Republic of the Philippines

Commission on Higher Education

Province of Sorsogon
Municipality of Donsol
DONSOL COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Tres Marias, Donsol, Sorsogon

TLE IC 7
Module 7

FARM MANAGEMENT

TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION

TEACHING COMMON COMPETENCIES IN AGRICULTURE AND

FISHERY ARTS
SECOND SEMESTER : AY 20___-20__
TLE-IC 7 : TEACHING COMMON COMPETENCIES IN AGRICULTURE AND
FISHERY ARTS
MODULE 7 : FARM MANAGEMENT

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Government, Paragraph 176.1 states that, no copyright shall subsist in any work
of the Government of the Philippines. However, prior approval of the government
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speeches, lectures, sermon, address, and dissertations, pronounced, read or
rendered in courts of justice, before administrative agencies in deliberative
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176.2. The author of speeches, lectures, sermons, addresses, and dissertations

mentioned in the preceding paragraphs shall have the exclusive right of making a
collection of his works. (n)

173.3. Notwithstanding the foreign provisions, the Government is not precluded

from receiving and holding copyrights transferred to it by assignment, bequest or
otherwise; nor shall publication or republication by the Government in a public
document of any work in which copyright is subsisting be taken to cause
abridgment or annulment of the copyright or to authorize any use or appropriation
of such work without the consent of the copyright owner. (sec 9, third par., P.D.
No.49)

Development Team
TECHNOLOGY AND LIVELIHOOD EDUCATION
Prepared by: RENE C. BAROLA, MAM
Reviewed by: JOAQUIN G. ATAYZA, MATEA
Layout Artist: RENE C. BAROLA, MAM
GLADYS S. MENDIOLA
ALBERT S. LLAVA

This module is a property of Donsol Community College. No portion/s of

this instructional material may be reproduced or used in any form
without the permission of Donsol Community College. This module is not
for sale.

DISCLAIMER

The use of trade names in this module is to identify examples only and is not
meant to endorse these products or discredit any similar product.
Introduction

Welcome to this self-learning module on FARM MANAGEMENT. This module

includes the introduction, objectives, vocabulary, Pre-assessment which you need to
answer. Then, the Activity, Analysis, Abstraction and Application which are the adult
learning processes. The Activity is designed to engage you as a learner in an activity
dealing with the concepts to be learned. Analysis is a reflective feedback which describes
the process of inquiry into the results of the activity. Abstraction is an integration which
describes the generalization derived from the activity and analysis. Application is a
practical synthesis which describes the various activities directed at you as a learner the
need to transfer the insights which were surfaced during the Activity, Analysis and
Abstraction stages of the learning process into your real-life concerns. After doing so, you
may take the Post- assessment to determine and gauge the knowledge, skills and
attitudes you have gained from this lesson.
To enhance your competence, you have also to accomplish Going Further found in
this module. The References are also included for further information. The Rubric in
Assessing Your Written Answers is also found in the module to guide you while you
work on this curriculum material. Enjoy in this learning journey. Thank you and Good luck!

Objectives

After completing this module, you must be able to:

1.discuss farm management

2.give the important practices and records in farm management

3.tell the relevance of farm management

Vocabulary

Agriculture. Agriculture is simply defined as the art and science of crop, animal and fiber
production for human consumption. As a branch of agriculture, animal
production deals with production of domesticated animals other than pets
and game animals (principlesofanimalproduction.blogspot.com,2012 ).

Pre-Assessment
Multiple Choice
Directions. Answer each question. Write the letter of the correct answer on your
answer sheet.
1. Esprit de corp means__________________.
a. harmony b.planning c. divide and rule d.remuneration

2. The proper combination and operation of production factors in agriculture is termed

as farm management.
a.True b.False

3. What data are recorded in an animal identification record?

I. milk yield II. egg laid III. date of birth IV. sex
a.I & II b.II & III c.III & IV d.II, & IV

4. What document is used to record and keep account of different activities, events,
materials, expenses and profit regarding farm operations?
a . farm record
b. farm account
c. balance sheet
d.sales and receipts

5. Which is an advantage of records at farm?

a. Helps in preparing pedigree and history record of animals
b. Helps in farm testing
c. Helps in comparing inefficiency of animals
d. Helps in fixing debts
6. Division of work: Specialization; Scalar Chain:_____________
a. orderly farm b.line of authority c. fairness d.initiative
7.How will you ensure that freedom from pain, injury or disease is afforded to animals?
a. Provide readily accessible freshwater and diet.
b. Ensure conditions and treatments that are not provoking mental suffering.
c. Prevent suffering through quick diagnosis and treatment.
d. Easy to express behavior.
8. The law in the Philippines which guaranteed the 5 basic freedoms of animals is______.
a. R.A. 9155 b.R.A. 4670 c.R.A.8485 d.R.A. 9192
9. What are the basic freedoms for animals?
I. Freedom from fear and distress III..Freedom from unnecessary discomfort.
II. Freedom from hunger and thirst IV. Freedom from pain,injury and disease.
V.freedom to select abode VI.Freedom to express normal behavior
a.I,II,III,&IV b.I,II,III,IV & V c.I,II,III,IV,V&VI d.I,II,III,IV & VI

10. What environment management is involved when used bottles, syringes and vials are
disposed based on the manufacturer’s recommendation?
a. drainage b.segregation c.cleaning d.disposal
11. Which type of record belongs to animal health management?
a.feeding record b.feed storage record c.animal health record d.sanitation record
12.Disease Records: Disease management; Production Records:_______________
a.Supervision of animals c.breeding of animals
b.management of animals d.quarantine of animals
13. Why is sick bay important in farm management?
a. To separate healthy and unhealthy animals
b. To prevent drainage problems
c. To remove excess water
d. To track number of animals in the livestock
14. The following are buildings and facilities needed for pig or swine raising EXCEPT_____.
a.pre-gestation area b. boar unit c.calf pen d. farrowing room
15.Why is proper ventilation and lighting important?
a. It provides comfort c.It provides weather-proof shelter
b. It provides aesthetic value d.It provides back up source of power.

