Module Information
Course Delivery
| Delivery Type | Delivery length / details |
|---|---|
| Miscellaneous | 1 x 1 Hour Miscellaneous |
| Lecture | 22 x 1 Hour Lectures |
| Practical | 1 x 4 Hour Practical |
Assessment
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Multiple choice test : 30 questions, 50 minutes (Semester 1) | 25% |
| Semester Assessment | Laboratory Report (2,000 words) | 25% |
| Semester Assessment | Laboratory Report (50 short questions) | 20% |
| Semester Exam | 1.5 Hours End of semester 2 | 30% |
| Supplementary Exam | 1.5 Hours Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 30% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 70% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Compare the anatomy and biological processes involved in digestion in domesticated animals.
2. Demonstrate an understanding of the key physiological systems of domesticated animals.
3. Describe the impact of the biology of biotic factors, such as bacteria, protozoa, fungi, helminths and arthropods, on the function of domesticated animals and the farm.
4. Understand how the idea of the evolutionary diversity of life applies to the farm context, and be able to use basic phylogenic terms correctly.
5. Describe the way in which agriculture interacts with the wider environment, using the concepts of biodiversity, ecosystem services and multifunctional agriculture.
Brief description
Through a series of lectures and practical classes this module will provide grounding in biology and physiology related to the farm ecosystem, livestock, horses and companion animals.
Aims
This module aims to give students grounding in biology of animals related to the agricultural environment and their interaction with each other, to prepare them for other modules or work in a rural environment. Students will be taught the biology of key functions within livestock, horses and companion animals, including digestion, reproduction, growth and development and lactation. Students will then study organisms which affect the function of livestock, horses and companion animals such as bacteria/protozoa/fungi, parasite infection and certain arthropods. Effects of various animal groups, e.g. arthropods, on the agricultural ecosystem as a whole will also be taught. Students will have a good grounding of animal function and interactions as it relates to the agricultural setting.
Content
Semester 1
- Introduction to module and endocrinology
- Reproduction
- Digestion
- Digestion & Respiration
- Cardiovascular system & thermoregulation Practical session: Dissection of pig and sheep guts (split into 2 classes if necessary)
- Mid-term assessment; growth & development
- Muscles
- Nervous system
- Nervous system/lactation
- Lactation / revision Semester 2
- Introduction to diversity, phylogeny, and the farm ecosystem
- Viral & bacterial diseases of livestock, horses & companion animals
- Bacterial diseases of livestock, horses & companion animals; TB
- TB; fungi and protozoal diseases of livestock, horses & companion animals; TB
- Helminth diseases of livestock, horses & companion animals Practical session: Helminth practical, split into 2 classes if necessary
- Mid-term assessment; arthropods
- Immunity
- Arthropods
- Other animals of importance to the farm ecosystem
- Farm as ecosystem / revision.
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | Collection and scrutiny of data in terms of quality and quantity. Data interpretation. These will be assessed in the assignment and feedback will be given there also. |
| Communication | Students will develop effective written communication skills in the examination and assignments, where these will be assessed. Feedback will be given in the assessment. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Outside the formal contact hours, students will be expected to research materials, manage time and meet deadlines for the assignments and exam. Students will be able to review and monitor their progress and plan for improvement of personal performance. Some of these will be assessed in both the examination and assignment. Feedback will be given in the assignment. |
| Information Technology | Students will work in pairs/small groups during practical sessions. They will need to discuss their experimental design and work effectively as a small team in practical classes. This will not be assessed. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Personal development and career planning will be developed through the practical assessments. |
| Problem solving | Practical classes will allow students to gain experience in designing, executing, interpreting data and writing-up assessed physiology experiments using animal models. Students will develop creative approaches to experimental design, critically evaluate their proposed solutions and construct rational proposals in response to experimental challenge. |
| Research skills | The assignments and exam will require students to research topics beyond the depth and scope of the lecture material. Information from a variety of sources will be used. How to do this will be discussed in lectures. Research skills will be assessed in both the examination and assignment. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Dissection of key animals in order to understand animal biology related to the agricultural setting. |
| Team work | Students will work in pairs/small groups during practical sessions. They will need to discuss their experimental design and work effectively as a small team in practical classes. This will not be assessed. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 4