Learning objectives
D1 – Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to have:
1. Knowledge and understanding about the key elements of morphofunctional evaluation of cattle.
2. Knowledge and understanding about the characteristics of the breeding of dairy cow, of calves and heifers and the different types of housing and milking.
3. Knowledge and understanding about the physico chemical and technological properties of cow's milk, and the factors influencing its variations.
D2 – applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, applying the knowledge and understanding acquired, also working with farmers and other professionals, the student will be able to:
1. Contribute to the proper management of a dairy cows farm
2. Contribute to the prevention of problems that can happen in a dairy cow herd
3. Know how to detect and interpret the main parameters of a dairy cow farm.
From the portfolio, the student must also demonstrate to be able to make:
-Age determination of dairy cows
-BCS evaluation of dairy cows
-Morphofunctional evaluation of dairy cows
-Filling of Stud-book and/or passport of dairy cows
-Official milk sampling: Reading and interpretation of analysis certificate.
D3 – Making judgements
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. To evaluate the livestock requirements of a dairy cattle breeding;
2. Give opinions on the morpho-functional evaluation of dairy cattle
D4 – Communication skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Express clearly and with appropriate terminology during description of concepts concerning the characteristics of a dairy cattle breeding.
2. Read, translate and explain scientific papers written in Italian and English.
D5 – Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Learn concepts relative to the dairy cattle breeding;
2. To find and learn autonomously the new scientific guidelines on the dairy cows breeding;
3. Assess the impact of the different breeding variables on farming management.
Prerequisites
Prerequisites: 1005122 - Anatomia Normale Veterinaria and 1004812 - Zootecnica Generale e Miglioramento Genetico
Course unit content
The first part of the course is focused on morpho-functional evaluation of cattle: Regions in the head, in the trunk, in the fore legs and related defects, in the hind legs and related defects. First elements of animal mechanics and stance evaluation. Weighing and measurements. Morphologic evaluation.
The second part of the course focuses on breeding of dairy cows, calves and heifers. Also describes the different types of housing and the different types of milking systems.
The third part of the course takes into consideration the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of bovine milk, the different factors of milk variation and milk quality payment system.
Online activities such as "virtual visits" to farms will be carried out.
Full programme
Bovine morpho-functional evaluation elements. Brachimorphous, dolicomorphous and mesomorphous typologies. Cattle coats. Morpho-functional evaluation methods of animals and report cards. Regions in the head. Regions in the trunk. Regions in the fore legs and related defects. Regions in the hind legs and related defects. First elements of animal mechanics and stance evaluation. Weighing and measurements. Morphologic evaluation.
Dairy cattle breeding and milk production. Dairy cow consistence and possible productions. Productive cicle of dairy cow. Dairy cow breeding organisation. Calf breeding for replacement. Heifer breeding. Dairy cow breeding. Culling and replacement. Causes of cow culling. Cow housing types: tie-stall and free-stall. Machine milking. Milking systems: milking equipment for cowsheds and milking installations for milking parlours.
Milk quality and properties and variation factors. Milk chemical composition. Milk proteins. Milk physico-chemical properties. Variation factors in milk production: genetic factors, physiological factors, feeding factors, pathological factors climatic conditions and management. Principles of milk production legislation. Milk quality payment.
Online activities such as "virtual visits" to farms will be carried out.
Bibliography
AA:VV. Benessere Animale . Istituto Zooprofilattico Sperimentale Umbria e Marche Editore, 2010
BITTANTE G., ANDRIGHETTO L., RAMANZIN M.: Tecniche di produzione animale. Liviana Ed., Torino, 1993
MONETTI P.G.: Allevamento dei bovini e dei suini. Cristiano Giraldi Ed., Città di Castello (PG), 2001.
NAPOLITANO F., DE ROSA G., GRASSO F., Comportamento e benessere degli animali in produzione zootecnica. Aracne Editrice, Roma, 2007.
Slides shown at lesson
Students can find the pdf files of lessons on the Elly platform.
Teaching methods
During the registered lessons, available on the Elly platform, morphological evaluation of dairy cattle, dairy cattle breeding characteristics and physico-chemical and technological properties of milk will be presented. The course will be supported by several virtual visits to dairy cows farms, in order to make it clear to the student the theoretical concepts discussed in the lessons. In addition, the student will be able to confront with employees in the sector in relation to dairy cows farm management.
The virtual visits will be carried out through the viewing of commented videos and meetings, always online, with the farm's operators, as well as with the specialists operating on site. The lessons will also be supplemented by some seminars to deepen some specific issues.
Assessment methods and criteria
The assessment of the achievement of the objectives of the course is that this module is examined together with the module of Special Zootechnics B.
If the conditions of the Covid emergency persist, the assessment of expected learning results described in D1 and parts of those described in D2, D3, D4 and D5, is carried out by oral on-line examination on a series of questions which will be previously provided to students. Through questions regarding the course content will be determined whether the student has achieved the goal of knowledge and understanding of the content. The students must demonstrate that they have mastered the knowledge about the morphological evaluation of farm animals, on breeding of dairy and beef cattle, on the physico-chemical and technological properties of milk, on sheep and goat, buffalo, horses and rabbit and poultry production, on animal welfare. Moreover, by means of the questions in the oral examination will be determined whether the student has achieved the goal of linking the arguments and to find solutions to problems, and if it proves to have good reasoning skills and independent judgment. It will be also assessed the appropriate specific language.
For students with DSA, appropriate compensatory and dispensatory measures will be implemented.
Other information
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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development
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