ANIMAL AND CROP PRODUCTION
cod. 1006550

Academic year 2023/24
3° year of course - First semester
Professor responsible for the course unit
Massimo MALACARNE
integrated course unit
12 credits
hub: PARMA
course unit
in ITALIAN

Course unit structured in the following modules:

Learning objectives

ANIMAL PRODUCTION
D1 – Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to Know and understand:
1. The essential elements of the techniques of production of the major food products of animal origin, which are the raw material for the gastronomic production
2. The breeding systems of farm animals
3. The main factors that influence the quality of the final product.
D2 – applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Apply acquired knowledge about livestock and animal products in the various working contexts related to the world of gastronomy.
D3 – Making judgements
At the end of the course, the student will be able to: 1. Assess the quality of products of animal origin.
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 animal products and their derivatives.
D5 – Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
1. Learn the concepts of producing animal products;
2. Understand the impact of breeding systems on the quality of animal products.

PLANT PRODUCTIOND1 – Knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to Know and understand: the processes of growth and development of plants and their fruit; the essential elements of the production techniques of the main food products of vegetable origin; which natural and agronomic elements most influence the quality of production; D2 – applying knowledge and understanding
At the end of the course, the student will be able to: apply the knowledge acquired in the field of agronomy and products of vegetal origin in the working realities related to the agri-food world; D3 – Making judgements At the end of the course, the student will be able to: assess the reliability of the information provided by various sources in full autonomy,
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 vegetal products and their derivatives.
D5 – Learning skills
At the end of the course, the student will be able to:
Learn the concepts of producing vegetable products;
Understand the impact of cultural systems on the quality of vegetable products.

Prerequisites

Knowledge on plant and animal biology

Course unit content

ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Definition of PDO, PGI and "Traditional Products ". Introduction to Organic Farming. MILK : Dairy cow breeding and main characteristics of the dairy cow, main dairy cattle breeds, milk composition, genetic and feeding factors and quality of milk for cheesemaking, changes in mastitis milk.
Obiettivi Agenda 2030 per lo sviluppo sostenibile Buffalo, sheep and goat milk: general characteristics of these breedings, milk composition and of chemical, physical and dairy-technological requirements of their milk both for cheese-making and direct use. MEAT AND EGGS: Beef and main characteristics of beef-cow breeding, the major beef cattle breeds, beef cattle categories, characteristics of carcasses and meats and main factors that influence them, typical Italian beef productions. Pork Meat: Pork and main characteristics of pig breeding, main pig breeds reared in Italy, pork carcass characteristics and main factors that influence them. Pig productions typical of the province of Parma. General characteristics of poultry and rabbit breeding in Italy, poultry and rabbit meat production, egg production, organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the eggs. General information on the production of sheep and goat, horses and wild ungulates meat. HONEY: General characteristics on beekeeping and honey production.

PLANT PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT PRODUCTION. STRUCTURE, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT. CLIMATIC VARIABLES.
PLANTS AND WATER.
PLANT NUTRITION.
BIOREGULATORS.
SEED PROPAGATION and AGAMIC PROPAGATION.
SOIL.
OVERVIEW OF AGRONOMIC TECHNIQUE. AGRONOMIC SYSTEMS.
GMO.
FRUIT.
EXEMPLES OF ARBOREAL AND HERBACEOUS CROPS AND THEIR PRODUCTS.

Full programme

ANIMAL PRODUCTION
1 - Introduction: Description of the structure of the course. Principal characteristics of animal productions. Definition of PDO, PGI and "Traditional Products ". Introduction to Organic Farming.
A - MILK:
2 - Cow Milk: General characteristics of dairy cattle in Italy and its characteristics compared to other EU countries and the rest of the world. Major dairy cattle breeds. Composition of milk. Chemical, physical and dairy-technological requirements of milk for grana cheesemaking. Genetic factors and quality of milk. Polymorphism of milk proteins and their technological significance. Feeding factors and quality of milk. Physico-chemical and dairy-technological changes in mastitis milk.
3 - Buffalo Milk: General characteristics of buffalo breeding in Italy. Physico-chemical and dairy-technological requirements of buffalo milk for cheesemaking.
4 - Sheep and Goat Milk: General characteristics of sheep and goat breeding in Italy. Main sheep and goat breeds reared in Italy. Composition of sheep and goat milk. Physico-chemical and dairy- technological requirements of sheep and goat milk for cheesemaking and for direct use.
B - MEAT AND EGGS
5 - Beef: General characteristics of cattle meat in Italy and its characteristics compared to other EU countries and the rest of the world. Major beef cattle breeds. Beef cattle categories, characteristics of carcasses and meats and main factors (genetic and environmental) that influence them. Major cuts of meat. Chemical, physical, biological and organoleptic characteristics of the meat. The typical Italian beef productions.
6 - Pork Meat: General characteristics of pig breeding in Italy and its characteristics compared to other EU countries and the rest of the world. Main pig breeds reared in Italy. Carcass characteristics and pork and main factors (genetic and environmental) that influence them. Main processes of transformation of pork meat. Chemical, physical, biological and organoleptic characteristics of the processed products. The typical pig productions.
7 - General characteristics of poultry and rabbit breeding in Italy. Poultry and rabbit meat production. Egg production. Organoleptic and nutritional characteristics of the eggs.
8 - General information on the production of sheep and goat, horses and wild ungulates meat.
C – HONEY
9 - General characteristics on beekeeping and honey production.