Activity

Read and study

FARM MANAGEMENT

In ensuring a productive, and profitable agricultural farms, it is relevant to know the

diverse farm operations and the factors of production such as land, labor and capital
which will determine the return of investment. Keeping records to monitor and assess both
cost of production or farm inputs and production output or farm outputs is an
indispensable activity. Effective farm management is a must to a person who aspires to
succeed in farming.

What is Farm Management?

Various definitions were given to farm management. These are reflected below:

1.Farm management is the utilization of sound principles in selection, organization and

conduct of an individual farm business for the purpose of obtaining to the greatest
possible profit.
Farm management as a discipline involves the application of scientific and technical
principles to the solution of the day to day problems facing the farmer.
Farm management is the science which considers the organization and operation of the
farm from the point of view of efficiency and continuous profit.
Farm management is the study of the business principles in farming. It may be defined
as the science of organization and the management of the farm enterprise for the
purpose of securing the greatest continuous profits.
Farm management subject is the presentation of business and scientific findings in their
application to farming for the purpose of indicating the way to greatest continuous
profit.
Farm management as the sub-division of economics which considers the allocation of
limited resources within the individual farm, is a science of choice and decision making
and thus is a field requiring studied judgment.

National Open University of Nigeria(n.d)

2.A science which deals with the proper combination and operation of production
factors including land, labor and capital and the choice of crop and livestock enterprises
to bring about a maximum and continuous return to the most elementary units of
farming (Yan(n.d) as cited by De Leon,2008)
3.A process of involving, observing and analyzing alternative course of action; deciding
which courses of action to follow; taking steps necessary to carry out the decision once
it has been made; and bearing the responsibility for the outcome of the decision once it
has been made; and bearing the responsibility for the outcome of the decision
(Benake(n.d) as cited by De Leon,2008)
4. The art of applying business and scientific principles to the organization and
operation of a farm (Business definition (n.d) as cited by De Leon,2008)
5. The art of managing a farm(Taylor,1977)

Nature of Farm Management

National Open University of Nigeria(n.d) discussed the nature farm management.
According to the institution, a farmer needs to know not only how to cultivate his crops and
tend his livestock, but also how to manage his farm. Many farms consist of different sections,
each devoted to the production of one kind of crop or livestock. These sections of the farm are
known as enterprises. Every farmer must face the management problem of the enterprises.
The importance of farm management can manifest itself in various ways, like detecting and
finding solutions to management problems of deciding which enterprises to have, how much to
produce in each enterprise and what method to use.

It added that every farmer must know and be able to do all the practical jobs connected
with farming enterprises. For this practical knowledge, there is no substitute. This explains the
fact that good farm management is often considered as an art rather than a science and this
explain why some farmers fail while others succeed. For farmers to succeed they must also
know the scientific principle of crops and livestock production particularly in the area in which
the farming is to be practiced and also the soil type, disease, weather and the season could be
studied or obtained from an extension worker in the area. It so demands that farmers must
know and use the basic business principles in accordance with which the common farm
practices and scientific principles should be applied.

Further discussion explained that farm Management is also concerned with effective
employment of socially acceptable guidelines for all levels of organization. In policy
formulations and achieving results, relevant facts must be considered. It must at all times try
to attain optimum level of effectiveness and economy of operations. To do this, human
satisfaction, welfare package and morale boosting must be promoted. Farm Management
responsibility is a continuous and living activity which must not be replaced by routines or
operational techniques meant for lower level operatives in the absence of the manager. No
matter how large an organization is, the management process must be seen as a unified
process in which all the parts are inter-related and working towards a single purpose or set of
objectives. The management process is based on systematic diagnosis of the problem, finding
the facts, assessing and interpreting the findings, making decisions, giving instructions,
ensuring execution and checking the results. Farm Management performance is judged by the
achievement of purpose or objectives, effectiveness of operations and most important, the
contentment of the farm worker.

IMPORTANCE OF FARM MANAGEMENT(De Leon,2008)

Good farm management involves successful organization and use of the resources available in
obtaining the highest possible sustained net income from the farm business. In order to
produce more efficiently. It is necessary to manage the farm in much the same way as an
entrepreneur operates the store or production plant. Have a good working knowledge. Know
the best crops and animals for the farm and how to manage them. Know the soils on the farm
and how to keep them productive. Be acquainted with the use of modern farm machineries
and equipment. Buy large quantities of supply and market own produce. Have training, formal
or informal and continually use the published information available.
In addition to having knowledge of the best farm practices, have the ability to fit these
practices into a workable system. Crop rotations must produce feed for livestock and at the
same time keep the soil productive. The choice of farm machines and power should give
maximum mechanization at the lowest cost. Buildings must be designed so as to require a
minimum of labor in caring for the animals and in doing other farm chores.
Perhaps more than any single factor, the choice of farm business influences farm
management and its prospects and success. Even the most effective farm management plan
may fail if the correct type of farm enterprise is not chosen. On the contrary, the right kind of
farm business can mean success with only an average farm management system.

BASIC PRINCIPLES OF FARM MANAGEMENT

Principles of management are only guidelines and that require great skill in using and adapting
them to particular circumstances. There are fourteen (14) principles given and elaborated by
Henri Fayol as follows:

1. Division of Work Specialization, whether by workers or farm

manager, It is necessary to provide the
required knowledge and expertise. Farm
manager can train farm workers to specialize
in the various fields of agriculture.

2. Authority and Responsibility Authority may be formal, conferred as a

result of position in the organizational
hierarchy or personal, the result of personal
characteristics. Ideally, it should be both.
Responsibility must go with and match
authority. The purpose of authority is to
direct activity in the right direction, sanctions
or punishments must be available to be
applied to those who won‟t conform.

