Learning objectives
1- Knowledge and understanding:- To know general and special notions concerning production and reproduction cycles and breeding techniques of livestock animal species.- To understand the integration and interdependence between animal physiology and animal breeding and exploitation techniques.- To know and understand the tools for assessing the nutritional and health status of livestock animal species.- To know and understand the tools for assessing the efficiency / profitability of intensive and extensive livestock farms.2- Applying knowledge and understanding:- To be able to recognize, within each species of interest, the different categories of animals.- To be able to describe the general characteristics of the livestock farms and the structures that characterize it.- To be able to interpret and evaluate data on productivity and productive efficiency, fertility and reproductive efficiency, nutritional status, and health status in livestock animals.3- Making judgments:- To know how to analyze the different phases of the productive/reproductive cycle of livestock animals, highlighting the critical issues and proposing any corrective action.4- Communication skills:- To know how to communicate clearly to less experienced and less acclaimed interviewees the correct techniques and operating methods to be implemented in the livestock farms.- Being able to interact positively with the various professional figures working in the farms5- Learning skills:- To be able to adapt its own indications to the different production contexts and to the different managerial levels that can be found at farms. - To be able to properly interpret the results of scientific research on animal production.
Prerequisites
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Course unit content
The contents of the course are represented by the description of the productive and reproductive cycles of farm animals and current and past techniques of livestock farming. The most important parameters for monitoring the efficiency/profitability and the health status of the livestock themselves will be illustrate.
Full programme
1 - Pigs
- Organization of the pig production sector
- Market of pig meat and derived products
- The pig farms
- Organization of pig farming and breeding
- Breeding pigs (gilt and sow: puberty, nutrition and management)
- Sexual cycle, pregnancy and parturition
- Reproductive efficiency traits
- Fattening pigs
- Piglets: breastfeeding, weaning and management
- Growing pigs: feeding and management
- Production efficiency parameters
- Welfare in pigs
- Pig farming management:
Genetic evolution of sows
Weaning and fattening
2 - Poultry
- Organization of the poultry industry
- Market of eggs and poultry meat
- Poultry farms
- Organization of poultry farming and breeding
- Poultry and farms for the production of eggs
- Reproductive system and reproductive activity
- Pullet farming
- Control of the breeding and spawning
- Feeding laying hen
- Poultry and livestock for meat production
- Farming and fattening
3 – Wildlife
- Wildlife management in semi-captive conditions
- How to manage wildlife
- 2020, to breed or not to breed? This is the dilemma!
4 - Rabbits
- Organization of the sector and market of rabbit products
- Organization of rabbit farms and types of farming
- Reproductive cycle, puberty and insemination
- Pregnancy and parturition
- Breast-feeding and weaning
- Management of breeding does
- Fattening
- Management of fattening rabbits
5 - Sheep and goats
- Organization of the productive sector and the sheep and goat products
market
- Organization of sheep and goats livestock and breeding types
- Reproductive cycle and reproduction
- Production cycle and lactation curve
- Breeding and fattening of lambs
- The replacement animal breeding
- Feeding sheep and goats
- Production of wool
6 – Buffalo
- Organization of the dairy buffalo production sector
- ANASB genetic indices in Italian buffaloes
- Animal categories in buffalo farming system
- Reproductive characteristics in buffaloes
- Buffalo milk
7 - Precision livestock farming
- Organization of the dairy cow production sector
- Global livestock sector overview
- Sensoristics
- Infrared spectroscopy
- Genetic selection and PLF
- Prevention and control of foot problems in dairy cows
Bibliography
BITTANTE G., ANDRIGHETTO L., RAMANZIN M.: Tecniche di produzione animale. Liviana Ed., Torino, 2003
MONETTI P.G.: Allevamento dei bovini e dei suini. Cristiano Giraldi Ed., Città di Castello (PG), 2001
Cavani C, Castellini C, Cerolini S, Cesari V, et al. AVICOLTURA E CONIGLICOLTURA. Point Veterinaire Italie Ed., Milano, 2008.
Students can find the pdf of lessons on the Elly (http://elly.veterinaria.unipr.it/2022/) platform or get them directly from the lecturer.
Teaching methods
The teaching activities will be conducted mainly in the form of lessons and, in the final part of the course, through guided livestock farm visits .The power point presentations used to support the lessons will be uploaded at the beginning of the course on the Elly platform and can be downloaded by students regularly enrolled in the course.Power point presentations are considered an integral part of the didactic material. Any changes made to the presentations will be promptly reported by the lecturer during the lessons.
Assessment methods and criteria
Learning evaluation will take place through summative assessment.Mode and type of test: interview with a maximum duration of 30 minutes, consisting of no. 5 questions. During the course of the test, the knowledge and understanding of the theoretical (Question 1 - Descriptor 1) and applied (Question 2 - Descriptor 2) themes, the ability to analyze hypothetical cases (Question 3 - Descriptor 3) the communication skill (Question 4 - Descriptor 4) and the ability to interpret scientific results (Question 5 - Descriptor 5) will be verified through the presentation of specific questions, pictures, case study and tables of data. Scale of assessment: the scale of assessment ranges from 0 to 30 cum laude.Weights and evaluation criteria: Each satisfactory answer has the maximum value of n. 6 points; unanswered or wrong answers have a value of 0; punctuality, completeness, and language ownership in all responses allows the achievement of laude.Materials useful to support the test: no paper or electronic material is allowed.Methods for returning test results: The oral result is communicated immediately at the end of the test.
To the students with diagnosis of specific learning disability (DSA) certified under law n. 170/2010, proper specific support will be provided.
Other information
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