Agriculture Paper 2 November 2015

1. ARainfall amount, soil depth, temperature and the slope of the land
2. BDistance to the market, the state of the road and the price of diesel
3. CHousehold size, the schooling of the farmer and the labour available
4. DThe maize price, the cost of fertiliser and the bank lending rate

1. Athe soil warms up faster than the roots of a young crop are able to take up water
2. Bthe rain washes dust from the leaves, so that photosynthesis slows for a few days
3. Cthe drops cap the soil surface and most of the water runs off, taking topsoil with it
4. Dthe crop takes up more nitrogen than it can use, so the leaves turn a dark colour

1. Athey hold the soil with their roots and give fuelwood, fruit, browse and shade
2. Bthey take nitrogen from the soil so that the grass beneath them stays short
3. Cthey lower the water table so that vlei land can be ploughed earlier in the season
4. Dthey keep the soil bare beneath them so that runoff moves off the slope quickly

1. AFollow a deep rooted crop with a shallow rooted one and never repeat the same family
2. BFollow a legume with another legume so that nitrogen builds up over several seasons
3. CGrow the crop that fetched the best price last season on every field of the farm
4. DPlant the same crop each year on the same land so that the soil suits it better

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1. Aclay loam
2. Blight sand
3. Csandy loam
4. Dsilty loam

1. Alowers the pH and supplies nitrogen, so that the leaves of the crop turn dark green
2. Braises the pH and supplies calcium, and helps clay particles to bind into crumbs
3. Cseals the surface of the soil so that less water is lost by evaporation in the dry
4. Dkills the bacteria in the soil so that organic matter is no longer broken down

1. Ait holds little water, so a crop growing on it seldom suffers waterlogging
2. Bits coarse particles let water drain away quickly after heavy rain
3. Cit warms up early in the season and can be worked soon after rain
4. Dits fine particles hold a large reserve of water and of plant nutrients

1. Ait forms a hard pan near the surface that keeps moisture in the root zone
2. Bit drains freely, warms up early and is easy to work with a plough or hoe
3. Cit holds nutrients tightly so that little fertiliser is ever needed on it
4. Dit swells when wet and cracks when dry, which opens the soil to the air

1. Aa basal dressing supplies nitrogen only, while a top dressing supplies all three nutrients
2. Ba basal dressing is sprayed on the leaves, while a top dressing is watered into the soil
3. Ca basal dressing goes in at planting, while a top dressing is given to the growing crop
4. Da basal dressing is given to the growing crop, while a top dressing goes in at planting

1. Ait adds humus, which improves soil structure and slowly releases nutrients
2. Bit makes the soil more acid, which suits every crop grown in the rotation
3. Cit supplies nitrogen in a form the crop can take up within hours of the first rain
4. Dit raises the temperature of the soil so that seed germinates within a single day

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1. Asugars from the leaves to the roots along the tubes of the phloem
2. Bmineral salts into a root hair against the concentration gradient
3. Cwater through a partly permeable membrane into a stronger solution
4. Dparticles from where they are many to where they are few

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1. Athe ureter, which carries urine from the kidney down to the bladder
2. Bthe epididymis, in which sperm are stored while they finish maturing
3. Cthe seminal vesicle, a gland that adds fluid to the semen at mating
4. Dthe sperm duct, which carries sperm away from the testis

1. Amakes the fluid part of the semen and warms the sperm
2. Bcarries sperm to the penis and adds sugars that feed them
3. Cproduces spermatozoa and the male hormone testosterone
4. Dproduces spermatozoa and stores urine before it is passed

1. Aeach of the three stages feeds on a different animal before the female lays eggs
2. Bthe eggs hatch on the animal and the adults spend their whole life in the soil
3. Cthe larva feeds on one animal and the nymph and adult feed on a second animal
4. Dall three stages feed and moult on one animal, and the fed female drops off

1. Aa rabbit doe in the last week of pregnancy carrying a large litter
2. Ba young rabbit being pushed on feed to reach slaughter weight quickly
3. Ca mature rabbit doe that is neither pregnant nor suckling a litter
4. Da batch of layers at the peak of the laying period in a deep litter house

