9798530 - APPLIED ANIMAL PRODUCTION
Modulo SUSTAINABLE MANAGEMENT OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEM

The course objective is to deepen students' knowledge of sustainable livestock management methods.

Knowledge and Understanding

Students will acquire knowledge of strategies for ensuring sustainability in large and small ruminant livestock farming. This includes providing quality production through proper grazing management, defining circular farming models based on the use of local food resources and agri-food industry by-products as animal feed, promoting organic livestock farming and outdoor farming, and developing feeding strategies to reduce the environmental impact of livestock farming.

Ability to Apply Knowledge and Understanding

At the end of the course, the student will be able to:

·      manage ruminant grazing by selecting appropriate stocking rates;

·      assess the use of agro-industrial by-products and alternative feed resources in animal nutrition, analyzing their effects on product quality;

·      critically compare organic and conventional production systems;

·      evaluate farming factors with the greatest environmental impact and develop feeding strategies to mitigate it.

Autonomy of judgment

Students will be able to independently develop management strategies aimed at ensuring the sustainability of livestock farming. This ability is refined through exercises and case study simulations in various livestock farming scenarios.

Communication Skills

Students will develop the technical language of livestock farming sustainability and demonstrate active interaction with colleagues in addressing issues related to this topic. To this end, the exam will allow students to hone their communication skills through PowerPoint presentations of program topics.

Learning ability

Students will be able to independently deepen their knowledge of the sustainability of livestock farming through reference texts, articles in scientific or popular journals, and through insights gained from any seminars and laboratories included in the course.

The course will consist of lectures (3 credits; 21 hours) using slides prepared by the lecturer on the various topics covered in the program, and practical activities (3 credits; 42 hours) in the classroom (problem-solving approach, seminars), in the laboratory (analytical procedures applied to animal production), and in the field (technical visits to local production facilities).

If the course is taught in a blended or distance learning format, any necessary changes to the above-mentioned schedule may be made in order to comply with the planned program and the syllabus.

To ensure equal opportunities and in compliance with applicable laws, interested students may request a personal interview to plan any compensatory and/or dispensatory measures, based on their learning objectives and specific needs.

Contact the CInAP (Center for Active and Participatory Integration - Services for Disabilities and/or DSA) faculty members of the Di3A Department is also available (http://www.cinap.unict.it/content/referenti).

Knowledge of basic disciplines relevant to animal science.

Not mandatory but highly recommended.

·      Ruminant management in Mediterranean areas: intake, animal stocking, and feeding plans.

·      Organic livestock farming: regulatory constraints and effects on quantitative and qualitative production.

·      Alternative feed resources to conventional feed (agri-food industry by-products, alternative legumes) and their effects on livestock production quality.

·      Feeding strategies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in ruminant farms.

·      Animal Welfare Assessment Using a Precision Livestock Farming Approach.

·      Overview of analytical methods applicable to sustainable livestock production.

1. Pulina G. - Dairy Sheep Feeding and Nutrition. Edizioni Avenue Media. Bologna.

2. Peter McDonald - Animal nutrition (2011), Pearson Edition.

3. Pramod Kumar Rout , Basanta Kumara Behera - Sustainability in Ruminant Livestock (2021), Springer Edition.

4. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine. Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle (2021), The National Academies Press.

5. Scientific and popular publications and PDF slides provided by the lecturer and downloadable from the electronic platform studium.unict

Assessment will consist of an oral exam on a topic covered in a PowerPoint presentation presented by the student, supplemented by questions on other topics from the program.

Student preparation will be assessed based on the following criteria: learning ability and depth of understanding of the topics covered, ability to summarize and present, and the student's reasoning ability.

Grading will be as follows:

Failed

Knowledge and understanding of topic: Significant deficiencies. Significant inaccuracies

Analysis and synthesis skills: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to summarize

Use of references: Completely inappropriate

18-20

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At threshold level. Obvious imperfections

Analysis and synthesis skills: Barely adequate

Use of references: Barely appropriate

21-23

Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge. Analysis and synthesis skills: Able to analyze and summarize correctly. Argues logically and coherently.

Use of References: Uses standard references.

24-26

Knowledge and Understanding of the topic: Good knowledge.

Analysis and Synthesis: Good analysis and synthesis skills. The arguments are coherently expressed.

Use of References: Uses standard references.

27-29

Knowledge and Understanding of the topic: More than good knowledge.

Analysis and Synthesis: Excellent analysis and synthesis skills.

Use of References: In-depth study of the topics.

30-30L

Knowledge and Understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge.

Analysis and Synthesis: Excellent analysis and synthesis skills.

Use of References: Important in-depth analysis.

1. Describe the most important grazing techniques.

2. What are the most widely available agri-food by-products in Sicily, and how should they be managed in animal feed?

3. What are the main differences between organic and conventional livestock farming systems?

4. What are some strategies for reducing GHG emissions from ruminants?