AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
GRADE 12
NATIONAL SENIOR CERTIFICATE
MEMORANDUM
JUNE 2017

SECTION A
QUESTION 1
1.1
1.1.1 C ✓✓
1.1.2 D ✓✓
1.1.3 A ✓✓
1.1.4 B ✓✓
1.1.5 D ✓✓
1.1.6 C ✓✓
1.1.7 B ✓✓
1.1.8 A ✓✓
1.1.9 D ✓✓
1.1.10 A ✓✓
(10 x 2) (20)
1.2
1.2.1 B only ✓✓
1.2.2 A only ✓✓
1.2.3 None ✓✓
1.2.4 Both A and B ✓✓
1.2.5 A only ✓✓ (5 x 2) (10)
1.3
1.3.1 Pancreas ✓✓
1.3.2 Peristalsis / Peristalsis movement ✓✓
1.3.3 Gestation ✓✓
1.3.4 Quarantine ✓✓
1.3.5 Impotence/Lack of libido/lack of sex urge ✓✓ (5 x 2) (10)
1.4
1.4.1 Ventriculus / Gizzard ✓
1.4.2 Extensive ✓
1.4.3 Scrotum ✓
1.4.4 Corpus Luteum / Yellow body ✓
1.4.5 Antibodies ✓ (5 x 1) (5)
TOTAL SECTION A: 45

SECTION B
QUESTION 2: ANIMAL NUTRITION
2.1 Digestive systems of ruminants and non-ruminants:
2.1.1 Identification of parts:
E = Crop ✓
G = Gizzard / Ventriculus ✓ (2)
2.1.2 Glandular stomach secretes digestive juices for chemical digestion. ✓ (1)
2.1.3 Structures of DIAGRAM A:

1. D ✓
2. C ✓
3. B ✓
4. A ✓ (4)

2.2 The vitamin or mineral lacking:
2.2.1 Vitamin A / Retinol ✓ (1)
2.2.2 Vitamin E ✓ (1)
2.2.3 Iron/Fe/B6  (1)
2.3 Energy flow diagram:
2.3.1 Net energy ✓ (1)
2.3.2 1 000 kj – 850 kj ✓= 150 kj ✓ (2)
2.3.3 Production / Growth / Lactation / Weight gain ✓ (1)
2.4 Examples on roughages and concentrates:
Examples of protein-rich roughage:
Lucerne hay / Clover hay / Groundnut hay ✓ (Any 1 x 1) (1)
Examples of carbohydrate-rich concentrate:
Maize meal / Oats meal / Barley meal / Rye meal / Sorghum meal ✓ (Any 1 x 1) (1)
2.5 Digestibility of feeds:
2.5.1 TWO factors that can affect the digestibility of feeds:

• Composition of feed ✓
• Composition of ration✓
• Preparation of feed ✓
• Type of animal ✓
• Quantity of feed ingested ✓
• Age of the plant material ✓
• Individuality / Digestive system ✓
• Crop from which hay was produced ✓
• Stage plant was cut / Water amount ✓
• Method of making hay ✓
• Preparation of hay ✓
• Supplementation with NPN ✓
• Supplementation with molasses and protein ✓
• Palatability of ration ✓
• Temperature and humidity ✓
• Time, season and climate ✓ (Any 3 x 1) (3)

2.5.2 Methods to improve digestibility of feeds:

• Grinding / Crushing / Milling ✓
• Pelleting ✓
• Boiling ✓
• Roasting / Cooking ✓
• Soaking✓
• Popping and micronising ✓
• Dry-rolling and cracking ✓
• Supplementing with protein, NPN or molasses ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

2.5 Fodder flow programme:
2.6.1 Total dry matter (DM) available for A:
14 tons/ha x 25,5 ha ✓
= 357 tons ✓ (2)
2.6.2 Total costs of buying 20 tons feed shortage:
R4,28 x 20 x 1 000 ✓
= R85 600,00 ✓
OR
R4,28 x 20 000 ✓
= R85 600,00 ✓ (Any 2 x 1 ) (2)
2.6.3 Month when surplus and shortage are at zero:
June ✓ (1)
2.7 The Pearson square:

2.7.1
The ratio of oat meal to sunflower is 20 : 9 ✓ (4)
2.7.2 The amount of maize in kg:
Maize to sunflower is 20 + 9 = 29 ✓
Amount of maize is 2029 x 650 kg ✓ = 448,3 kg 
OR
Maize to sunflower is 20 + 9 = 29 ✓
Amount of maize is 20 x 100 = 68,9655% x 650 kg ✓ = 448,3 kg ✓ (3)
                                29 
2.8 The Nutritive Ratio (NR) of feeds:
FEED B ✓
It has a narrow nutritive ratio / It has more protein and less carbohydrates. ✓ (2)
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QUESTION 3: ANIMAL PRODUCTION, PROTECTION AND CONTROL
3.1 Temperature ranges
3.1.1 TWO reasons to support why cows grow better at low temperature:

• The presence of papilla in the rumen act as heating rods ✓ to keep the temperature constant. ✓
• Cows have less radiation relative to their size. ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

3.1.2 TWO methods to protect pigs against extreme cold weather:

• Shed for sheltering ✓
• Bedding in a pen ✓
• Provide insulation material ✓
• Insert heaters in a pen ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

3.2 Housing structure for broiler production:
3.2.1 TWO examples of equipment in a poultry house:

• Feed troughs ✓
• Water drinkers/troughs ✓
• Lighting ✓
• Nesting boxes / layer cages ✓
• Roosts ✓
• Bedding✓
• Foot baths ✓
• Fans / Air conditioner ✓
• Heaters / Air conditioner ✓
• Incubators ✓
• Egg trays ✓
• Egg scale ✓
• Thermometer ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

3.2.2 TWO other ways in which temperature can be regulated

• Heat lamps / heaters in cold weather ✓
• Fans ✓
• Ventilation systems ✓
• Air conditioning ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

3.2.3 TWO purposes of the part labelled A:

• To allow ventilation / air flow ✓
• To allow diffused sunlight ✓ (Any 1 x 1) (1)

3.3 Production system in farming:
3.3.1 Intensive production system (1)
3.3.2 Motivation:

• High stocking density ✓
• High input costs (very expensive sophisticated equipment) / specialised equipment ✓
• Pigs are kept in a small closed area ✓
• Pigs are being fed with no access to natural pastures \✓ (Any 1 x 1) (1)

3.4 Equipment used on a farm:
3.4.1 Castration ✓ (1)
3.4.2

1. Elastrator ✓
2. Emasculator ✓
3. Burdizzo ✓ (3)

3.4.3 Suitability of A and C:

1. Younger animals: A ✓
2. Adult animals: C ✓ (2)

3.5 Farm animals and the ways in which they lose heat:
3.5.1

1. Conduction ✓
2. Heat radiation / Radiation ✓ (2)

3.5.2 Evaporation / Convection / Excretion / Oxidation / Respiration ✓
(Any 1 x 1) (1)
3.6 Methods used to administer medicines to animals:
3.6.1 Balling gun ✓ (1)
3.6.2 Drenching gun / Syringe ✓ (1)
3.6.3 Balling gun ✓ (1)
3.7 Differentiation between pulse rate and respiratory rate:
Pulse rate:
Number of heartbeats of an animal in one minute ✓ (1)
Respiratory rate:
Number of breaths of an animal in one minute ✓ (1)
3.8 The table showing diseases:

1. Newcastle disease ✓
2. Sores on the skin, secrete pus, scab, hard lumps on the skin and wool ✓
3. Anaplasmosis / Gall sickness ✓
4. Anthrax ✓ (4)

3.9 The life cycle of an internal parasite:
3.9.1 Liver flukes / Trematodes / Flukes / Fasciolaepatica ✓ (1)
3.9.2 The intermediate host:
Snail / Slug ✓ (1)
3.9.3 TWO financial implications and detrimental effects of internal parasites:

• Tissue damage ✓
• Poor production / stock losses / loss of income ✓
• High treatment costs ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

3.9.4 TWO pasture management measures of controlling internal parasites:

• Rotational grazing ✓
• Resting of infected pastures ✓
• Allowing animals that are resistant to specific internal parasites ✓
• Avoid wet places ✓
• Use of zero grazing ✓
• Removal of manure / hygienic measures ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