3. Discipline This may arise from formal or unwritten

agreements between management and
workers as to what is proper conduct or it
may be imposed on workers solely by
management.

4. Unity of Command Each worker must have one boss from whom
he receives orders: Departmental
responsibility must be very carefully set out
so that there is no overlapping of authority.

5. Unity of Direction There can be only one head of the

organisation whose job is to see that all
efforts are directed to the same overall
goals.

6. Subordination of Individual Interest At the individual level, the employer or

to General Interest manager must submerge his personal
interests or leave them behind at the
workplace door. In the case of sections and
departments, group interests and aims must
be subordinated or suppressed for the
common goal.

7. Remuneration of Personnel It must be fair and satisfy the employer as a

reasonable cost for services rendered and
the employee as a means of livelihood and
return for effort. Time rates, job rates,
piecework and bonus schemes are all
admissible as appropriate. 8. Centralization
The degree of centralization would however,
vary according to circumstances and the
abilities of the people concerned.

9. The Scalar Chain This is the line of authority from superior to

subordinate, from the very top to the bottom
of the business. In each aspect of the
business, the chain must be unbroken i.e. at
each level, a man must have an immediate
boss, who himself has a boss and so on up to
the managing director. The scalar chain is
the channel for authority to communicate
and implements decisions.

10. Order A place for everything and everything in its

place. This applies to materials layout and
human or social order. Social order needs a
careful balance or requirements and
resources.
11. Equity
Fairness, kindness and justice to all, must not
only be done but be seen to be done.
12. Stability of Tenure of Personnel As much as possible, a firm should provide a
career structure so that its manager stay and
progress within the firm. Outsiders may at
times have to be brought in, but there must
be a good reason for doing so.
13. Initiative
Encouragement of initiative promotes zeal
and energy. Its use, must however, be within
the limits of respect for authority and
discipline.

14. Espirit de Corp This is the last of the principles and one
which must permeate all others. It is
described as harmony among all members of
the organisation. The all too frequent
management practices of divide and rule is
roundly condemned.

Basic Principles of Farm Management

All the general principles enumerated above are relevant to Farm management and can easily
be related to the basic principles given below: ·

1.Planning and Control Planning and control are important tools in Farm Management. They
provide the administrative aspect of the management. The essential steps in planning and
control involve setting of goals and objectives, laying down of responsibilities for specific
sections, determining or setting appropriate standard of performance through systematic
analysis and assessment of the relevant facts; then ensuring effectiveness by continuously
comparing the achievements with the set goals. Work specialization, simplification and
standardization all help to make the routine effective.

2.Organisation Organisation involves defining individual responsibilities as well as inter-

relationships between sections. A large farm business establishment involving many
enterprises requires subdivision into appropriate sections with specialized related functions. As
the organisation grows larger, the individual supervisor may become overloaded. The need
then arises for the delegation of the part of the responsibilities to lower level supervisors.
Arrangement must then be made to ensure effective co-ordination. There must be clear lines
of responsibility linking the farm Manager with various decision making or execution canters;
each supervisor must be responsible for a limited number of subordinates in inter-related
activities. Functional sections must be so integrated as to avoid impairing the clear lines of
responsibility and command. Delegation of responsibility does not excuse the superior officer
from being accountable for any shortcoming. No good farm manger will relax after delegating
authority. At least occasional checks are carried out to pick up slackness or deviation from
instructions.

3.Co-ordination There must be specific responsibility for deliberate continuous coordination

with laid down procedures. While linking up various aspects of the enterprise, management
must promote personal and social satisfaction of all workers within the establishment. Group
satisfaction must be sought over and above individual satisfaction and since each individual
has varying external influences, it is very difficult to attain this group satisfaction while
completely satisfying each individual. Regular contact and exchange of ideas ensures that all
concerned are in consonance with the management. There is unified command and no one
sees himself as slave to a boss. The set of instructions is initially developed through
consultation with various levels of operators and it is best to allow people to understand why
instructions are given. A clear understanding of the impact of each person’s action or inaction
will gear him up towards his responsibility. These instructions must follow clear lines of
responsibility and the structural setting in the organisation.

4.Motivation The morale is kept high by keeping all workers informed about the activities, the
successes and drawbacks, consulting them before new regulations are put forward, fostering
the sense of responsibility, allowing them to develop their own capabilities within the overall
goals of the organisation. Farm manager must give workers room to contribute more than
mere performance of their allotted routine duties. There must be security of the job and
confidence that one is not simply being used. There must be fairness and objectivity in dealing
with workers. Discipline must be maintained and accepted by subordinates.

When there is a sense of responsibility, there will be no need to gear people to action.
Continuous review of codes of conduct helps to keep them in line and updated. The personality
of the farm manger to a great extent determines the level of moral and discipline in the
organisation.

THE DECISION MAKING FUNCTIONS OF FARM MANAGER

The Concepts of Decision Making

Decision making is the process of thought or deliberation that results in a choice. This
definition implies that decision making involves making a choice from possible alternative
resources. Like in other businesses, decision making in farm business is one of the most
important activities that a Farm Manager has to carry out. It is important that Farm Manager
should follow a gradual and sequential process in taking decisions. A wrong decision at a
particular stage in production process can lead to total collapse of the farm business. The
success of any farm manager will depend to a large extent on the right type of decision he
made.

The Process of Decision Making

There are seven essential steps that must be followed when making decision in Farm
Management:

1.Identify the Problem: A problem is identified as soon as the

farm manager discovered some
deviations from the past experience.
Once the farm manager noticed any
strange happenings or unusual
occurrence, then a problem is already
identified.

2. Define the Problem: Definition of problem involved locating

the root course of the problem identified.
This requires establishing what is
responsible for the problem identified

3.Suggest Solutions:
After establishing the course of the
problem, you can now suggest some
possible solutions to it.

4.Analyze the Suggested Solutions: Analysis of the suggested solutions

involves getting the implications of each
possible solution. This involve getting the
cost of each solution, the resources
required (both human and material
resources) and workability of the
solutions.

