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SCHOOL |
OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCES |
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ACADEMIC UNIT |
AGRICULTURE |
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LEVEL OF STUDIES |
UNDERGRADUATE |
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COURSE CODE |
ANP0704 |
SEMESTER |
7 | ||
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COURSE TITLE |
DAIRY AND BEEF CATTLE PRODUCTION | ||||
| INDEPENDENT TEACHING ACTIVITIES |
WEEKLY TEACHING HOURS |
CREDITS | |||
| Lectures | 2 | ||||
| Lab / Op. Exercises | 2 | ||||
| Exercises | 0 | ||||
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TOTAL HOURS |
4 | 5 | |||
| COURSE TYPE | Special Background | ||||
| PREREQUISITE COURSES | |||||
| LANGUAGE OF INSTRUCTION and EXAMINATIONS | Greek | ||||
| IS THE COURSE OFFERED TO ERASMUS STUDENTS | YES (in English) | ||||
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COURSE WEBSITE (URL) |
https://
eclass.uowm.gr/courses/AGRO104/
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2. LEARNING OUTCOMES
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Learning Outcomes |
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Dairy and Beef science is probably the most multidisciplinary of all animal production areas. The aim of this course is to deepen students understanding into the principles of dairy and beef cattle production and its different production systems both in Greece and worldwide. Emphasis is placed on the special management practices for optimal animal productivity, animal health and welfare; the course combines elements from different subjects with focus on nutrition, reproduction, health, and welfare management. Under this course students will acquire scientific knowledge, skills and abilities that will enable them to evaluate existing practices, assist commercial farmers to improve practice change on farm and increase productivity and profitability. Particularly, the course aims to enable students to: • Recognize and identify cattle breeds and understand their productive potentials under a given environment. • Be accustomed to relevant terminology and legislation. • Describe the Greek dairy and beef industry and its key challenges, the different production systems and drivers of profitability. • Analyse farm technical data to evaluate the impact of costs of production on the profitability of a farm business. • Identify the types of feed systems and be able to apply industry feed planning and budgeting tools • Analyse data to evaluate the feed management practices of farm and provide advice on animal nutrition and ration formulation. • Describe the nutritional requirements of dairy cows throughout lactation and analyse the impact of feed quality on animal health, milk production. • Describe mammogenesis, lactogenesis and galactopoiesis and the impact of the cow including breed, genetics, health and lactation physiology on milk production. • Understand the importance of good reproduction and health management as key for farm productivity and profitability. • Describe the calf rearing life cycle and identify key time points for managing animal health and welfare outcomes • Provide advice on animal health and welfare and implement disease prevention practices, livestock product traceability rules and farm biosecurity rules. |
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General Competences |
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Graduates upon completing their studies will: • Acquire the theoretical and practical background in Agricultural Sciences with special focus on Animal Science. • Be able to creatively utilize scientific knowledge for the everlasting development of livestock production systems for food production for mankind. • Acquire the fundamental scientific knowledge that will enable them to pursue postgraduate studies (Master of Science or PhD). Graduates will also acquire skills and qualities on: adaptation to competing environments, decision making, autonomous working, teamwork, working in an interdisciplinary environment, generation of new research ideas, respect for the natural environment, promotion of free, creative and inductive thinking. Will be also able to understand opportunities and challenges for the livestock sector in general and analyse the role of innovation, entrepreneurship and business acumen in securing success. Critically analyse livestock farm systems and apply technical knowledge to generate creative and innovative solutions to real challenges. Demonstrate professionalism in communication and collaboration with a wide variety of stakeholders for evaluating the farm system to generate applicable solutions |
3. SYLLABUS
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• Cattle classification and origin and the importance of dairy and beef cattle farming in Greece • Current issues of the dairy and beef cattle production in Greece. • Identification of different breeds and production types of cattle (Greek native breeds, Greek buffalo, foreign breeds, dairy breeds, beef breeds, dual-purpose). • Morphological description and understanding (body conformation and topography, classification, assessment of nutritional status, body measurements, age determination, animal identification and marking) • Nutrition, digestive tract, nutritional requirements, feed intake and utilisation. • Reproductive traits and reproductive cycle. • Milk production capacity and traits, mammogenesis, lactogenesis and galactopoiesis, milk production curve, zootechnical study, factors affecting milk production capacity, evaluation of milk productivity, nutritional, environmental and health impacts on milk productivity and performance. • Parlours, milking machines and robotic systems. • Factors influence animal performance and evaluation of meat productivity. • Animal housing, equipment, stall dimensions and designs. • Breeding and farming systems and conditions (breeding of dairy cows, rearing of calves, heifers, heifers and sires, rearing of beef cattle). • Animal husbandry practices, hygiene, well-being, and environmental waste management. |
4. TEACHING and LEARNING METHODS - EVALUATION
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DELIVERY |
Taught, Face-to-face | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
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USE OF INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS TECHNOLOGY |
Use of ICT in teaching, learning process is supported through the e-class electronic platform, laboratory training and communication with students | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| TEACHING METHODS |
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STUDENT PERFORMANCE EVALUATION |
1. Official written final exam (50%). This takes place at the end of the semester and includes multiple choice questions, short answer questions, and or essay questions where student are required to discuss and expand on a topic. 2. Laboratory assessment (25%). The laboratory assessment involves short answer questions or preparation of short technical essays. The students must send their work electronically through the e-class platform. 3. Final Laboratory exam (25%). The final exam of the laboratory includes multiple choice questions and practical (lab) demonstration. More details on the evaluation criteria are specified in the course guide that is distributed by the tutor at the beginning of the semester and is also available in the e-class learning platform. |
5. SUGGESTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
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1. Vootrofia, N. Katsaounis, Modern Education Publications (2007), Pages: 400, ISBN: 9603570362 (in Greek) 2. Dairy Cattle Production, E. Gelekis, Kordali Publications (2004), Pages: 374, ISBN: 978960357063 (in Greek) 3. Principles of cattle production. C. J. C Phillips, CABI Publishing (2018), pages 272, ISBN: 1786392712 (in English) 4. Nutrition and Feeding of Organic Cattle, R. Blair CABI Publishing (2011), Pages 304, ISBN: 1845937589 (in English) |
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-Related academic journals: |