of different species 
and common terms.
• Handling of animals
Body parts of cattle and fowl, restraining livestock, various methods of handling cattle, 
buffaloes and goats, restraining head, neck, forelimbs, hind limbs, whole body casting, 
methods of casting , common appliances used, rope, bull nose ring, bull holder, bull 
leader, mouth gags, halter, anti cowkicker, milkman's rope, trevis.
• Breeds
Definition of species, breed, strain and variety Exotic and Indian breeds, definition, 
differences, examples.

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Exotic Breed origin , breed characteristics,(1) physical features of Jersey, HF, Brown 
Swiss (2) Indian breeds according to utility- milch, draught, dual
(3) Distinguishing characters of Sindhi, Hariana, Kankrej, Kangayam, Halliker Surthi and 
Murrah Buffalo (4) Goat - Malabari, Alpine, Saanen (5) Sheep - Merino, Kashmiri (6) Pig 
- Yorkshire, Landrace. 
• Identification of animals
Objectives, Methods
1) Branding
a) Hot iron branding 
b) Chemical branding 
c) Freeze branding 
2) Tattooing 
3) Ear tagging 
4) Ear notching 
Natural body markings, determination of age of cattle by dentition, general appearance 
and horn rings.
• Housing of cattle
Systems of rearing cattle - free range, loose house, conventional barns. Principles of 
housing, cow house system.
• Normal values
Pulse, Respiration and temperature, Gestation period, span of life , birth weight, Age at 
maturity, Age of breeding of animals and birds - cow, buffalo, Goat.
• Organs of Body
Elementary knowledge of Skeletal, Muscular, Nervous, Circulatory, Urinary, 
Respiratory, Digestive and Reproductive organs (with special emphasis on digestive and 
reproductive organs) Care and management
New born, heifers, cows, working animals
Health care
Signs of health - classification of the disease (bacterial, viral, protozoa, metabolic'etc), 
Causative factors, Prevention and control of Anthrax, HS, Foot and mouth disease, 
Brucellosis, Mastitis, milk fever, Ketosis, Parasitic infestation, Ranikhet, Coccidiosis.
Principles of Feeding
Feed nutrients - Water, Carbohydrates, Proteins, Fat, minerals, vitamins Ration -Balanced 
ration, Maintenance and production ration.
Feeding Materials
Classification of feeds as roughages and concentrates. Roughages - 
Green fodder, Hay, straw, silage. Concentrates -Cakes, Grains, By 
products, Tapioca.
Systems of breeding
Selection methods - inbreeding, out breeding for cattle, grading up, systems of breeding.
Manure
Cattle and poultry manure, collection, storage and disposal, manurial value - biogas and 
slurry.
Rearing of Goats
Basic knowledge about rearing goats.
Rearing of pigs
Basic knowledge about rearing swine.
Rabbit rearing
Basic knowledge of rearing rabbits.
Part II – Livestock Management (Poultry Husbandry)
1 . Poultry Industry - importance - Development Present status, future 
prospects.
2 . Poultry and poultry products - Poultry meat and eggs- nutritive value - relevant 
importance in human diet.
3. Basic knowledge on general Anatomy and physiology of poultry with special reference to 
Digestive and reproductive system-feathers-structure, function and moulting
4 . Common breeds of poultry-classes-Breeds- Varieties- Principles
and practices of breeding-Selection system-qualitative and quantitative
traits -Breeding for meat and layer types-commercial hybrids.
5.  Systems of rearing poultry -Back yard - deep litter - Cage systems - 
Poultry house design and construction
6 . Feeding poultry-general principles-semi intensive systems of feeding-feed 
additives.7 Chicks -Housing and Housing requirements-care of young chicks -dubbing-debeaking sexingBrooding and brooding equipments and feeding.
8 . Growing stock-Housing requirements-feeding management.
9 . Layersrhousing-summer management-culling-feeding-management-artificial 
light -feed efficiency- egg production standards - profitability. 
10 . Breeding stock-culling-feeding-transepts-pedigree details-mating systemmanagement.
11. Broiler-Definition-Breeds-Housing-Requirements-Feeding-Production standardsDressing-Processing and marketing-Economics-Commercial units.
12. Table eggs production-collection-Grading -storage-Marketing-production of 
clean eggs.

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13. Eggs - Physical and chemical composition - Methods of
preservation - Egg products-Egg powder and frozen egg products-whole eggs,
yolk or albumen Egg quality parameters
14 .Care and Management of hatching eggs-Selection of hatching eggsincubation-Hatchery operation 
15. Common diseases - Ranikhet diseases -Marek's disease-Fowl pox-coccidiosis -
Pullorum disease- Parasites -External and Internal Causes-Main symptoms 
and control -Vaccination -Deworming
16 . Duck-Common breeds -Brooding-rearing and management.
17  .Turkey -Common breeds -Brooding -rearing and judgment. 
18 . Quail-Brooding-rearing and Management
Part III -Questions based on Botany (VHSE Level)
Part IV -Questions based on Zoology (VHSE Level)
Part V – Facts about Kerala
Geographical Facts- Physical Features- Climate-Soils- Rivers- Famous 
Sites– Etc 
Renaissance of Kerala
Important Events/ Movements/Leaders Brahmananda Swami Sivayogi, Chattampi Swami, Sree Narayana Guru, Vagbhatananda, Thycaud Ayya, Ayya Vaikundar, Poikayil Yohannan 
(Kumara- Guru), Ayyankali, Pandit Karuppan, Mannathu Padmanabhan, V.T.Bhattathirippad, Dr. Palpu, Kumaranasan, Vakkom Moulavi, Blessed 
Kuriakose Elias Chavara, Etc 

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Part VI 

•  India - National Movements – Important Events & Leaders 
• Geography of India- Physical Features- Climate-Soils- Rivers- Famous Sites – Etc 
• Demography- Economic and Social Development-Poverty AlleviationEconomy and Planning-Etc 
• History of India- Period from 1857 to 1947- National Movement- Etc. 

Part VII – General Knowledge
Part VIII – Current Affairs

• Important World, National and Regional Events related to the Political and Scientific fields, Sports, Cinema and Literature etc. 

NOTE: - It may be noted that apart from the topics  detailed above, questions from other topics prescribed for the educational qualification of the post may also appear in the question paper. There is no undertaking that all the topics above may be covered in the question paper.