CAPRICORN SOUTH DISTRICT

NATIONAL
SENIOR CERTIFICATE

GRADE 12

AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES
PRACTICAL INVESTIGATION
MARKING GUIDELINES
22 FEBRUARY 2024

TOTAL: 50 MARKS

This paper consists of 7 pages

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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

QUESTION 1

1.1. Investigation on the Feeds used by Tom Lasaster when preparing his
Beefmaster bulls for market:

1.1.1. Fattening – Feed 3, Feed 5  (1)

1.1.2. Maintenance – Feed 2, Feed 4  (1)

1.1.3. Production – Feed 1  (1)

1.1.4. Reproduction – None  (1)

1.1.5. Growth – Feed 1  (1)

1.2. Nutritive Ratio method to support your answers in QUESTION 1.1.5

%𝑇𝐷𝑁−%𝐷𝑃
NR = 1: 
%𝐷𝑃
72%−12%
NR = 1: 
12%
60%
NR = 1: 
12%
NR = 1: 5 
Narrow Nutritive ratio (4)

1.3. Implication of Nutritive Ratio of Feed 1 and Feed 3 in terms of carbohydrates

and protein requirements.
Feed 1
 Growth – it requires more protein with high BV and carbohydrates for
maintenance 
 Production – it requires more protein with high BV and sufficient
carbohydrates 

Feed 3

 Fattening – Protein for maintenance and sufficient carbohydrates 

(4)
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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

1.4. Portions of Feed 1 and Feed 4 which should be included in the 50kg bag of
scientifically-formulated feed for Beefmaster bulls.

The ratio of Feed 1 and Feed 4

Feed 1: Feed 4
36 parts: 36 parts
36 + 36 = 72 
Feed 1
36
= × 100
72
= 50% 
50% x 50kg = 25kg of the mixture 

Feed 4
36
= × 100 
72
= 50%
50% x 50kg = 25kg of the mixture (4)

1.5. Metabolic energy of Feed 5 if one Beefmaster bull

 NE = ME – E (body heat)

76 = ME – 42 

76 + 42 = 118MJ  (2)

1.6. Digestibility coefficient of the Beefmaster bull.

9kg x 3 = 27kg

27kg x 86% = 23,22kg 

𝐷𝑀𝐼 (𝑘𝑔)−𝐷𝑀𝐸 (𝑘𝑔)

 DC = × 100 
𝑀𝐷𝐼 (𝑘𝑔)
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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

23,22 (𝑘𝑔) − 13,22 (𝑘𝑔)

DC = × 100 
23,22 (𝑘𝑔)

10 (𝑘𝑔)
DC = × 100
23,22 (𝑘𝑔)

DC = 43,07% or 43,1% or 43%  (4)

1.7. Recommendation of Feed 2 to be fed to Tom Lasaster’s Beefmaster bulls

 No. 

 Feed 2 has a DC of 43%, which means that it has more cellulose

and lignin 

OR

 The feed is difficult for the animal to digest hence only 43% has
been digested  (3)

1.8. Required silage for 125 bulls in six months

 1 Beefmaster consumes 9kg x 3 per day = 27kg/day 

27kg x 30days = 810kg/month/bull 

 810 x 6 months = 4 860kg/6months/bull

 4 860kg x 125 bulls = 607 500kg/6months/125bulls 

 607 500kg

 607,5 t  (4)

(30)
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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

QUESTION 2

2.1. Farming system and farming production system used by Tom Lasaster.

a) Production system: Intensive farming system 

b) Farming system: Commercial / large scale  (2)

2.2. TWO methods which are used to improve digestion of feed for animals.

a) Silage is a chopped down and stored in tower silos, pits or trenches used
as feed for animals in the feedlots and it is given to animals while still wet 

b) Pelleting are small rounded, spherical feed given to animals in the

feedlots  (2)

2.3. TWO factors to increase animal production in the Beefmaster production farm.

a) Feeding

 Balanced ration or scientifically formulated feed, e.g. pellets, and

silage 

 Nutritive concentrates to prepare animals for marketing within a short

space of time 

b) Environment

 Shelter in the form of kraal to make the environmental conditions

optimal for productions 

 Animals are kept in a shelter to prevent unnecessary movement 

c) General enterprise management

 Proper management of labour to avoid exploitation 

 Guided management to all production factors such as available

resources to maximize production 

(Any 2 x 2) (4)
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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

2.4. The type of the shelter used on the farm for Beefmaster and its requirements
and suitability for the type of the production system.

 Kraals made from woodlots to prevent animal injuries 

 Small woodlots kraals to grouped animals according to their age

and sex for better management 

 Feeding is done in each small kraal to prevent fighting and

stampeding during feeding 

 Open small kraals allow visibility of all animals during feeding

and during relaxation period 
(4)

2.5. A bar graph

2.5.1. A combined bar graph to show lower critical temperature and optimum
temperature of all the farm animals.

Lower critical and optimal temperature of farm animals

35
Lower critical
temperature
30

25
Temperature 0C

20

15

10

0
Sows Layers Dairy cows Bacon pigs Chicken (day-
old)
Farm animals

Marking criteria/rubric
 Correct heading 
 Correct calibration and labelled (with correct units) x-axis 
 Correct calibration and labelled (with correct units) y-axis 
 Correct units 
 Bar graph 
 Accuracy (80+ correct plotting of the graph) 
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Agricultural Sciences Practical Investigation NSC Grade 12 Capricorn South District February 2024

(6)

2.5.2. Mention the animal that has the highest heat production per hour.

 Dairy cow  (1)

2.5.3. Indicate the farm animal that has the highest lower critical temperature.

 Chicken (day old)  (1)

(20)

GRAND TOTAL [50]