Course code LauZ6135

Credit points 7.50

Untraditional Livestock

Total Hours in Course200

Number of hours for lectures32

Number of hours for seminars and practical classes48

Independent study hours120

Date of course confirmation09.04.2019

Responsible UnitInstitute of Animal Science

Course developers

author prof.

Daina Jonkus

Dr. agr.

author prof.

Daina Kairiša

Dr. agr.

Prior knowledge

LauZ5037, Biochemical and Physiological Aspects of Animal Nutrition

LauZ5143, Biological Basis of Animal Husbandry

LauZ5144, Immunogenetics and Biotechnologics

LauZ5160, Animal Genetics and Breeding

LauZ5164, Research Methodology in Animal Husbandry

Course abstract

Students are introduced with the economic significance of non-traditional farm animals: rabbits, fur animals and deer. Course focuses on animal production and its quality assessment criteria. Students will be provided with information about rabbit, fur animal and deer breeding methods, feeding principles and appropriate housing technologies. There will be evaluated the effect of genetic, physiological and environmental factors on animal productivity and production quality. Recording data will be analysed and the results will be compared with the aims of animal breeding programs. During the course, the master students visit rabbit, fur and deer breeding farms. During visits students evaluate the animal feeding and housing conditions, animal quality and farming methods.

Learning outcomes and their assessment


Students will gain:
• knowledge about Latvian non-traditional livestock biological characteristics, species-specific production obtaining principles, feeding and housing technologies, the parameters for characterizing quality of production, the organization of animal breeding and its correspondence with the animal breeding program. Participation in lectures and seminars. Evaluation of individually prepared presentations.
• skills to evaluate for rabbit, fur animal and deer breeding, available breed crossing and blood line suitability for Latvian conditions. Ability to justify feeding and housing technology choices and analyse achieved breeding results. • competence to choose breeds, crosses and blood lines suitable for Latvian conditions. Feeding and housing technologies. Perform analysis of obtained breeding results. Competence to take part in development of new breeding programs. Carry independent scientific studies and analyse scientific and professional literature. Evaluation of the results of the analysis of information obtained during the seminars and farms and participation in discussions.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Perspectives of non-traditional animal breeding in Latvia. Lectures 2h, practicals works 3h.
2. The economic importance of the rabbit industry. Biological characteristics of rabbits, breeds.Lectures 3h, practicals works2h.
3. Rabbit production and applied housing and feeding technologies. Lectures 2h, practicals works 3h.
4. Rabbit productivity traits, their registration and analysis of obtained results. Lectures 3h, practicals works 3h.
5. Rabbit breeding methods, breeding program, its results and development perspectives. Lectures 2h, practicals works 2h.
6. Seminar. Characteristics of rabbit productivity. Genetic, physiological and environmental factors affecting rabbit productivity. 5h.
7. The economic importance of fur animal breeding. Biological characteristics of fur animals, breeds. Lectures 3h, practicals works 2h.
8. Production types from fur animals, for production most suitable feeding and housing technologies. Lectures 2h, practicals works 3h.
9. Fur animal productivity traits, their registration and analysis of obtained results. Lectures 3h, practicals works 3h.
10. Breeding methods used for fur animals. Breeding program, its results and development perspectives. Lectures 2h, practicals works 2h.
11. Seminar. Characteristics of fur animal productivity. Genetic, physiological and environmental factors affecting fur animal productivity. 5h.
12. Economic importance of deer farming Biological characteristics of deer, breeds and bloodlines. Lectures 3h, practicals works 2h.
13. Deer production. Suitable feeding and housing technologies for deer farming. Lectures 2h, practicals works 3h.
14. Deer productivity traits. Productivity recording. Analysis of obtained data. Lectures 3h, practicals 3h.
15. Breeding methods in deer farming. Breeding program its results and development perspectives. Lectures 2h, practicals 2h.
16. Seminar. Deer productivity traits. Genetic, physiological and environmental factors affecting deer productivity. 5h.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Regular attendance to lectures. Positive evaluation in seminars and exam.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

During course are planned 3 seminars. For seminar each student choses specific topic and prepares a presentation on it.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

In study course individually prepared presentations is publicly defended. Evaluation in exam is calculated from evaluation on seminar presentations (50%) and evaluation in exam test (50%).

Compulsory reading


1.Rancāns Dz. Truškopība. Rīga, 2014 240 lpp.
2.Skriba G. Staltbriežu izcelsme, izplatība un audzēšana Latvijā. Rīga, 2011. 615 lpp.
3.Sakars V. Zvērkopība Latvijā. Latvijas Zvērkopju asociācija. 2000., 214. lpp.
4.Lengerken G., Ellendorf F., Lengerken J. Tierzucht. Eugen Ulmer GMBH&Co 2006. 582 s. 5.Molecular and Quantitative Animal Genetics. Edited by Hasan Khatib. Hoboken, New Jersey: Wiley Blackwell, 2015. 336 p. ISBN 978-1-118-67740-7.

Further reading

1. Audzēšanas programma truškopībā no 2019.gada. Elektroniski pieejama: https://www.ldc.gov.lv/upload/doc/LSTAA_Audzesanas_programma_truskopiba_no2019_gada_un_turpmak.pdf
2. Audzēšanas programma zvērkopībā 2019 – 2029.gadam. Elektroniski pieejama: https://www.ldc.gov.lv/upload/doc/Audzesanas_programma_2019.pdf
3. Ciltsdarba programmas briežkopībā. Elektroniski pieejamas http://www.ldc.gov.lv/lv/likumdosana/nacionala/#a7

Periodicals and other sources

1.Žurnāls Животноводство, elektroniski pieejams: https://fermoved.ru/zhivotnovodstvo
2.Общество с ограниченной ответственностью «ДирЛенд» (ООО «ДирЛенд») mājas lapa. http://www.deerland.ru/stati/speczialnoe-oborudovanie-dlya-rabotyi-s-olenyami.htmlPiezīmesIzvēles studiju kurss (B daļa) Lauksaimniecības fakultātes akadēmiskās izglītības maģistra studiju programmai "Lauksaimniecība" lopkopības studiju virzienam.