5.Select the Best Solution: From the point of view of cost, human
resources, material resources and
workability of the solutions, the farm
manager can now choose the best
alternative solution.

6.Implement Decision: The next step after choosing the best

alternative solution is to put the chosen
solution into action.

7.Evaluation: This is the last step in the process of

decision making. It involves comparing
the result or performance of your farming
business at the end of the decision to the
time before thedecision was taken.

Types of Farm Management Decisions

There are many decisions and/or problems confronting farmers on the farm. The solutions to
these problems will determine to a large extent whether a farmer or farm manager is going to
be successful or not. The types of problems facing Farm Management include the following:

a)What Size of Farm to Operate?

(The solutions to this will depend on
many factors like the type of crop
cultivated or type of animal reared the
amount of resources available, land
tenure system of the area, type of
equipment available etc.

(b)What Combination of Crops and The solution to this will depend on

Livestock to Produce? whether the farmer wants to go on mixed
farming or mixed cropping, it will also
depend on the value system of the area
and some other factors.

(c)What System of Farming should be The available system of farming include:

followed? mono cropping, mixed cropping, mixed
farming. For animal rearing we have –
intensive, semi –intensive and extensive
systems.

(d) What is the most Profitable Method of

Production given the available
Resources?

(e) What kinds of Machinery and

Equipment to use and at what level of
Production do we substitute Machinery for
labor?
(f) How much of Family Labor and how This will be determined by the total
much of Paid Labor to use? population of the family and the number
that will be available for farming at
various period of the year.
(g) What are the appropriate Times to Farmers need to decide whether to
Produce Specific crops or Livestock? produce certain crop or livestock during
occasions when they will be highly
demanded. For example, poultry farmer
can decide to target the sales of his
broilers during occasions like: New Year,
Easter and Sallah celebrations.

(h) How much of the crops and livestock

to consume at home and how much of
these to sell?

(i) Selling price of the farm products and

what are the problems of marketing?

(j) What are the sources of credit open to

a farmer and how can he make proper
use of the available credit?

Functions of Farm Manager

Given the problems and/or decisions faced in Farm Management, the farm manager or
management must be prepared to carry out the following functions in agricultural production:
planning, forecasting, organizing, coordinating, staffing or personnel management, directing
and leading, communicating, motivating and supervising.

Which function is most important? They are all important and emphasis should be laid on
different aspects according to need.

1. Forecasting. Once the idea of establishing a farm business is conceived,

forecasting begins in term of expected quantities to produce,
the price to set, the costs of farm inputs and the likely profits.
Projections are also made on the basis of economic indicators
such as population, age distribution, levels of income,
government plans to increase employment or raise incomes,
tastes and preferences.

2. Planning. Forecasting is the beginning of planning which must be done.

On the basis of forecasts, the farm manager can increase his
output. The plan which some people call budget, contain every
detail of how much to make, at what price to sell, what profits
are expected, the obligations to workers and consumers. The
annual budget is a general statement, but the monthly budgets
are more detailed. Planning sorts out who will do what and in
planning, all levels of workers must be involved.

3. Organizing. In organizing, responsibilities are defined and lines of authority

are laid down. Organisation involves delegating authority and
holding specific people responsible for making sure that specific
things are done.

4. Coordinating. Co-ordination is essential since farm business is segmented into

various enterprises each doing its own bit. The work of all the
segments must be harmonized so that no section is delayed by
lack of appropriate activity in another section. Coordinating is
done by bringing all head of sections into the picture through
communication. General meetings announced and discussed by
the farm manager.

5. Motivation. In order to make the work of co-ordination and controlling easy,

farm workers must be properly motivated through humane
treatment. As a farm manager, you should always put yourself
in the position of farm workers. Take pains to explain what you
want them to do. Make the instructions clear and simple. Create
the right atmosphere. Motivation can be achieved in many
ways. A simple note of appreciation or praise (commendation)
for a good job done will encourage the workers to put more
effort in future. Financial incentive provides encouragement for
harder work. Individuals may excel if direct payments are made
in recognition of their individual performance.

6. Staffing. This is a function carried out by the farm manager. It involves

decision on job content, qualification required, training on the
job and evaluation of performance in order to recommend for
promotion or wage increase.

7. Directing and It is the duty of farm manager to lead the farm workers in the
Leading. implementation of the chosen plan. Leadership entails
outstanding character that commands the respect of all
workers. A good leader must be very knowledgeable, mature in
thought and action with balanced judgment and decisions which
are generally satisfactory to most farm workers. Leaders must
accept responsibility for their actions and must be firm.

8. Communication. Communication is an important aspect of Farm Management.

The function of communication involves passing information
from the farm manager to the farm workers and the general
public. A clear channel of communications must exist between
the manager and the farm worker. Instructions must be clearly
given and feedback collected. In order to avoid rumors and
false information, it is the duty of farm manager to ensure
workers confidence by passing direct information to them.

After planning, the next most crucial function of farm manager

9. Control and has to do with controlling and supervision. For any business to
Supervision. succeed, every stage or activity must be controlled. There is
production control, inventory control, cost control, budgetary
control and personnel control. The process of controlling
involves comparing plan with achievements.

Concepts of Literate and Illiterate Farmers

Illiteracy is the inability to read or write. Illiterate farmers therefore, can neither read nor write.
On the other hand, literacy refers to the ability to read, write and decode symbolic
representations in order to ease communication between communicators irrespective of
distance. It is the acquisition of the literacy skill that gives people real share of Western
Education. Literacy limited to reading, writing and numeracy is generally regarded as
traditional literacy. It is the most common or orthodox form of literacy. As a rule, any farmer
who attended schools and obtained a minimum qualification of primary school certificate or its
equivalent may be regarded as literate farmer.

Characteristics of Agriculture.

