Learning objectives
Acquire knowledge, understanding and skills relating to the chemical and nutritional characteristics of forages.
Acquire the ability to apply knowledge for the formulation and evaluation of diets for animals with particular reference to dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep and goats, horses, dogs, cats, rabbits, broiler, laying hens and unconventional animals in physiological or paraphysiological conditions
Acquire communication skills that allow to address the topics that will be submitted to him clearly and with appropriate terms.
Acquire a learning capacity that allows a multidisciplinary approach to issues related to rationing.
Prerequisites
Having taken the exams relating to the preparatory courses stated in the Didactic Regulations
Course unit content
The first part of the course is aimed at understanding the techniques of production and conservation of fodder and the evaluation of their nutritional value.
The second part presents the physiological bases that underlie the feeding and animal nutrition and the rationing techniques of the main domestic animals, including dairy cattle, beef cattle, sheep and goats, horses, dogs, cats. , the rabbit, the broiler, the laying hen and unconventional animals.
Full programme
BASICS OF FORAGES PRODUCTION
Hay fodder production
Silage forage production
Evaluation of the nutritional value of forages
RUMINANTS FEEDING: Peculiarities of the digestive process and use of nutrients by ruminants
Dairy cow feeding, nutrition and rationing:
- Feeding of calves and heifers
- Principles and bases of cow feeding in the different physiological phases
- Nutrition, fertility and quantitative and qualitative production
- Formulation of diets for lactating and dry cows
Feeding, Nutrition and Rationing of beef cattle
- Principles and bases of rationing of the growing and finishing beef
- Formulation of rations for growing and finishing cattle
Feeding and nutrition of the buffalo
Feeding and nutrition of sheep and goats
- Principles and bases of ration formulation of sheep and goats for meat and milk production
- Formulation of rations for meat and dairy sheep and goats
Feeding and Nutrition of equidae
- Principles and bases of horse diet formulation in the different physiological phases, of the sport horse and of the horse in particular conditions
- Formulation of diets for horses
Feeding of domestic carnivores: Peculiarities of the digestive process and use of nutrients by domestic carnivores
Feeding, Nutrition and diets of the dog
- Nutrition of healthy adult dogs
- Dog nutrition during the different stages of life and in particular conditions
Feeding, Nutrition and diet of the cat
- Nutrition of the healthy adult cat
- Nutrition of the cat during the different stages of life and in particular conditions
Feeding, Nutrition and diet of the rabbit
Feeding, Nutrition and diet of the broiler and of the laying hen
Basics of unconventional animals feeding
Bibliography
- Maria Teresa Pacchioli, Giuseppe Fattori (2014) Gli alimenti per la vacca da latte: i foraggi. Ed. Centro Ricerche Produzioni Animali – C.R.P.A. S.p.A. http://www.crpa.it/media/documents/crpa_www/Pubblicazi/E-book/AlimentiForaggi/AlimentiVaccaLatteForaggi.pdf
- Cevolani D. (2005) Gli alimenti per la vacca da latte. Edagricole, Bologna.
- National Research Council (2001) Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition, 2001. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9825.
- Ernesto Correale (2015) Il bufalo. Allevamento e gestione. Edagricole-New Business Media
- Giuseppe Cuttone (2016) Guida all’allevamento della pecora da latte. Ed. Point Veterinaire Italie
- Fabio Bencetti (2014) Guida all’allevamento della capra. Ed. Point Veterinaire Italie
- FRAPE D. (2004) - Equine nutrition & feeding. 3rd ed .Blackwell Publishing, Oxford ,UK.
- NRC (1989) - Nutrient Requirements of Horses, Fifth Revised Edition ,National Research Council, Washington D.C.
- National Research Council (2006) Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/10668.
- Silvia Cerolini, Margherita Marzoni Fecia, Cossato, Isabella Romboli (2008) Avicoltura e coniglicoltura. Ed. Le Point Veterinaire Italie
Teaching methods
During the lectures the student will learn the basis to know the quality and the nutritional caracteristics of forages. The student will learn the physiological features that representsthe basis for the diet formulation within each specie and, within each specie, fpr each animal category. Moreover, the student will learn to recognise the specific needs of the animals that are in particular conditions in relationship to their productive and reproductive cycle.
During practical lessons, the student will learn how to formulate diets through infomatic tools and to critically analise their characteristics. can accomplish independently and practical solutions to problems faced during the lectures.
Assessment methods and criteria
The student will be assessed through an oral interview that will take place in 3 successive phases, each characterised by the request to answer a complex question; for the evaluation of the answer to each question, a scoring system from 1 to 10 will be applied. The sum of the votes deriving from the answers to the 3 questions will constitute the final vote. The evaluation related to each question the following criteria will be applied:
1) 0-2: the student demonstrates that he does not know or know in an extremely fragmented and mnemonic way the subject addressed and knows the technical language inadequately.
2) 3-5: the student demonstrates to know in a fragmentary and mnemonic way the subject addressed and uses a poor technical language
3) 6-7: the student demonstrates to know in an organic, albeit superficial, way the subject covered, and is able to sketch reasoning about assimilated contents, demontratic a basic technical languag knowledge
4) 8-9: the student demonstrates to know in an organic way, and in a relatively deep level, the topic dealt with, and is able to make arguments about assimilated contents and use an appropriate technical language
5) 10: the student demonstrates a deep knowledge of the subject dealt with, and is able to carry out articulated reasoning regarding assimilated contents with a high command of technical language
In exceptional cases, written verification is required. With regard to students with specific learning problems, the dispensing measures and compensatory tools are applied, eg oral tests, use of PCs with spell checker and speech synthesis, but above, an estimated time up to a maximum of 30% will be granted. As an alternative, a quantitative reduction will be provided. In any case, the evaluation logic carried out, in these circumstances, will evaluate the contents rather than the form.
Other information
The slides used to support the lessons will be uploaded before the beginning of the course on the Elly platform.
To download the slides, you need to enroll in the online course.
