WAEC Syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026 PDF Download

WAEC Syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026 PDF Download: Animal husbandry is the branch of agriculture that deals with the production, processing, storage, packaging and marketing of farm animals and their products. It is an important subject for students who want to pursue a career in the animal industry or further studies at the tertiary level.

The West African Examination Council (WAEC) has released the syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) for the 2025/2026 Senior Secondary Certificate Examination (SSCE) and General Certificate Examination (GCE). The syllabus is a guide for candidates and teachers on the topics and objectives that will be assessed in the examination.

In this blog post, we will provide you with the details of the WAEC syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A), the examination scheme, and how to download the PDF version of the syllabus.

WAEC Syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026

The WAEC syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) covers the following topics and subtopics:

• Introduction to Animal Husbandry
  • Meaning, scope and importance of animal husbandry
  • Problems in animal production
  • Quality and safety standards of animal food products
  • Classification of farm animals
• Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals
  • Meaning of the terms: anatomy, physiology and the external orientation of farm animals
  • Digestive system
    • Comparative anatomy of digestive system of farm animals
    • Digestion and absorption processes in the various classes of farm animals
  • Central nervous system
    • Parts of the central nervous system (CNS) and autonomic nervous system (ANS)
    • Functions of the ANS
  • Reproductive system
    • Comparative anatomy of reproductive system of farm animals
    • Reproductive processes in the various classes of farm animals
  • Endocrine system
    • Major endocrine glands and their hormones
    • Functions of the hormones
• Animal Nutrition
  • Meaning and importance of animal nutrition
  • Classification of feeds and feedstuffs
  • Nutrients and their functions
  • Feed formulation and compounding
  • Feeding methods and systems
  • Feed preservation and processing
• Animal Breeding and Genetics
  • Meaning and importance of animal breeding and genetics
  • Principles of animal breeding
  • Methods of animal breeding
  • Breeds and types of farm animals
  • Heredity and variation
  • Genetic improvement of farm animals
• Animal Health
  • Meaning and importance of animal health
  • Causes and transmission of animal diseases
  • Prevention and control of animal diseases
  • Common diseases and parasites of farm animals
  • Symptoms and treatment of common diseases and parasites of farm animals
  • Veterinary hygiene and sanitation
• Animal Production
  • Meaning and importance of animal production
  • Management practices for farm animals
  • Housing and equipment for farm animals
  • Record keeping and farm inventory
  • Marketing of farm animals and their products
  • Non-traditional farm animals
• Animal Products and By-Products
  • Meaning and importance of animal products and by-products
  • Processing of animal products and by-products
  • Preservation of animal products and by-products
  • Packaging of animal products and by-products
  • Quality control of animal products and by-products
  • Utilization of animal products and by-products

For each topic, the syllabus provides the specific objectives, the content, and the practical activities that candidates are expected to perform. The syllabus also indicates the level of cognitive demand for each objective, using the following codes:

• K – Knowledge
• C – Comprehension
• A – Application
• S – Skills

WAEC Examination Scheme for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026

The WAEC examination for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) consists of three papers, Papers 1, 2 and 3, all of which must be taken by the candidates. Papers 1 and 2 are composite papers that will be taken in one sitting. The examination scheme is as follows:

• Paper 1: This paper will consist of 50 multiple-choice objective questions, all of which must be answered within 1 hour for 50 marks. The questions will cover the entire syllabus.
• Paper 2: This paper will consist of six essay-type questions, out of which candidates will be required to answer four questions within 2 hours for 80 marks. The questions will test the candidates’ knowledge, comprehension, application and skills in animal husbandry.
• Paper 3: This paper will be a practical paper for school candidates or a test of practical paper for private candidates. The paper will consist of four questions, all of which must be answered within 2 hours for 60 marks. The questions will test the candidates’ practical skills in animal husbandry, such as identification, observation, measurement, calculation, analysis, interpretation and reporting.