PLANT PRODUCTION
INTRODUCTION TO PLANT PRODUCTION: Factors of production. Yield and quality.
STRUCTURE, GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT: Overview of biology and physiology plant. Organization of tissues in the organs of the plant, with particular reference to the edible parts. CLIMATIC VARIABLES: radiation, temperature, rainfall. Crop injury by high and low temperatures. PLANTS AND WATERPLANT NUTRITION: Main mineral nutrients, excess and deficiency. Antagonisms.
Interactions. BIOREGOLATORS: main class and main functions.
SEED PROPAGATION: Seed characteristics and germination in field crops. Dormancy. Sowing.
AGAMIC PROPAGATION: traditional and modern techniques.
SOIL: physical, chemical and biological properties. SOIL
OVERVIEW OF AGRONOMIC TECHNIQUE: SOIL TILLAGE;IRRIGATION; FERTILISATION;
WEEDS AND HERBICIDES.
AGRICULTURAL SYSTEMS: Monoculture, polyculture, intercropping, crop rotation, biological agriculture. FRUIT: classification. Physiology of Fruit ripening and development;
EXAMPLES OF ARBOREAL AND HERBACEOUS CROPS AND THEIR PRODUCTS: analysis of supply chain.

Bibliography

ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Bittante G., Andrighetto I., Ramanzin M. “Tecniche di produzione animale” Liviana Editrice, Padova
Slides shown at lesson
Students can find the pdf files of lessons on the Elly platform.

PLANT PRODUCTION
PowerPoint presentations given by the teacher to be integrated by personal notes taken during the lectures, the material uploaded on the Elly platform and/or by consulting the following texts:
Fabbri A., Vamerali T. 2022 - Produzioni Vegetali, Patron, Bologna; Giardini L., 2012 - L'Agronomia. 6 ed. –Patron, Bologna;
Sansavini S. (ed.), 2012 - Arboricoltura Generale. Pàtron, Bologna; Sansavini S., Ranalli P., 2012 - Manuale di ortofrutticoltura. Edagricole, Bologna.
Calogero Rinallo – Piante Alimentari, ed. PICCIN;
Coltura & Cultura (available online)

Teaching methods

ANIMAL PRODUCTION
During the lectures in the classroom, with the use of audio-visual facilities, the characteristics of livestock farm animals and the characteristics of their productions will be presented.

PLANT PRODUCTION
Acquisition of knowledge: frontal lessons (in person or via streaming). Acquisition of the ability to apply knowledge: case studies.
Acquisition of autonomy of judgment: discussions in the classroom (physical or virtual).
Acquisition of learning skills: case studies in the classroom.
Acquisition of technical language: during the teaching the meaning of commonly used terms will be explained and the discussions in the classroom (physical or virtual) are aimed at encouraging the correct use of the learned terminologies.

Assessment methods and criteria

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 exam. The exam will be organized as a series of open questions on the subjects addressed in class and that will be previously provided to the students. In particular, in addition to verifying the acquisition of basic knowledge, the ability to connect the general part with one or more individual species discussed during the course will be evaluated. Registration for the test takes place online through the ESSE3 SYSTEM.

Other information

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2030 agenda goals for sustainable development

(2) Zero Hunger
(12) Responsible Consumption and Production
(15) Life and Land

Contacts

Toll-free number

800 904 084

Quality assurance office

Education manager:
Mrs Barbara Violi
T. + 39 0521 032296
E. Office didattica.sea@unipr.it
E. Manager barbara.violi@unipr.it

President of the degree course

prof. Marco Ferretti
E. marco.ferretti@unipr.it

Faculty advisor

prof. Donata Tania Vergura
E. donatatania.vergura@unipr.it

Career guidance delegate

prof. Chiara Panari
E. chiara.panari@unipr.it

Tutor professors

prof. Silvia Bellini
E. silvia.bellini@unipr.it

Erasmus delegates

prof. Maria Cecilia Mancini
E. mariacecilia.mancini@unipr.it 
prof. Donata Tania Vergura
E. donatatania.vergura@unipr.it

Quality assurance manager

prof. Giulio Tagliavini
E. giulio.tagliavini@unipr.it

Internships

E. tirocini@unipr.it