Ag Science

Rosstafarian wrote: »

There aren't predictions as such but there are things that come up every year that you can bank on...
Genetics and soil are two definite questions and if you learn your livestock, that's another question at least. Then you're left with an easy 60 marks in you're Q.1, especially if you do biology. Learn your cereals and grassland and with Q. 8's you can just chance your arm.

That's my advice anyway.... hope it helps.

rainbowtrout wrote: »

I teach ag science and this is what I would advise.

make sure you are able to answer question 1. It is worth 60 marks and all others are worth 48.

You will be still graded out of 300 if you attempt 6 x 48 mark questions.

When you are doing Q1 attempt all 10 parts, not just 6. I'm amazed at the amount of people who just do the bare 6 thinking they have got them right and end up with a poor mark in this question. While a lot of things can be asked in question one, a lot of the plant and animal physiology comes up in this question as well as the plant families and animal phyla. Functions and locations of body parts are also quite common. Definitions of words like hypogeal and epigeal germination, translocation, transpiration, osmosis, biennials. etc

Q2 is always soil. While there's a lot in this section, it's worth learning.
Know the physical, chemical and biological properties of soil and the associated experiments.
Know the carbon/nitrogen cycle minerals and nutrients.


Q3 There are two options. DO NOT do both, it's a waste of time where you could be doing another question, if you choose to do both, both will be corrected and you will get the higher of the two marks. One of these is usually a livestock question.

Q4 - It was mentioned here that 200 experiments could be examined here. I think that's a bit of an exaggeration. Go back through the experiments you have studied over the last 2 years. There were only 6 areas in the projects that experiments fitted into and for the most part this is true for Q4 as well. There aren't going to be 4 experiments on one topic or area. Soil can be a handy one here if you have learned it for Q2. It's always worth having a go at this question. Make your answers detailed. Assume the person correcting it has to do the experiment based on your method so don't skimp on detail.

Q7 is always genetics, from my experience it's a like or hate question. If you are rubbish at genetics, it's probably best avoided, don't waste time on it and concentrate on something else. if you are good at genetics, make sure you know your definitions, stages of mitosis, applications of genetics to agriculture and of course how to do crosses. I would expect that there will be a dihybrid cross on this year.

Q8 There is choice within this question. Many students forget when answering this question that you only have to answer 2 out of 3 parts and avoid it because they don't know one of the parts.

Q9 Scientific explanations. While answered by many, is answered pretty badly and it shouldn't be. Change each of the statements into a question starting with the word 'Why' and it should make it easier to answer. Many students make the mistake of describing the concept stated and not stating why it is so. Eg. The wilting of sugar beet tops for a few days before feeding them to animals' Common mistake - Sugar beet tops are left to wilt in a field for 3 or 4 days, then the livestock are allowed into the field to graze on them. - This doesn't tell me anything Question form: Why are sugar beet tops allowed to wilt.... Sugar beet tops contain oxalic acid which causes scour in animals. Allowing them to wilt reduces the levels of oxalic acid in the tops so the animals do not get scour when they eat them.

Again there is a small choice within the question 5 parts to do 4 but again I would advise do all 5.


Regarding marking, for Q2, 3, 5, 6, 7, they are normally split into parts a, b, and c which means 3 x 16 = 48. While it's not written in stone, it's fairly safe to assume that marks are for the most part awarded in fours. So for each part a, b and c you should be making 4 decent points (4x4=16) and a few more if you can think of them.

For Q4 you have to answer 2 experiments for 24 marks each. Again that means you need to have 6 relevant points, but add in as much detail as possible.

Same goes for Q8 - answering 2 parts means 2x24 and the question might be broken down further.

Don't waste too much time trying to figure out how many marks are going for each part of a question but do be aware that you don't need to write an essay for something worth 4 marks.


Also finally, read each question carefully. Every word is there for a reason. Many students end up writing pages and pages of irrelevant information because they haven't read the question properly.

Eg. Describe the feeding and management of a lamb for the Easter market.

I think something similar to this was on the mock this year and I corrected tons of papers where students wrote a whole page on the feeding and management of the ewe prior to lambing and then went onto lambing. All the stuff prior to lambing is irrelevant and will get no marks and is a waste of time.
Yes if in doubt as to what the question is asking, write what you know but if the question is clearly stated and is obviously about feeding lambs don't waste time writing about stuff that will get no marks.

A question like that could be answered as simply as follows:

• Feed the lamb colostrum/ensure it suckles the mother
• Keep warm under infra-red lamp
• Dip navel in iodine
• Introduce creep ration, silage, hay
• After 3-4 weeks put out to graze
• Slaughter at 40kg

Also in a fairly straightforward question like that, it does say feeding and management, so points are expected on both areas. Do not expect to get full marks for 4 points on feeding alone