Farming which is regarded as the art of tending crops and rearing animals is the major
occupation of most rural communities in the Philippines. The following are the major
characteristics of agriculture:

Illiteracy An agriculture characterized by high level illiteracy is a setback to a

country. If a greater population of farmers that can neither read nor
write, farming is not at its optimum capacity. This high level of
illiteracy poses a great problem. This slows down the rate of
development as it has been established that there is positive
relationship between the level of education of the populace and the
rate of development. Illiteracy affects the adoption of new innovations
and new technologies.

Small Farm Another important characteristic of agriculture is the small size of the
Size farmland per farmer. If farmers have an average farm holding of less
than 5 hectares, they practice substance agriculture. With the small
nature of the farm holdings farmers can only produce for himself and
the family consumption with very little for market. Apart from the
small size of the farm holding, farmers equally engaged in the
planting of many crops depending on the need of the family. This
small size impedes the mechanization of farmland.

It is a common practice of farmers to own up to three or more

Fragmented farmlands. These farmlands are scattered all over different locations.
Farmland A typical family may have an early yam and rice plots in the farm
land, grains and late yam in another area.

Poor Agriculture is also characterized by the use of crude implements.

Technology Most farmers depend on the use of hoe and cutlass to cultivate their
farmland. Farm mechanization is still largely restricted to
Government farms and some few wealthy individuals who can afford
it. Modern farm inputs are still beyond the reach of poor farmers. This
explains why most farmers still practice subsistence agriculture.

Low Level of Low level of investment is one of the major characteristics of

Investment subsistence agriculture. Traditional farmers depend mostly on family
labor, crude implements and the little savings at their disposal to
produce. Due to their high level of illiteracy, most of them have no
access to formal credit institutions. To compound the situation, the
little credit available to them is often diverted to non-farm uses.

Low Level of The small size of traditional farms, coupled with poor technology and
Output low level of input collectively contributed to the low level of
production output. Farmers produced mainly for domestic use and
little for export. Farmers’ output is subject to his farm size, family
labor and the type of farm implements used. Since most farmers are
poor, the level of investment in agricultural production is generally
low and therefore, their output will equally be low.

The Effects of Illiteracy on Farm Management

We have already seen that subsistence agriculture is peculiar to illiterate farmers while
commercial agriculture is synonymous with literate farmers. Most of our discussions could best
be applicable to commercial agriculture where profit is the ultimate goal of the farm
enterprise. Some of the effects of illiteracy on Farm Management include the followings:

1.One of the characteristics of illiterate farmers is the small farm holding. This small
farm size posed a serious problem in Farm Management in the area of determining
the level of production, farm labor to employ and farm inputs to use.

2.Another effect of illiteracy on Farm Management is the low level of technology and
over dependence on the traditional method of farming. Modern commercial
agriculture demands the use of modern farm inputs and new technology. For farm
plan and decisions to work perfectly well, modern methods of farming must be
adopted.

3. Most illiterate farmers do not want to take any costly risk and therefore, do not put
their savings in long-term investments such as plantation agriculture. This will affect
decisions on how to select the best combinations of activities to produce the food
supply and cash incomes needed to cover essential household needs.

4. Illiterate farmer produces mainly for his family use only and only little for sale. This
has serious effect on the volume of farm product for sales and even the type of farm
product to produce.
FARM RECORDS AND ACCOUNTS (De Leon,2008)
To manage the farm really well, keep records and accounts. simple record keeping need not
take up too much time and the advantages are numerous. Most other entrepreneurs, even
those with very small businesses, consider it worthwhile to keep accounts. Some of them even
hire an accountant to help with these records although their business is probably less complex
than farming. Regular farm record is a crucial tool to a successful farming business. Without
farm records farmers have to rely on their memory in order to make decisions in their farm
management and planning. However, human memory fades over time and the dearth of a
farmer who uses his memory may result in the loss of information.

In livestock production or farming, a good record keeping system should provide information
for:

†Effective monitoring of animal’s performance from birth

†Evaluation of management and feeding systems

†Individual animal comparison to assist in breeding, culling etc.

†Computer programme usage –milk recording, breed society

†Production of action lists for management

What is a farm record and a farm account?

A farm record is a document,in most cases a book, that is used to keep account of different
activities, events, materials etc. regarding the farm operations. Farm records are different
from farm accounts in the sense that farm accounts deal only with the financial aspects of
all farm operations. Farm accounts deal majorly with the farm expenditures and income and
help the farmer to calculate how his business is doing . (https://www.legit.ng/1131221-types-
farm-records-uses.html,n.d).Farm accounts are financial records of what the farmer spends
and receives.The purchases and expenses should be recorded on one page and the receipts
another page.
Example
SALES AND RECEIPTS

Date Details Amount

½ DOZEN EGGS XXX

PURCHASES AND EXPENSES

Date Details Amount

50 kgs Feeds XXX

At the end of the year,add the total sales and receipts to get the value of total production of
the farm and add the produce used in the home,to get the farm profit subtract the total
expenses from the total production of the fam.
ADVANTAGES OF FARM RECORDS AND ACCOUNTS (De Leon,2008)

1.Records and accounts give a history of what has happened on the farm for the period during
which they have been kept. By comparing one year’s records with the next, a farmer can see
the progress being made-whether the profits and yields are improving. Records should also
help trace weaknesses in the farming methods.

2.They are an aid to managerial control during production. with the help of records, a farmer
can keep a close check on whether things are going according to plans; whether too much
animal food or too much seed is being used; or whether crop and livestock yields are falling. It
is important to detect where things are going wrong quickly so that they can be put right
before big losses occur.

3.They provide figures for farm planning and budgeting. A farmer making plans to modify the
farm needs to know what yields to expect from crops and livestock and what costs and
receipts to get. Many agricultural advisory officers keep approximate figures for the district but
it is much better if each farmer has records of what happened on his own farm.

4.They tell a farmer how much he is earning. With this information a farmer can make sure
that he does not spend too much on himself and his family. In this way, he can avoid getting
into money difficulties. If a farmer feels that he has been charged too much of income tax, he
may get a fairer assessment if he can present how much he earns.

