Australasian Veterinary Examination (AVE), formerly the National Veterinary Examination (NVE) · Australia / New Zealand · Australasian Veterinary Boards Council (AVBC)
Original practice questions written to the published syllabus · not past papersThe rumen and how to feed cattle, buffalo, sheep and goats through each stage of life, including ration formulation by the Pearson square and least-cost methods.
In the exams: ICAR AICE-JRF core group 05; ICAR AIEEA-PG 14 (Animal Nutrition)
How our questions for Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination spread across the units of Applied Animal Nutrition I: Ruminants. Difficulty: 4 easy, 14 medium, 10 hard.
| Clinical nutrition | 9 | |
| Feeding of calves | 5 | |
| Feeding of dry animals | 4 | |
| Feeding of lactating animals | 4 | |
| Feeding of heifers | 2 | |
| Area-specific mineral mixtures | 2 | |
| Nutrient requirements and feeding standards (ICAR 2013, NRC and NASEM) | 1 | |
| Least-cost ration formulation | 1 |
Choose an answer, then open the working. Each explanation says why the right answer is right and why the others are not.
For the first feed of colostrum in a 42 kg dairy calf, a volume of about 10 percent of birth weight is advised. How much is that?
D. 4.2 L
10 percent of 42 kg is 4.2 kg, about 4.2 litres. 0.42 L is a decimal slip, 2.1 L is 5 percent, and 10 L confuses the percentage with litres.
Further reading: Constable et al., Veterinary Medicine, 11th ed.
A dairy farm wants to wean Holstein calves earlier without setbacks. The most reliable criterion for weaning is:
A. steady intake of about 1 kg starter a day for several days
Weaning on starter intake ensures the rumen can support the calf after milk is removed; about 1 kg per day for several days is a common guide for large breeds. Age alone or hay intake alone does not show rumen readiness.
Further reading: NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 2001; NASEM 2021
The commonly recommended body condition score (5-point scale) for a dairy cow at calving is about:
C. 3.0 to 3.5
A BCS of about 3.0 to 3.5 at calving supports intake and limits fat mobilisation. Fat cows (4 or more) eat less after calving and suffer more fatty liver, ketosis and displaced abomasum; thin cows lack reserves.
Further reading: NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 2001; NASEM 2021
A dairy farm feeding a negative-DCAD close-up ration still has many milk fever cases. Urine pH of close-up cows is 8.2. The most likely cause is:
C. high-potassium forage keeping the true DCAD positive
Urine pH around 8 shows no metabolic acidification; the anion programme is not working, most often because high-K grass or manured forage swamps the anions. Adequate Mg helps prevention, and low prepartum Ca is itself a prevention strategy.
Further reading: NRC, Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 2001; NASEM 2021
Ewes are flushed by raising energy intake for about two to three weeks before and during mating in order to:
B. raise ovulation rate and so the lambing percentage
Flushing raises the ovulation rate in ewes in moderate condition, increasing twin rates. It does not delay the season and is not the main measure against pregnancy toxaemia.
Further reading: McDonald et al., Animal Nutrition, 7th ed.
A cow with subclinical ketosis in early lactation would be expected to have a blood beta-hydroxybutyrate concentration of at least about:
D. 1.2 mmol/L
Blood BHB of about 1.2 mmol/L or more is the widely used cut-off for subclinical ketosis, with about 3.0 mmol/L for clinical ketosis; exact thresholds vary slightly. 0.5 mmol/L is normal.
Further reading: Constable et al., Veterinary Medicine, 11th ed.
Ten here, 28 in the app. The Laisha app has every practice question we have written to Australasian Veterinary Examination, formerly the National Veterinary Examination in this subject, marked as you go, with timed papers, a jump-to-unanswered list and a certificate when you pass at 70 per cent.
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