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QUESTION 4: ANIMAL REPRODUCTION
4.1 The parts labelled A, C and E:
4.1.1
A ‒ Ovary ✓
C ‒ Vagina ✓
E ‒ Uterus ✓ (3)
4.1.2 Function of B (cervix):

• Provide favourable environment for sperm survival and serve as a reservoir for semen. ✓
• Transports or facilitates sperm transfer into the uterus. ✓
• It secrets thick mucus which acts as a barrier during pregnancy
  (preventing foreign material or bacteria from entering the uterus) ✓
• Prevents microbal contermination of the uturus. (Any 1 x 1) (1)

4.1.3 The functions of glands labelled 1, 2 and 3 from DIAGRAM B:

• Gland 1: (Cowper’s gland):
  Secretes a substance that lubricates and cleans urethra / improves mobility of sperms / Contribute to the volume of the ejaculate ✓
• Gland 2: (Prostrate):
  Milky alkaline secretion give semen its distinctive smell ✓
• Gland 3: (Seminal vesicles):
  Makes about 50% of bull’s ejaculate / Nutrition for sperms / Responsible for correct pH / Responsible for correct osmotic pressure of seminal fluid ✓ (3)

4.1.4 Identification of parts F and G in DIAGRAM B:

• F ‒ Sigmoid Flexure ✓
• G ‒ Testicle / Testis ✓ (2)

4.2 Oestrus cycle in a cow:
4.2.1 Spermatogenesis ✓ (1)
4.2.2 Deduction on the type of cell division:

• Meiosis ✓
• Reason ‒ genetic material is reduced into half (diploid(2n) changed into haploid (n)/reduction division) ✓ (2)

4.2.3 The stages of spermatogenesis:

• C – Formation of the spermatids ✓
• D – Formation of sperm cells/spermatozoa ✓ (2)

4.3 Oestrus cycle in a cow:
4.3.1 21 days ✓ (1)
4.3.2 Devices to detect oestrus in the cow:

• Pedometer ✓
• Chin-ball marker ✓
• Tail-chalking ✓
• Kamarheatmount detector ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

4.3.3 Sequential order of FOUR reproductive hormones that are produced by a cow:

• Progesterone ✓
• Luteotrophic hormone/LTH/prolactin ✓
• Relaxin ✓
• Oxytocin ✓ (Any 4 x 1) (4)

4.4 Bar graph:

Criteria/rubric/marking guidelines

• Correct heading ✓
• X-axis – correctly calibrated with label (Species) ✓
• Y-axis – correctly calibrated with label (Motility) ✓
• Correct units (%) ✓
• Bar graph ✓
• Accuracy ✓ (Any 5 x 1) (5)

4.5 The breeding technique:
4.5.1 Embryo transplantation / Embryo transfer / Embryo flushing / Embryo harvesting ✓ (1)
4.5.2 Donor cow ✓ (1)
4.5.3 Disadvantages of ET:

• Expensive ✓
• Require technical knowledge / Needs veterinarian ✓
• Genetic viability decreases with the use of only one superior cow ✓
• Recipient cow may not become pregnant / Abort eggs ✓
• Diseases can be spread ✓
• Ethics and animal welfare✓
• Synchronisation of recipient and donor can be difficult ✓ (Any 1 x 1) (1)

4.6 Difficult birth:
4.6.1 Dystocia ✓ (1)
4.6.2 Reason for difficult births in heifers:

• Heifers are physically smaller ✓and less developed (younger)/age ✓
• Incorrect presentation / position/ posture ✓
• Too large foetus / hydrocephalus ✓
• Deformities of the foetus ✓
• Torsion / twisting of the foetus ✓
• Prolapsed uterus ✓
• Multiple births / twins ✓
• Size of the pelvic area ✓
• Weak / ineffective labour✓
• Cervix failing to dilate ✓
• Prolonged gestation / pregnancy period ✓
• Malnutrition ✓
• Diseases ✓ (Any 2 x 1) (2)

4.6.3 Parturition process has three distinct stages:

• Preparatory stage ✓
• Ejection stage ✓
• Expulsion of the placenta ✓ (3 x 1) (3)

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TOTAL SECTION B: 105
GRAND TOTAL: 150