1. AThey lay their eggs under the skin, where the young feed on the muscle
2. BThey live in the rumen, where they use up the food the animal has eaten
3. CThey bore into the hoof and lame the animal, but do not feed on its blood
4. DThey suck blood, damage the hide and spread diseases such as heartwater

1. Ait shows how many parasites the animal can carry before it stops feeding
2. Bit shows which stage is easiest to kill, so control can break the cycle
3. Cit shows how much the parasite will cost him in medicines over a whole season
4. Dit tells him which breed of animal will fetch the highest price at the sale

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1. A500 kg
2. B150 kg
3. C300 kg
4. D450 kg

1. Aplace the road along the top of a dam wall to save on building material
2. Bfollow the high, well drained ground and cross a stream at its narrowest point
3. Cfollow the lowest ground of the vlei so that the road stays level throughout
4. Drun the road straight up and down the steepest slope to keep it short

1. Ait wears well, lets water drain through and is found on most farms
2. Bit swells when wet and seals the road against traffic during the rainy months
3. Cit feeds nutrients to the grass verges so that they bind the road shoulders
4. Dit holds water at the surface so that the road is never dusty in the dry season

1. Arough on the surface, so that the yoke does not slip along the neck
2. Blight but strong, free of splits and smooth where it rests on the neck
3. Cheavy and dense, so that the weight of the yoke steadies the team
4. Dsoft and green, so that it can be bent to shape while it is still wet

1. Asupply shade for the herd during the hottest part of the afternoon
2. Bkeep stock in the right paddock, keep out thieves and let grazing be rested
3. Cmark the boundary so that the farm can be ploughed in a single block
4. Draise the temperature of the paddock so that the grass grows through winter

1. AThe death of a beast from a tick borne disease
2. BThe loss of a tobacco barn and its crop in a fire
3. CThe theft of cattle from the kraal during the night
4. DA change in government policy on maize marketing

1. Aa variable cost is paid in cash, while a fixed cost is paid out of the crop itself
2. Ba variable cost is paid once a year, while a fixed cost is paid every month
3. Ca variable cost rises as the area planted rises, while a fixed cost is met either way
4. Da variable cost is met either way, while a fixed cost rises as the area planted rises

1. Athe gross margin leaves out fixed costs, which net farm profit also takes off
2. Bthe gross margin leaves out the variable costs, which the net farm profit takes off
3. Cthe gross margin is worked out for the whole farm and the net profit for one field
4. Dthe gross margin is money received, while the net farm profit is money still owed

1. Amembers buy inputs in bulk together and market their produce together
2. Bthe co-operative pays each member the same income whatever he grows
3. Cmembership frees the farmer from paying any levy on the crop he sells
4. Dthe co-operative takes over the title to the land and works it as one block

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1. Athe depth of the water table under the field where it is to be grown
2. Bthe number of workers he can hire on the day the crop is to be planted
3. Chis season length, the yield of the variety and its disease resistance
4. Dthe colour of the shell, since buyers pay by the appearance of the pod

1. Ait yields more per hectare than any late variety grown under the same rain
2. Bit fills its pods before the soil dries out at the end of the season
3. Cit needs no weeding, since it covers the ground before the weeds appear
4. Dit goes on growing after the rains stop by drawing water from the subsoil

1. Aploughing the crop under and collecting the pods after the next rains fall
2. Blifting the plants with a fork when the leaves yellow, then windrowing
3. Ccutting the plants at ground level and leaving the pods in the soil to dry
4. Dburning off the leaves in the field so that the pods can be picked up clean

1. Athe first flowers have opened and the pegs have entered the soil
2. Bthe plants are still fully green and the shells are soft and white
3. Cthe pods have split open in the soil and the seed has begun to sprout
4. Dthe leaves have yellowed and the inside of the shell has darkened

