| Responsible Department | Department of Large Animal Sciences
95 % Institute of Food and Resource Economics 5 % | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Earliest Possible Year | MSc. 1 year | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Duration | One block | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Credits | 15 (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. During the first 1-2 weeks of the course a few activities (for instance field trips) may be organized outside Modules B and C. | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Language of Instruction | English | ||||||||||||||||||||
| No Credit Points With | 260029 Animal Production Science 2A; 260030 Animal Production Science 2B | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Restrictions | None | ||||||||||||||||||||
| Course Content | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The students must learn to view animal production from a production unit systems perspective. The core of the course is project work consisting of analysis and evaluation of all significant production, performance and health related aspects of a professional livestock herd. In addition to production animals (defined as pigs, cattle, poultry, fur animals, sheep and goats), also equine herds (stud farms, riding schools etc.) may be analyzed. It is a precondition for working with other animal species than pigs and dairy cows that at least 4 students choose to work with the species in question. The analysis must systematically address all basic production factors and for each factor (animals, feed, farm buildings and equipment, labor and management, veterinary services) the following problems are addressed: - What is the current allocation of the factor in the herd (amounts, composition, quality)? - What are the effects of the current factor allocation on production results (including performance and health)? - What are the effects of the current factor allocation on the attributes of the farmer's utility? The following attributes must be considered: Monetary income, animal welfare, work load, working environment, environmental impact and product quality. - What are the short term and long term constraints imposed on the allocation of the factor? Constraints resulting from interactions with other factors and from long term decisions must be included. - What are the opportunities for adjusting the allocation of the factor in order to better meet the objectives of the farmer as expressed by the attributes of his utility? In relation to the project work, independent statistical analyses of production, performance or health data can be included. The course will, to a great extent, make use of contacts with researchers and experts from University of Aarhus and the relevant industries and farmer advisory services. | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Teaching and learning Methods | |||||||||||||||||||||
| The course is based on project work in groups of 4-6 students. Initially, there will be lectures and discussions across groups and animal species. The agenda for the analysis of each factor within the chosen herd will be, approximately, as follows: 1) Definition of the factor and identification of the decisions addressing the use of the factor. 2) Identification, quantification and evaluation of all aspects of the factor in relation to the herd. Concurrent lectures and exercises supporting the analysis may be given. 3) Presentation of the analysis of the factor in a seminar. Student initiated seminars originating from the project work can be included in the course. The course involves several visits to a herd and to some extent cooperation with researchers from University of Aarhus. It is strongly recommended that the students collaborate with the usual consultant and/or veterinarian visiting the herd. 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 become able to independently perform a scientifically sound and holistic analysis and evaluation of all major production and health related aspects of an animal production unit. 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 optimally within the constraints imposed on the production. - Describe the relationships between factor allocation, production constraints and objectives in animal production. Skills: - Apply holistic methods for analysis and evaluation of all production and health related aspects of a given animal production unit. Competencies: - 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 V | |||||||||||||||||||||
| Work Load | |||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||