| Responsible Department | Department of Large Animal Sciences
95 % Institute of Food and Resource Economics 5 % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | Two blocks | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 30 (ECTS) | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Level of Course | MSc | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Examination | Final Examination oral examination All aids allowed Description of Examination: Oral presentation and defence of project report. Weight: Oral examination 100% 7-point scale, external examiner | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Requirement for Attending Exam | A project report must be submitted. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Organisation of Teaching | Lectures, theoretical and practical exercises, project work in groups and field trips. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Block Placement | Block 3 Week Structure: B, Project oriented and partly coordinated with the veterinary differentiation for production animals. Block 3 Week Structure: C, Project oriented and partly coordinated with the veterinary differentiation for production animals. Block 4 Week Structure: B, Project oriented and partly coordinated with the veterinary differentiation for production animals. Block 4 Week Structure: C, Project oriented and partly coordinated with the veterinary differentiation for production animals. During the first 1-2 weeks of the course a few activities (for instance field trips) may be organized during hours other than those of Modules B and C. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Language of Instruction | English | ||||||||||||||||||||
| No Credit Points With | Credits can only be achieved for one of the courses Animal Production Science 2A or 2B. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Optional Prerequisites | 260024 Animal Production Animal husbandry specialisation | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Restrictions | None | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Course Content | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The first half of the course is identical to the contents of Animal Production Science 2B except that in the present course the students must work with either pig herds or dairy herds. For details, reference is made to the course description for the "B course". During second half of the course, a thorough analysis of the options identified during first part must be carried out, with a careful prioritisation that is in agreement with the farmer's preferences. Attributes of the farmer's preferences must be identified and weighted. These must be used as the basis for scientifically founded operational, tactical and strategic plans that maximize the farmer's utility within the constraints imposed on the production. The product of this work will be a report that includes these plans. Another element of this work is an obligatory in-depth analysis of a selected problem in the herd must be carried out. The following list shows examples of potential problems suitable for in-depth analysis: - A plan for expansion of the herd - Implementation of a new feeding method or strategy - Procedures for dynamic monitoring of particularly sensitive areas of production - Causes of production failure The selected problem is chosen by the group, but the choice must be based on the analysis of the herd. In relation to this work independent data analyses, registrations and/or modelling can be carried out. As a potential tool for the in-depth analysis, Computer Aided Design (CAD) can be used if the problem involves design of farm buildings. In that case a short hands-on course on CAD will be offered. The course runs in parallel with the veterinary differentiation concerning production animals. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching and learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Reference is made to the course Animal Production Science 2B course description for the first half (9 weeks) of the course. The second part of the course is almost completely based on project work. The product work is carried out in the groups already formed in first half of the course. Even though the course language is English, students must understand that Danish farm owners are not necessarily competent in English. Furthermore, most of the written material available about the farm will be in Danish. Thus, Danish-speaking students are expected to assist English-speaking students. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Learning Outcome | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The objective of the course is to enable the student to independently perform a scientifically sound and holistic analysis and evaluation of all major production and health related aspects of an animal production unit. Furthermore, using the analysis and evaluation of a production unit the course aims to enable the student to devise scientifically well-founded operational, tactical and strategic plans that maximize the farmer's utility within the constraints imposed on the production. The plans must, furthermore, be communicated to the farmer. At the end of the course the student should be able to: Knowledge: - Show an overview of theories, principles and methods for concurrent combination and regulation of the production factors in such a way that a given (multi-attribute) objective is satisfied to the extent possible within the constraints imposed on the production. - Describe potentials and limitations of theories from ethology, physiology, nutrition, animal breeding, herd management, production economics, climate control and epidemiology in relation to a concrete animal production context. Skills: - Apply principles from utility theory for identification of farmer preferences (objectives) described by a list of attributes and their mutual weighting. - Apply holistic methods for analysis and evaluation of all production and health related aspects of a given animal production unit. - Apply the relationships between factor allocation, constraints, and utility attributes for devising scientifically well-founded operational, tactical and strategic plans maximizing the farmer's utility and communicate those plans to the relevant parties. Competencies: - Transfer theories and methods for combination and adjustment of production factors in animal production so that a given objective is met in the best possible way within the constraints imposed on production. - Discuss production systems and production plans in relation to animal welfare as well as the environmental and other societal concerns. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Course Literature | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Academic literature identification, interpretation and evaluation is a core element due to the project nature of the course. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Course Coordinator | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Anders Ringgaard Kristensen, ark@life.ku.dk, Department of Large Animal Sciences/Production and Health, Phone: 353-33091 | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Study Board | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Study Committee NSN | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Work Load | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||