5.A farmer can represent himself better in business dealing if he has accounts to show he
manages his funds.

Miller (2007) also presented the essentials of farm record management. These are the
following:

1.Good record keeping is important to the financial health of the farm. However, good records
alone do not ensure success but success is unlikely without them.

2. Records tell how well you are managing your operation and they show the strengths and
weaknesses.

Advantages of Record Keeping at Farm

Behera, Mandal, Sahu, Rai, Chaudhary & Muwel (n.d) gave advantages of record keeping
at farm.These are as follows:

 Records provides basis for evaluation of animals from past records hence helps in
selection and culling animals
 Helps in preparing pedigree and history record of animals.
 Helps in assessing the past records and designing better breeding plans to check
inbreeding, selecting superior parents and helps in better replacement and culling
practices.
 Helps in progeny testing of bulls.
 Helps in analyzing feeding cost and benefits from animal product outputs. Hence helps
to formulate economic feeding strategies for optimal productions.
 Helps in detection of abnormal conditions or disease status of the herd that leads to
loss in body weight, loss in milk production etc.
 Helps in finding the commonly occurring diseases in the herd and thus to formulate in
time precautionary measures like vaccination, deworming etc.
 Helps in fixing proper prices of animal meant for purchase and sale.
 Helps in overall better supervision and management of herd.
 Helps in ascertaining the income and expenditure (economics) of dairy farm.
 Helps in estimating the cost of milk production.
 Helpful in comparing the efficiency of labor and herd with other farms.
 To compare the herd performances in different years to determine the amount of
profit/loss each year and
setting future
goals/directions for the
farm.

Andreas (2019) mentioned the

importance of Livestock
record keeping. These
include the following:

ADVANTAGES OF LIVESTOCK
RECORD KEEPING

Source: https://www.legit.ng/1131221-types-farm-records-
uses.html
1. Aids in determining the inflow and outflow, in economics terms, of the farm.
2. Helps in setting proper pricing for animals which has to be sold at the auction.
3. Provide insights for designing better breeding plans.
4. Supports in overall farm management.
5. Assist in the formulation of economic feeding approaches in order to improve
company’s production.
6. Track record of disease allows to discover unusual animal conditions.
7. Offers basis to evaluate and select the animals ready to be slaughtered.
8. Provide history of counteractive measures taken in the previous years in
emergency situation, such as vaccines used to treat animals affected by diseases.
9. Provides a comparison between different year’s profit/loss allowing to to set
future objectives for the farm.
10.Useful to verify the effectiveness of the work carried out within the farm.
11. Useful to calculate approximately the cost of production.

To Scholtz (2021), there are also advantages to record keeping. These are as follows:

It may be a requirement

Lenders, government agencies, insurance companies and others often require detailed
and well-maintained records of the farm’s income and expenditure before giving out loans
to farmers.

Better farm planning and forecasting

Farming is a business and good farm record-keeping helps the farmer plan and do realistic
forecasting. Record-keeping provides valuable information on which methods work. The
farmer can better predict price changes of inputs and produce from expenditures and
sales records kept from previous years.

Track income and expenditure

By keeping accurate records, at any time of reconciliation, the farmer can report the
correct amount of money spent or gained from the farm. This helps for proper planning
and budgeting.

Better management of a farm

Someone who keeps records on seed germination rates of seeds purchased is in a better
position to select seeds for seasons. In the case of livestock, the farm should keep records
of bloodlines, pests, disease, feed types and consumption. These records help to prevent
inbreeding, control pests and disease and provide the bets feed for optimum performance.

There are numerous livestock record keeping tools that farmers can use to record
their information, such as: record nots manually on note books; Spreadsheet, Computer
and mobile applications. So, depending on what tool the farmer chooses to use, such tools
must be able to provide information about what is happening on the farm and preserves
farm records for current and future use. Keeping farm records is therefore a fundamental
management tool that can reveal both strengths and weaknesses in farming activities.

Keeping farm records is one of the most neglected activities in the farm
management. Farmers consider record keeping as time-consuming therefore they often
ignore this practice. However, keep track of what is happening in farm is one of the most
important aspects in order to improve both animal welfare and farm management. In
addition, keep records of all the activities carried out within the farm may allow to avoid
financial losses and to make more informed decision.

The Purpose of Keeping Farm Record

1. To assist in financial planning decisions

Income statement and cash flow statement
Is he making a profit?
Will he need to borrow money, how much and when?
The monthly cash flow statement will show his cash inflows against his cash outflows on
a timely basis
2. To assist in crop and livestock management decisions
For Livestock:
†Individual animal records
„Production, health, heat cycle, date bred, calving –who to cull, etc.
†Genetic improvement
„Breeding records –sire, dam, etc.
„Which bull to use and when
3. To assist in land management decisions
†How many hectares to pasture
†How many to forage bank
†How many to other enterprises
†What areas to irrigate
†Where to put buildings, etc

SOME CRITERIA FOR GOOD RECORD KEEPING

1.Keep it simple
2.Data must be useful
3.Records must lead to action

Record keeping is a necessary element of good livestock business management. With no

written records, farmers have to depend on their memory while making decisions
regarding their farm practices. But, memories can become unreliable after a few days,
months or years. Thus, recording of the performances of the animals can be done easily if
animals have some identifications / numberings. Thus, both animal recording and
identification are always required. There are several useful records such as production and
financial transactions in the dairy enterprise. If we know what is happening on the dairy
farm we need to maintain some useful farm records. Farm records are like the progress
report cards students get at school. If farmers have farm records, they can tell how well
they are managing their farm in comparison to other farmers. They can also see the
strengths and weaknesses in their farm operations. It is also important to have accurate
facts and figures when borrowing money, seeking government loans and tax returns.

