Rationale / Description

The National Forage and Grasslands Curriculum materials are designed to introduce learners to forages and the essential topics involved in developing and maintaining a successful forage-livestock operation. The course assumes learners can read, write, calculate, and think at a minimum of high school (12th grade) level and are ready to work at the college level (13th-15th grade) in these areas.

This test is intended as a tool for instructors to determine if students have the basic information and skills to be successful in completing a junior level college Forage Production & Management course. Although the test has an agricultural orientation, the content measures some basic science knowledge, calculation, writing, and graphing skills.

This test was developed by instructional design professionals in concert with college level forage instructors. Performance data of students that take this prerequisite test coupled with class performance would be valuable to the NFGC developers. If you would be willing to participate in an assessment project, please contact David Hannaway ([email protected]) or Kimberly Japhet ([email protected]).


 

1. Which of the following best defines forages?

a. Plants that grow well unattended
b. The most common species of grasses
c. Plants that animals eat
d. Any grass or legume

2. Give an example of a forage.

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3. A farmer sells hay to his neighbor every fall for $2.00 a bale. This year he decides to sell the hay for $2.45 a bale. What is the percentage of increase in the new asking price?

4. Draw and label a common cycle in nature. (e.g. water, circulation, oxygen).

5. What is the most important difference between a ruminant animal and a monogastric animal?

6. In the following list, circle all the plants that are grasses.

corn

peas

wheat

alfalfa

timothy

clover

7. Graph and discuss the following information: In a forage class at a local university there are 25 students. Forty percent of the class plan to work in extension offices after graduation. One fifth of the students plan to enter vet schools. Seven students grew up on farms and plan to return after college and the remaining students are undecided about future plans.

8. Write a short paragraph supporting or refuting the following statement : A healthy diet for humans and livestock is fundamentally the same.

9. Write a one-sentence definition of "livestock".

10. Describe the importance of "rain in due season" to agriculture.