List of Topics in the WAEC Syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026

A. Introduction to Animal Husbandry

1. Understanding the meaning, scope, and importance of animal husbandry.
2. Identifying problems in animal production.
3. Ensuring the quality and safety standards of animal food products.
4. Classifying farm animals.

B. Anatomy and Physiology of Farm Animals

1. Learning the basics of animal anatomy and physiology.
2. Exploring the digestive system and its functions.
3. Understanding the central nervous system, autonomic nervous system, and the endocrine system.
4. Examining the integumentary, skeletal, and muscular systems.
5. Studying the reproductive system of poultry and livestock.
6. Understanding the circulatory system and respiratory system.
7. Learning about the excretory system.

C. Animal Nutrition

1. Introduction to animal nutrition and its importance.
2. Exploring different modes of feeding.
3. Understanding feedstuffs, feed supplements, and their classification.
4. Learning how to formulate and prepare animal feeds.
5. Handling and storing animal feeds.
6. Record-keeping and estimating the cost of prepared feed.
7. Dealing with pests of stored feed.

D. Animal Health

1. Defining terms related to animal health.
2. Identifying signs of good and ill-health in animals.
3. Understanding factors that make animals susceptible to diseases.
4. Assessing the effects of diseases, pests, and parasites on animal production.
5. Learning about zoonotic diseases and their prevention.
6. Exploring pathogens of farm animal diseases.
7. Dealing with ectoparasites and endoparasites.
8. Preventing and controlling parasites.
9. Recognizing the economic importance of parasites.

E. Genetic Principles and Animal Improvement

1. Understanding heredity, basic genetic terms, and Mendel’s first law of inheritance.
2. Recognizing the meaning, objectives, and benefits of animal improvement.
3. Identifying performance traits in animals.
4. Exploring methods of animal improvement.
5. Considering nutritional and environmental factors affecting animal improvement.
6. Learning about artificial insemination.

F. Introduction to Environmental Physiology

1. Understanding the internal and external environment of animals.
2. Recognizing the role of the nervous and endocrine systems in animal responses to stimuli.
3. Determining temperature and respiration rate in farm animals.
4. Assessing the effects of climate on farm animals.
5. Modifying animal environments to reduce stress.

G. Monogastric and Domestic Pet Production

1. Poultry production, including definitions, classes, breeds, and systems.
2. Pig production, types, breeds, systems, and management.
3. Domestic pets, their management, training, and marketing.

H. Ruminant Production

1. Sheep and goat production, including breeds, management, and processing.
2. Beef cattle production, breeds, systems, and management.
3. Dairy cattle production, breeds, management, and processing.

I. Range and Pasture Management

1. Introduction to range and pastures, their types, importance, and forage crops.
2. Pasture establishment and management.
3. Forage conservation and utilization.

J. Non-Traditional Animal Production

1. Rabbit and grasscutter production, breeds, importance, and management.
2. Snail farming, meaning, species, site selection, and management.
3. Establishing enterprises in animal husbandry.

How to Download the WAEC Syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026 PDF

The WAEC syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026 is available in PDF format and can be downloaded from the official website of the West African Examination Council. To download the syllabus, follow these steps:

• Visit the WAEC website at www.waecdirect.org
• Click on the “Syllabus” tab on the homepage
• Select the subject “Animal Husbandry (Alt. A)” from the drop-down menu
• Click on the “Download” button to save the syllabus on your device

Alternatively, you can also download the syllabus from this button:

Conclusion

The WAEC syllabus for Animal Husbandry (Alt. A) 2025/2026 is a useful resource for candidates and teachers who want to prepare for the examination. The syllabus covers the topics and objectives that will be assessed in the examination, as well as the practical activities that candidates are expected to perform. The syllabus also provides the examination scheme and the level of cognitive demand for each objective. Candidates are advised to study the syllabus thoroughly and use relevant textbooks and materials to supplement their learning. Candidates are also encouraged to practice the past questions and mock tests to familiarize themselves with the examination format and style.

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