1. Aleaving the crop standing until the pods have opened and shed the seed
2. Bthreshing the plants in the field while the stems are still full of sap
3. Cpicking the pods while they are still green and drying them in a heap
4. Dpulling the plants once the pods are dry but before they shatter

1. Adamp grain weighs less at the depot, so the farmer is paid a lower price
2. Bdrying raises the protein in the seed, which the buyer pays a premium for
3. Cdry grain does not go mouldy in the bag and threshes out without splitting
4. Ddrying softens the pod wall so that the seed can be threshed by hand alone

1. Aa wide area is cleared quickly with little labour, row weeds included
2. Bthe chemical feeds the crop as well, so no basal fertilizer need be applied
3. Cthe weeds killed rot down and add as much nitrogen as a legume would
4. Dthe same drum of chemical will treat any crop at any stage of growth

1. Athey leave the field bare of weeds, so the soil is easier to plough later
2. Bthey take longer to apply than hoeing the same area with a gang of workers
3. Cthey can only be used on a crop that has already reached knee height
4. Dthey cost a lot and can scorch the crop if the rate is wrong

1. Ato the soil of a field that will not be planted for another two years
2. Bto the crop at flowering, so that the weed seed is killed before it sets
3. Cto the soil after planting but before the crop and the weeds come up
4. Dto the leaves of the weeds once the crop is about to be harvested

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1. Ahoeing and cultivating, mulching the rows and rotating the crop each season
2. Bleaving the land fallow through the rains and planting after the weeds seed
3. Capplying extra top dressing so that the crop outgrows the weeds around it
4. Dplanting the crop at a wider spacing so that each plant has more room

1. Ait shades the soil, so weed seed gets no light and seedlings cannot grow
2. Bit dries the topsoil out, so no plant of any kind can take root in it
3. Cit raises the soil temperature, so weed seed is cooked before it swells
4. Dit releases a chemical that poisons every weed seed lying in the soil

1. Athey raise the pH of the soil beyond the range that maize can use
2. Bthey hold dew on the soil surface, so the maize roots stay too wet
3. Cthey compete for water, nutrients and light, so the plants are stunted
4. Dthey shed a sticky sap that seals the pores on the maize leaves

1. Acarrying the pests and diseases of maize over to the next season
2. Braising the level of the water table until the maize roots drown
3. Ctaking up the herbicide meant for the maize before it can act
4. Dshedding leaves that smother the young maize seedlings in the row

1. Aproduces a scent that draws stalk borer moths into the maize field
2. Bspreads a fungus along the row that rots the maize at ground level
3. Cattaches to the maize roots and lives off them, so the plant yellows
4. Dgrows taller than the maize and shades the cob before it can fill

1. Agreen weed growth clogs the machine and wets the grain, slowing the work
2. Bthe weeds hold the cobs on the stalk so that they cannot be pulled off
3. Cthe weeds harden the soil so that the machine cannot be driven over it
4. Dthe weeds ripen the maize early, so the cobs fall before the reapers come

1. Ait makes the grain too heavy to be lifted into the storage bin by hand
2. Bit raises the moisture of the grain so that the load is weighed light
3. Cit changes the colour of the meal so that millers refuse to grind it
4. Dit lowers the grade of the grain, so a lower price is paid at the depot

1. Athe work goes faster because the weeds keep the ground soft underfoot
2. Bmore labour is needed and the harvest is delayed, so costs rise
3. Cthe cobs come off cleanly because the weeds hold the stalk upright
4. Dless labour is needed because the weeds mark the position of the rows

1. Awash it in cold water, tie off the navel with wire and put it in a pen
2. Bdose it against roundworms and brand it before the cow can lick it dry
3. Cclear the mucus from its nose, dip the navel and see that it sucks
4. Dseparate it from the cow at once and feed it on a bucket of skim milk

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1. Athe calf puts on fat quickly and can be sold straight off the cow
2. Bit learns to eat solid feed and its rumen develops before weaning
3. Cthe cow eats less of the pasture and holds her condition longer
4. Dit stops sucking within a week of birth and goes onto water only

