• Selection of seeds which are growth in nurseries
• Ditches are cleared and repaired
• Paddy wall are rebuilt and the soil made ready
• An ox pulls a wooden plough to break the soil then the soil is made soft
• Young seedlings are replanted when the soil is ready

Other examples of intensive subsistence include:

Pastoral nomadism, cattle ranching, transhumance

1. Pastoral nomadism

This is a type of cattle rearing where the hinder moves with his cattle from place to place in search of pasture and water.

It is practiced mainly in the tropical grassland regions where natural grass is available. The popular groups involved in pastoral nomadism in Africa include the:  Masai in East Africa especially in Kenya an the Fulani in Nigeria and Cameroon.

Characteristics

• Nomads move from extensive distance
• The activity is carried out mainly by the Fulani who neither have fixed homes or lands
•  The rearers consider the livestock as wealth and their social position and prestige depends upon size and herds rather than upon money
• no ownership of a grass land
• Pastoral farming is carried out in the savanna and sahel zones where rainfall is low and unreliable. These area are free from tse-tse fly
• Animals are a source of livelihood to the Fulani, it provides food, wool and dung as manure

Problems accounted in pastoral nomadism

• The herders depend entirely on local pasture which is a low nutritional value, this results to poor quality meat
• In years of prolonged drought, the grass withers and river dries. This leads to the death of many cattles and loses in weight of others
• Though cattle rearers avoid diseases, infected areas, occasionally they are attacked as they wonder about in search of pasture and also on their way southwards to the market
• Where transportation of cattle from the grazing land to the southern market is done on foot, there is great loss in weight and quality by the time they arrive the market

2. Cattle ranching

Cattle ranching are the rearing of cattle in enclosed grazing lands or fences hence restricting the movement of the animals.

The animals are fed on corn and other food stuffs as well as being left to feed for themselves on the natural pasture. The cattle are reared mainly for beef and riches. The major areas of cattle ranching are western USA, Argentina, Uruguay and parts of Australia.

Characteristics

• Cattles are reared mainly for beef production
• The average size of a ranch is 25 hectares fence with barriers wired
• Ranches are owned mainly by individuals and each has a work force of about 20 stock men
• Scientific cross breed is practiced to obtain better species

Problems facing the activity

• The cattle suffer from pleura-pneumonia and from ticks
• The region is often affected by droughts which lead to the death of some cattles and loss in weight of others
• Labour required is inadequate due to  low population density

Attempted solutions

• Veterinary services have been introduced to fight against diseases
• Grazing fields are often irrigated to make pasture available during periods of drought
• Migrant workers from the common wealth countries are used to reduce the problem of labourization

3. Transhumance

This is the up movement up to the highlands and northwards to escape from the effects of the tse-tse fly and other biting objects.

1. Intensive commercial

1. Dairy farming:

This is a highly intensive type of life stock farming where cows are reared for production of milk and its bi-product e.g. Butter, cheese, cream etc. and types of milk. This is commonly practiced Denmark, Holland, Switzerland, Australia, Britain etc.

Factors favouring Diary farming

• Climate: dairy farming is commonly practiced in area of mild winter temperature and moderate rainfall of about 500mm which is a climatic condition and is very suitable for the growing of pasture.
• Soils: soil where cattle (animals) are reared are equally fertile e.g. the greats lakes which support the growth of pasture
• Topography: the topography of areas were dairy farming is practiced especially around the great lakes
• Markets: it is practiced mostly near large urban centres which already serve as a market.

Characteristics of dairy farming

• Farm sizes are usually small covering just out 50-80 acres
• Dairy breeds are usually of high quality and can produce  large quantities of milk
• They include Jersey, Friesian and Ayrshire
• Machines are used to carry out many processes e.g. milking of cows
• The quantity of milk produced per cow is quite much
• Mixed farming is practiced