LV EN RU DE FR

Animal Husbandry Technologies I

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Ķīmi3015, The Basics of Biochemistry

LauZ3183, Animal Nutrition I

VeteB054, Animal Anatomy and Physiology

Course abstract

Learning of the Study course gives an idea and provides insight into the economic importance of the cattle farming, describing general situation and perspectives of the development of that specific economical field in Latvian and other countries. In the study process insight about the most popular cow breeds will be given, characteristic features and influencing factors of the productivity will be analyzed, problems and solutions of the herd reproduction will be discussed, different uses of animal evaluation methods will be reviewed.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Students know the suitability of different cattle breeds for milk and/or meat production, as well as breeding and feeding technologies, production output, and principles for evaluating product quality. Knowledge is assessed based on the results of the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th tests.

Students can organize the milk and/or meat production process, can evaluate the suitability of housing technologies for animals of different breeds, production purposes, and age groups, can complete the required basic documentation, can record production output, and can assess quality-related traits. Skills are assessed based on explanations and conclusions provided during practical work.

As a result of completing the course, students are able to evaluate the suitability of animals of a specific cattle breed for the selected production direction, can assess the compliance of applied housing technologies with animal welfare requirements, can independently analyze animal productivity and reproduction indicators, and can recommend the most appropriate solutions to herd managers for the sustainable development of the farm. The acquired competences are assessed based on conclusions drawn during the defence of practical work, as well as answers to test and examination questions.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. The situation in cattle husbandry, the economic role of beef and dairy cattle husbandry. Most common dairy breeds, their characteristics. 1 h lectures and 1 h practical.
2. Dairy cattle growth and development. Body conformation and its evaluation methods. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
3. The growth and development control for different age cows. Changes of live weight, evaluation results of cattle body conformation traits. Analysis of obtained data. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
1. Test. Characteristics of dairy cow breeds. Body conformation and its role in milk production. 1 h.
4. Growth and development of mammary glands. Milk synthesis and elimination mechanisms. 2 h lectures and 1 h practical.
5. Milk productivity data registration and use of accumulated data base. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
6. Analysis of lactation. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
7. Milk composition and quality, their changes and factors affecting them. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
8. Analysis of milk composition and quality data.2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
2. Test. The structure of mammary glands, milk quality and composition, factors affecting them. 1h.
8. Manufacturing of beef. Specialized beef cattle breeds and their characteristics. 2 h lectures and 1 h practical.
9. Body conformation of beef cattle. The evaluation methods of body conformation. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
10. Body conformation evaluation of suckler cows and breeding bulls. Analysis of obtained data. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
11. Characteristics of beef productivity, their evaluation. 2 h lectures and 1 h practical.
12. Carcass quality traits and their analysis. 2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
13. Beef carcass quality characteristics, their analysis. 1 h lectures and 2 h practical.
3. Test. Beef productivity and factors influencing it. 1h.
14. Structure and circulation of dairy and beef cattle herd. Planning herd structure and circulation.2 h lectures and 2 h practical.
15. Reproduction problems in dairy and beef herd. Calf acquirement and conservation. Analysis of reproduction traits. 2 h lectures and 1 h practical.
16. Calf feeding and housing principles in different stages of growth. Basic principles of calf grouping. 2 h lectures and 1 h practical. 4. Test. Herd structure, factors affecting it. Problems and their solution sin calf rearing process. (1h)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Successfully written 4 tests, completed and graded practical works, and passed written exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

The student independently studies literature, collects the obtained information, publicly presents the results of practical work.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Independent work is evaluated with the grade, depending on the presentation of prepared material. Tests are evaluated by the answers to questions. As passed are considered those knowledge and skill evidence that in 10 point scale scored at least 4.
Each individual practical work after its development is marked with “passed’ or “failed”. At the end of practical works is planned test that is evaluated with the grade in 10 point scale. The rights to write a test have those students that has passed all practical works in recent topics.
Students who have successfully passed tests and practical tests are admitted to the examination.
At the end of the course students take a written exam, the ticket consists of 4 questions, of which 3 are questions from topics in lectures and 1 question is from practical work topics. Each question represents 25% of the final grade.

