B029744 - CATTLE, SHEEP AND GOAT PRODUCTION

Italian

The course aims to: 1) provide the tools to learn the technical-practical and theoretical aspects of the bovine and sheep-goat supply chain; 2) provide tools to stem, contrast and limit the climate changes to which the livestock sector as a whole will be subjected. 3) know, through study and in-depth analysis, the complex system of animal production

Tecniche di Produzione Animale– Bittante – Andrighetto - Ramanzin Edizioni Liviana
During the course, updated teaching material will be provided such as:
articles published in specialized livestock journal ;
informative videos;

Dear students, dear students,
welcome to the course of "Bovine and sheep-goat production chain". Below you will find the detailed program of the lessons that we will carry out in the classroom, with the hope that this will arouse your interest in a sector that is often pointed out as the main cause of environmental pollution and, through its products, to be a source of dietetically harmful food. . It is my goal, with this course, to provide you with the tools to learn the technical-practical, but also theoretical meaning, within the limits of available credits, of the different sectors that characterize the beef and sheep-goat supply chain. You will be called to a not not easy challenge that is of stemming, opposing and limiting the inevitable changes to which society, and the agricultural world as a whole, will be subjected. But in order to transform the problem into a resource, it is essential to know, through study and in-depth analysis, the complex system of the animal production. Only through a constructive learning path will it be possible to acquire and apply methods and actions to face the challenges that await us.

Basic knowledge of LIVESTOCK AND GENETIC IMPROVEMENT course is required

Lessons will be held in the classroom. There will be field activities and educational seminars, divided as follows:
Teaching Methods
ECTS: 6
Total number of hours of the course: 150 (= 6 x 25)
Number of hours for personal study and other individual training activities: 96
Number of hours related to classroom activities: 36
Number of hours related to laboratory activities: 0
Number of hours related to practical activities (in the laboratory and in the field): 12-18
Number of hours of seminars: 0-6

The exam will be oral. The aim is to verify the knowledge acquired with the study and the ability to connect the information acquired in a coherent and critical way.

Module 1: Bovine supply chain
1. descriptive statistics (diffusion, consumption, prospects)
2. recalls of physiology of the digestive and reproductive systems. This part of the course provides a reminder of the anatomy and physiology of two systems (reproductive and digestive) whose knowledge is a prerequisite for understanding the topics subsequently discussed and in particular those relating to feeding techniques and management of reproduction.
3. Cattle breeds. In this part of the course the main meat and dairy breeds raised in Italy will be described. In particular, the peculiarities and criticalities related to their breeding will be investigated, also in terms of limits and future prospects.
4. Breeding and feeding techniques. The breeding / feeding systems will be studied separately for dairy and meat breeds. After providing the basic principles of feeding and nutrition, the most widespread farming systems will be considered with particular attention to those that guarantee greater sustainability of farming. Many hours will be dedicated to the most modern grazing techniques.
5.Precision Livestock Farming principles applied to the bovine supply chain. The main precision zootechnics (PLF) tools that, currently, and in the immediate future, will characterize Italian zootechnics will be examined. The PLF is the basis for the change in the livestock sector towards a reality that is increasingly responsive to the needs of the community, in terms of both sustainability and animal welfare.
6. Chemical-physical quality of milk and meat.
7. In-depth study of topics and themes proposed by the students
Module 2: Sheep-goat supply chain
1.Descriptive statistics (diffusion, consumption, prospects)
2. Sheep and goat breeds
3. Breeding systems in the various Italian realities
4. Product quality
- quality of sheep and goat milk
- notes on cheese making techniques