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Zootechnics

Course developer

Course abstract

The purpose of the practice is to strengthen the theoretical knowledge acquired in the study courses (Research methodology (LauZ2109), Plant physiology (Biol3014), Animal physiology (Vete2022)). The internship consists of four different sections (research methodology, plant physiology, animal physiology, animal husbandry), which are conducted under the guidance of teaching staff. During practice students perform practical tasks individually or in groups. During the practice section "Research methodology", scientific institutions are visited and specific practical tasks are completed. In the teaching practice of “Plant physiology” and “Animal physiology”, students perform practical tasks in groups. In animal husbandry practice, students work with animal breeding documentation, gets acquainted with the exterior of farm animals and its assessment methods, learn how to sample the fodder, organoleptically evaluate quality of fodder and evaluate the proportion of different fodder fractions in the feed ration.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Learning of teaching practice will provide students with:
• knows and understands the physiologies of Plants and Animals, as well as Research Methodology study courses in practical conditions; for the goals and objectives of the activities of research institutions of an agricultural nature, arranging the documentation of the animal husbandry industry, feedstuff, visual and organoleptic evaluation of the quality of fodder;
• skills to evaluate the physiological processes of animals and plants, make observations in trials and choose the methods of processing the obtained data, organize the documentation of farm animal registration and productivity records.
• competencies to perform practical activities in the fields of animal husbandry, animal and plant physiology, as well as to perform and evaluate the results of research work.
At the end of each practice section, the student or student group must prepare a practice report (protocol) and defend it publicly.

Course Content(Calendar)

Research methodology - 1 day
Visiting a specific scientific - research institution, getting to know its operation. Preparation of a short description of the visited institution and performance of specific tasks. Practical works - definition and selection of research parameters; creating a research scheme; creating a research database; data arrangement and preparation for data analysis. Preparation and defense of internship report.

Plant physiology - 2 days
Day 1: evaluate the physiological processes of plants, their interrelationship and dependence on environmental factors.
Day 2: evaluate the significance of the changes in the analyzed parameters in crop formation and indicate the necessary agrotechnical measures to improve plant productivity.
Preparation and presentation of practice report.

Animal physiology - 2 days
Day 1: Introductory lecture of practice, occupational safety in contact with animals. After viewing certain video materials, a test must be completed.
Day 2: introductory lecture on physiological indicators. Students, dividing into working groups, inpatient examination of one animal of a certain species, fill out a protocol of physiological indicators for the species of the certain animal. Students fill in the protocol of physiological indicators for the species of the specified animal.
Preparation and presentation of practice report

Animal husbandry - 5 days
Day 1: work with documentation - data collection and accounting methodology; use of obtained data in determining the quality of animals; evaluation of individual development of animals; use of collected data in practical animal husbandry.
Day 2: practical work with farm animals: assessment of individual development indicators of livestock; evaluation of various features and their suitability for a specific type of production; the impact of the housing system on the animal breeding and selection process; basic stages of animal rearing.
0.5 days: preparation and defense of internship report.
Day 3: sampling of fodder prepared on the farm (hay, silage, haylage, etc.) and organoleptic evaluation of fodder quality. Completing and marking the accompanying documents of fodder samples.
Day 4: Determination of effective fiber in corn silage, grass silage and totally mixed ration. Estimating the amount of fodder in storage facilities, evaluation of the proportion of different fodder fractions in the feed ration. Fodder requirement planning and feed ration calculation for the herd.
0.5 days: preparation and defense of internship report.

Requirements for awarding credit points

Students' practical participation in each practice day. Development and presentation of a practice report. The internship is not credited if the specific sections of the internship have not been visited, the internship protocols have not been written and defended.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

For each internship day, certain tasks are prepared, which students receive at the beginning of the internship. A protocol must be written for each topic of the internship, which must be presented to the lecturer of the relevant section of the internship. The defended protocols are combined in a practice report.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Type of examination - test. All practice topics must be worked on and credited.

Compulsory reading

1. Degola L., Trūpa A., Aplociņa E. Lopbarības ķīmiskās analīzes un sagremojamība. Jelgava, 2016. 52 lpp. .Elektroniski pieejams: http://www.vbf.llu.lv/sites/vbf/files/files/lapas/Lopbarības%20ķīmiskās....pdf
2. Garančs A. Cilvēka un dzīvnieku fizioloģija jautājumos un atbildēs. Rīga, 2006. 340 lpp.
3. Kārkliņš A., Kreišmane Dz. (2020). Studiju darbu izpilde un noformējums: metodiskie norādījumi Lauksaimniecības fakultātes studentiem. [tiešsaiste] 6. papildinātais un pārstrādātais izdevums. Jelgava: LLU, 2020. 69 lpp. [skatīts 28.03.2023.] Pieejams: https://llufb.llu.lv/LLU-studiju-materiali/LF/Stud_darbu_izpilde_un_noformejums_LF_2020.pdf
4. Rubenis J. Agronomisko izmēģinājumu metodikas praktikums. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1987.158 lpp.
5. Siliņa A., Dreijere S., Arbidāns D. Lopbarības analīžu rezultātu apkopojums. Ozolnieki: SIA LLKC, 2013. 47 lpp. Elektroniski pieejams: http://www.laukutikls.lv/sites/laukutikls.lv/files/upload/piena_rokasgramata/54_lopbariba_internetam.pdf

Further reading

1. Garančs A. Dzīvnieku fizioloģija jautājumos un atbildēs. Rēzekne: Latgales druka, 1999. 303 lpp.
2. Mauriņa H.Augu fizioloģija. Rīga: Zvaigzne, 1987. 358 lpp.

Periodicals and other sources

1. Rural Sustainability Research. Latvijas Biozinātņu un tehnoloģiju universitāte. e-ISSN: 2256-0939.
2. Agro Tops. Rīga: Aģentūra Agro apgāds. ISSN 1407-5164.
3. Latvijas Lopkopis. Ozolnieki. LLKC izdevums.
4. Saimnieks LV. Rīga : TEE BIO, 2004- ISSN 1691-1598.
5. Veterinārais Žurnāls: Latvijas Veterinārārstu biedrības informatīvs biļetens. Rīga: Latvijas Veterinārārstu biedrība. ISSN 1407-0065.
6. LLKC demonstrējumu rezultāti lopkopībā. Tiešsaiste. Elektroniski pieejams: http://new.llkc.lv/lv/nozares/lopkopiba/demonstrejumi-lopkopiba

Notes

Teaching practice for students of the professional bachelor's program "Agriculture" of the Faculty of Agriculture, acquiring the qualification "Pedigree zootechnician". When acquiring the qualification "Agricultural Production Manager", students choose the teaching practice of Zootechnics or Agronomy.