Compulsory reading

1. Moderna piena ražošanas ferma: tehnoloģija, tehnika, apsaimniekošana. Priekuļa J. (red.) Jelgava: LLU, 2012. 240 lpp.
2. Džeimsone A. Videi draudzīgu gaļas liellopu audzēšana. [tiešsaiste] Rīga: SIA "Gandrs". 2013. 55 lp. [skatīts 10.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://ldf.lv/sites/default/files/faili/Publikacijas/Gramatas/videi_draudzigu_galas_liellopu_audzesana.pdf
3. Racionālu piena lopkopības ražošanas modeļu rokasgrāmata. [Tiešsaiste] [skatīts 14.02.2019.]. http://www.laukutikls.lv/racionalu-piena-lopkopibas-razosanas-modelu-rokasgramata
4. Dairy cattle husbandry (2004) [Online tiešsaiste]. Wageningen: Agromisa Foundation. 84 p. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. http://journeytoforever.org/farm_library/AD14.pdf
5. House J. (2011) A guide to dairy herd management. [Online tiešsaiste]. Meat and Livestock Australia Limited, North Sydney, 73 p. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.] Pieejams: http://www.livecorp.com.au/LC/files/3e/3ef9fb39-0c7f-4296-b389-2f55650cd2e9.pdf 8.Kemsley P.,
6. Jennings N. (2016). Beef cattle health and husbandry for the NSW North coast. [Online tiešsaiste]. North Coast Local Land Services. 221 p. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://northcoast.lls.nsw.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0011/685388/Beef-cattle-health-and-husbandry-for-the-nsw-north-coast.pdf

Further reading

1. Latvijas Republikas tiesību akti. Likumi. [Tiešsaite]s pakalpojums. [skatīts 20.03.2019.] Pieejams: http://www.likumi.lv
2. Ciltsdarba programmas piena un gaļas šķirņu govkopībā [tiešsaiste] [skatīts 10.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://www.ldc.gov.lv/lv/likumdosana/nacionala/
3. Animal welfare and beef cattle production systems. [Online tiešsaiste] [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Internationa_Standard_Setting/docs/pdf/A_Update_2012_Chapter_7.9._Beef_cattle.pdf
4. Food Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, and International Dairy Federation. (2011) Guide to good farming practice. [Online tiešsaiste]. Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, International Dairy Federation. (Revised. ed.]. ed., FAO animal production and health guidelines ; 8). Rome: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. 36 p. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://www.fao.org/3/ba0027e/ba0027e00.pdf
5. Hiemstra, S. J., de Haas, Y., Mki-tanila, A., & Gandini, G. (Eds.). (2010). Local cattle breeds in Europe: Development of policies and strategies for self-sustaining breeds. [Online tiešsaiste]. Wageningen Academic Publishers. 154 p. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. Pieejams: http://www.regionalcattlebreeds.eu/publications/documents/9789086866977cattlebreeds.pdf
6. European Comission regulations concerning milk and milk products. [Online tiešsaiste]. [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/animalproducts/milk_en

Periodicals and other sources

1. Journal of Dairy Science. Published by American Dairy Science Association. ISSN (print): 0022-0302. ISSN (online): 1525-3198. [tiešsaiste] [skatīts 18.03.2019.]. Pieejams : https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/ Pieejams datubāzē arī Science Direct: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/journal-of-dairy-science
2. Proceedings of the Baltic animal breeding conference.
3. Agronomy research. [tiešsaiste]. Estonian University of Life Sciences.2003-. ISSN 140 6-894X [skatīts 10.02.2019.] Pieejams: http://agronomy.emu.ee/
4. ScienceDirect database. [[Online tiešsaiste] [viewed skatīts 14.02.2019.]. https://www.sciencedirect.com
5. Zinātniski praktiskās konferences "Līdzsvarota lauksaimniecība" raksti. [tiešsaiste]. Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitāte. Lauksaimniecības fakultāte, Latvijas Agronomu biedrība, Latvijas Lauksaimniecības un meža zinātņu akadēmija. ISSN 2500-9451. [skatīts 14.02.2019.]. http://llufb.llu.lv
6. Saimnieks. Saimnieks LV. Rīga: TEE BIO, 2004- ISSN 1691-1598.
7. Agrotops. AgroTops. Rīga: Aģentūra Agro apgāds. ISSN 1407-5164. 8. Latvijas lopkopis. Ozolnieki: Latvijas Lauku konsultāciju un izglītības centrs, 2014-

Notes

Bachelor study program „Sustainable agriculture” specialization „Sustainable animal production”