TYPES OF RECORDS TO BE MAINTAINED AT A DAIRY FARM

As discussed by Behera, Mandal, Sahu, Rai, Chaudhary & Muwel (n.d), there are several
types of records to be maintained at a dairy farm. These are as follows:

1. Livestock register : This register records the number of the animals at the farm
along with their identification number, date of birth, sire number, dam number, calf
and its sex, date of calving, date of purchase, date of sale/auction/death.
2. Calving register : This register maintains the records of calving that take place in
the farm. It maintains dam and sire number of the calf, calf number, sex and its
date of birth and any other remarks like type of calving (normal/abnormal).
3. Daily milk yield register : This register records the daily milk yield performance
of the cows.
4. Calf register : maintains the records of calf at the farm, calf number, sex of the
calf, sire number, dam number, birth weight etc.
5. Growth record of young stock : this record maintains the weight of the young
stocks at different intervals.
6. Daily feeding register : This register records the amount concentrate, dry fodder,
green fodder and other feeds given to the animals daily.
7. Herd health register : This register maintains the record of the diseased animals
along with history, symptoms, diagnosed disease, treatment given and name of the
veterinarian who treated.
8. Cattle breeding register : This register maintains the details of breeding
practices in the farm such as cow number, date of calving, date of heat and services
along with the bull number, date of successful service, pregnancy diagnosis records,
expected date of calving, actual date of calving, calf number etc.
9. Animal History sheet : This maintains animal number, breed, date of birth, sire
and dam number, lactation yield records, date of drying, date of disposal/death, cause
of disposal etc.

Andreas (2019) gave the types of farm livestock record keeping and their uses. These
include the following:

TYPES OF FARM LIVESTOCK RECORD KEEPING AND THEIR USES.

1. Animal identification records: such as identification number, tag numbers,date

of birth, sex, calving date, date of purchase, date of death etc.
2. Calving report: such as calf number, sex and date of birth and any other remarks
(father and mother etc.).
3. Milk yield records: Records daily milk yield of each cow.
4. Growth records: Record the weight of animals at different periods.
5. Feeding records: Records the type and amount of feed available and given to
animals with associated costs.
6. Health and treatment records: Record of diseased animals and their history,
signs, identified disease, treatment and veterinarian information.
7. Breeding records: Records breeding practices on the farm including: failure and
successful breeds.
8. Animal History records: Records all information related to individual animals on
the farm.
9. Financial records: Records financial aspects of the farm (Sales,
expenses, information about the price of milk, feed, vaccines etc.)

1. Farm records help a farmer to keep stock and manage each aspect of the farm properly.
2. They are important for planning and budgeting. They provide a farmer with enough
information needed for proper planning and budgeting at every point in time.
3. They help farmers know the progress and contributions of each aspect of the farm to its
overall success.
4. They are important for proper farm management.
5. They can be very helpful when a farmer needs to access financial aids from banks or
other financial institutions.
There are different types of farm records a farmer should keep to run a successful farm
business. They include:
1. Daily farm records Getting an agricultural loan in a country: a complete guide These
are the records of all important daily activities and events that happen on the farm. These
records help the farmer keep track of past farming activities and plan for future activities.
2. Records of farm implements and equipment This is used to keep an inventory of
all the equipment on the farm and their quantity. It can also contain the date of purchase
of the equipment and sometimes their description.
3. Record of agricultural inputs This record is used to keep track of all agricultural
inputs such as fertilizers, seeds, etc. The record often also contains the amount of that
was bought, the amount that has been used, and what is left.
4. Records of livestock and livestock products Farmers keep different records of
livestock for each type of livestock on the farm. Also, for livestock that have products e.g.
eggs from chickens, the farmer keeps a record that accounts for the number of eggs laid
every day. If a farmer has cows for milk production, he keeps record of the amount of
liters of milk produced per day. Vaccination of layers: schedule, principles, and importance
5. Records of animal feeds This record is used for keeping an inventory of the types of
animal feed and the quantity purchased, used, and also quantity in stock on a daily basis.
6. Production records Production records are used to document everything that is
produced on the farm. These records are prepared every week. And then summed up at
the end of the month and also at the end of the year. Thus, there is a weekly record, a
monthly record, and an annual record of everything produced on the farm. They help the
farmer to keep track of how well the farm is doing.
7. Records for farm use Used for recording the date the land was prepared for farming,
the number of plots or hectares used in planting, the plants planted on the farm and
where they are planted.
8. Farm expenditure records Farm expenditure records are used to keep a record of all
expenditures.
9. Workers records This type is used to keep the record of staffs, their salaries, and
payment. It is also known as labor record.
10. Vehicle records It is used to keep a record of all vehicles used on the farm, petrol
and oil used, and also any repairs and servicing and the dates of the repair or servicing.
11. Sales record Sale records are used to keep a record of all sales made from farm
produce. Since the importance of farm records in proper farm management have been
highlighted here, farmers are encouraged to start keeping them at the beginning of every
farming season or cycle. An organized farm record, good management and success go
hand in hand.

GOOD ANIMAL HUSBANDRY PRACTICES

The Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines, Bureau of Agriculture and
Fisheries Standards (2019) gave the good animal husbandry practices. These are the
following:

What is Good Animal Husbandry Practices?

It is a set of principles of good practices and minimum requirements for the

commercial/backyard rearing/farming of animals for food use. The purpose of the code is
to ensure that the farming practices of the establishment provide greater confidence in
consumers' expectations that the final products are safe and fit for human consumption,
while ensuring health safety and comfort to both the farm workers and the animals,
without any degradation to the environment.
Why should I follow the Code of Good Animal Husbandry Practices?

1.To ensure food safety and quality It helps to reduce physical, biological and chemical
hazards in farm production that pose health risks. There is an assurance that food will not
cause harm to the consumer when it is prepared or eaten according to its intended use.
2.To protect and promote the welfare of animals It provides safe standards for feeding,
health care, prevention and treatment of disease and the assurance of freedoms of
animals as well as avoidance of cruelty, maltreatment or neglect to animals.
3.To promote health and safety of farm workers It provides a safe and healthy working
condition on the farm by identifying the hazards and minimize potential risks.
4.To support environmental management It helps minimizes adverse effect on the
environment like harmful greenhouse gases emissions such as methane, carbon dioxide
and other Green House Gases (GHG), pollution of land and water resources.

Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the

Philippines , Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries
Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the
Philippines , Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries
Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)

Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of

Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture
Source: Department and Fisheries
of Agriculture Standards(2019)
of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
https://www.legit.ng/1131221-types-farm-records-uses.html

https://www.legit.ng/1131221-types-farm-records-uses.html
Source: Department of Agriculture of the Republic of the Philippines , Bureau of
Agriculture and Fisheries Standards(2019)
.

Analysis

Directions: Analyze and answer the given questions about farm

management.

1.What is farm management, farm record, and farm account?

2. What are the effects of illiteracy on farm management functions?

3.Why is farm management vital to livestock and poultry raising?

Abstraction

Directions: Answer the questions.

1.What are the basic freedoms for animals?

2.Why are the basic freedoms necessary for animals?

3.What the important practices in animal farm management?

Application

Directions: Tell the relevance of farm management.

Post-Assessment

Multiple Choice
Directions. Answer each question. Write the letter of the correct answer on your
answer sheet.

1. What document is used to record and keep account of different activities, events,
materials, expenses and profit regarding farm operations?

a . farm record b. farm account c. balance sheet d.sales and receipts

2. Which is an advantage of records at farm?

a. Helps in preparing pedigree and history record of animals
b. Helps in farm testing
c. Helps in comparing inefficiency of animals
d. Helps in fixing debts
3. Division of work: Specialization; Scalar Chain:_____________
a. orderly farm b.line of authority c. fairness d.initiative
4.How will you ensure that freedom from pain, injury or disease is afforded to animals?
a. Provide readily accessible freshwater and diet.
b. Ensure conditions and treatments that are not provoking mental suffering.
c. Prevent suffering through quick diagnosis and treatment.
d. Easy to express behavior.
5. The law in the Philippines which guaranteed the 5 basic freedoms of animals is______.
a. R.A. 9155 b.R.A. 4670 c.R.A.8485 d.R.A. 9192
6. What are the basic freedoms for animals?
I. Freedom from fear and distress III..Freedom from unnecessary discomfort.
II. Freedom from hunger and thirst IV. Freedom from pain,injury and disease.
V.freedom to select abode VI.Freedom to express normal behavior
a.I,II,III,&IV b.I,II,III,IV & V c.I,II,III,IV,V&VI d.I,II,III,IV & VI

7. What environment management is involved when used bottles, syringes and vials
are disposed based on the manufacturer’s recommendation?
a. drainage b.segregation c.cleaning d.disposal
8. Which type of record belongs to animal health management?
a.feeding record b.feed storage record c.animal health record d.sanitation record
9.Disease Records: Disease management; Production Records:_______________
a.Supervision of animals c.breeding of animals
b.management of animals d.quarantine of animals
10. Why is sick bay important in farm management?
a. To separate healthy and unhealthy animals
b. To prevent drainage problems
c. To remove excess water
d. To track number of animals in the livestock
11. The following are buildings and facilities needed for pig or swine raising EXCEPT_____.
a.pre-gestation area b. boar unit c.calf pen d. farrowing room
12.Why is proper ventilation and lighting important?
a. It provides comfort c.It provides weather-proof shelter
b. It provides aesthetic value d.It provides back up source of power.
13 Esprit de corp means__________________.
b. harmony b.planning c. divide and rule d.remuneration

14. The proper combination and operation of production factors in agriculture is termed
as farm management.
a.True b.False

15.What data are recorded in an animal identification record?

I. milk yield II. egg laid III. date of birth IV. sex
a.I & II b.II & III c.III & IV d.II, & IV
Going Further

Directions: Present two pictures of farm management in your community.

References

Andreas, E.(2019) Farming: the importance of livestock record keeping.Retrieved from

https://www.farm4trade.com/farming-the-importance-of-record-keeping/

De Leon, M.V (2008) Basic Agriculture: A Practical Guide For Students, 927 Quezon Avenue, Quezon
City, Phoenix Publishing House, Inc.

https://www.legit.ng/1131221-types-farm-records-uses.html

Rajalaxmi Behera*, Ajoy Mandal*, Adhikari Sahu**, Saroj Rai*, Shilpa Chaudhary*** and
Nirmala Muwel(n.d.) importance-of-record-keeping-at-livestock-farm Retrieved
from https://vikaspedia.in/agriculture/livestock/cattle-buffalo/importance-of-record-keeping-
at-livestock-farm#:~:text=Record%20keeping%20is%20a%20necessary,few%20days%2C
%20months%20or%20years.
Scholtz, K.(2021) The importance of keeping farm records in agricultural production.Retrieved from
https://www.southpointfinancial.com/the-importance-of-keeping-farm-records-in-agricultural-
production/
Key to Correction

PRE-ASSESSMENT

ANALYSIS
Answers may vary

ABSTRACTION
Answers may vary

APPLICATION
Answers may vary

GOING FURTHER
Answers may vary

POST-ASSESSMENT

Rubrics in Assessing Written Answers

Criteria Percentage(%)
100% of the questions were answered correctly 100
Relevant answers
Observed proper mechanics like grammar, punctuations etc.
Originality(personal answer or cited the source/references)
50% of the questions were answered correctly 90
Relevant answers
Did not observe some of the proper mechanics like grammar,
punctuations etc.
Originality(personal answer or cited the source/references)
Less than 50% of the questions were answered correctly 85
Relevant
Did not observe some of the proper mechanics like grammar,
punctuations etc.
Originality(personal answer or cited the source/references)
Tried to answer but too many incorrect answers 75
Irrelevant answers
Did not observe proper mechanics in writing.
Not original answers