1. ACulling, dry cow therapy, drying off and a pregnancy test at six weeks
2. BDisbudding, castration of the males, ear tagging and dosing for worms
3. CFlushing, steaming up, service by the bull and a check for twins
4. DShearing, drenching with milk, hoof trimming and ringing of the nose

1. AA well formed udder, a good mothering record and a calf every year
2. BA short body, fine bone and a coat that sheds in the cold season
3. CA wide horn spread, a dark hide and a heavy fat cover over the ribs
4. DA deep brisket, a heavy dewlap and a large hump above the shoulder

1. Aage varies with the breed, but every heifer calves at the same weight
2. Bweight shows she is grown enough to carry a calf and go on growing
3. Cweight is the only figure a farmer can read without keeping a record book
4. Da heifer served on weight comes into heat earlier than her herd mates do

1. Aleaving them on the same paddock all year so that they know the water point
2. Bkeeping them in age groups on good grazing, dipping and dosing regularly
3. Crunning them with the breeding cows so that the bull can settle them down
4. Dhousing them indoors on concrete until they are ready to go to the abattoir

1. Athe ticks are killed before they have fed long enough to pass on disease
2. Bthe wash cools the animals, which are otherwise heat stressed in the rains
3. Cthe ticks lay their eggs on the animal itself only during the wet months
4. Dthe dip wash also treats the worms the animals pick up on wet pasture

1. Aputting them onto a high energy ration in a pen for the last weeks
2. Bmoving them onto the poorest paddock so that they walk off their fat
3. Cwithholding water for several days so that the carcass weighs cleaner
4. Ddosing them heavily so that the last of the worms leave the intestine

1. Athe abattoir pays by the number of animals rather than by their mass
2. Bcattle sold late in the dry season fetch the same price as any other time
3. Can animal sold at the right age and finish earns a higher grade and price
4. Dan animal held back for one more season always earns a better grade

1. Athe cold makes the animals eat far more than the paddock can supply
2. Bthe dry grass is low in protein, so they cannot hold condition on it
3. Cthe grass carries too much protein in winter for the rumen to handle
4. Dthe winter grass grows so fast that the animals cannot keep up with it

1. Aa bucket of clean water and a block of common salt on its own
2. Bextra maize grain alone, fed once a week on the ground
3. Ca urea and molasses lick, or hay made from a legume such as velvet bean
4. Dgreen maize stover cut and carried to the paddock every second day

1. AMaize stover alone, chopped fine and soaked in water before each feed
2. BWheat straw for energy and dry veld grass for the protein and the minerals
3. CSunflower heads and maize cobs, both fed whole and without any grinding
4. DMaize meal for energy, soya bean or groundnut meal for protein, and green fodder

1. Ahas no energy value unless it is fed together with a mineral lick
2. Bpasses through the pig too quickly to be digested in any quantity
3. Ccontains too much fibre for the pig's stomach to break down at all
4. Dis high in energy but low in protein, so tissue cannot be built fast

1. Akeep the pig warm in winter because they are digested very slowly
2. Bsupply all the protein the pig needs, so no other feed is required
3. Charden the pig's teeth so that it can grind whole grain more easily
4. Dsupply vitamins and bulk, and are grown on the farm at little cost

1. Aswollen joints and lameness, with the birds walking on their hocks
2. Bwhite scaly patches on the comb, with the feathers falling out in tufts
3. Ctwisting of the neck, gasping, greenish droppings and a drop in laying
4. Dpale combs and blood in the droppings, with the birds huddled together

1. Adosing the flock with a broad spectrum antibiotic in the drinking water
2. Bvaccinating the birds, burning or burying dead ones and isolating new stock
3. Cdipping the birds each week and treating the fowl run for external parasites
4. Draising the protein in the ration so that the birds can throw off the virus

1. Alives only in the droppings and never enters the body of the bird
2. Bis killed only by heat, so the bird must first be allowed to run a fever
3. Cmultiplies inside the bird's own cells, which antibiotics do not act on
4. Dis far larger than a bacterium, so the drug cannot get inside it