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Game Animals Diseases

Course developers

Prior knowledge

Vete4100, Animal Postmortem Necropsies

Vete4107, Infectious Diseases I

Vete4115, Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases II

Course abstract

Course will take an intro in hunting process and normative acts. Students get acquainted with the most important Latvian game animals - ungulates and solipeds (moose, red deer, roe deer, wild boar), rodent (beaver), lagomorpha (rabbit) and birds anatomical, physiological features, behaviour and hunting process, for captive animals – living conditions, management, welfare and veterianians role in deer industry. Course will also take a look on the most actual infections, invasion and internal diseases.
Game animal condition evaluation, game meat circulation, game meat processing hygiene will also be viewed in course with special interest in actual to Latvia zoonoses, highlighting their role in the public health.

Learning outcomes and their assessment

Knowledge - understanding of hunting process, as well as the most actual diseases of game animals, their distribution in the animal population and their effects on animal health and meat hygiene - 2 tests.
Skills – being able to identify changes in organs caused by diseases in game animals and it effect to public health; to advise specialists and non-specialists on game animal diseases, their prevention possibilities, meat safety issues – practical works.
Competencies - to know and comply with the legislation on the circulation of meat; advice on the importance and prevention of infectious and invasion diseases in game animals - analysis of legislation and scientific articles.

Course Content(Calendar)

1. Concepts of hunting. History of evolution. Hunting production and consumption in Latvia. (2h)
2. Hunting in Latvia. Hunting legislation. (2h)
3. Game species, their anatomical, physiological and ethological features. (4h)
4. Most actual infectious diseases of game animals. (6h)
5. Most actual invasion diseases of game animals. (6h)
6. Internal diseases of game animals. Test. (6h)
7. Hygiene of game meat. Zoonoses. The legislation of game meat. (7h)

8. Test. Captive deer. Trip to deer farm. (7h)

Requirements for awarding credit points

Two passed tests and participation in a trip to deer farm.
The final assessment of the course is a test with a grade, in order to obtain the final assessment of the study course, both tests must be assessed with a positive grade and field trip must be attended.
Absences from lectures and practical work do not exceed 30% of the total amount of lectures. If the unjustified delays are more than 30% of the total amount of lectures, course must be re-acquired.

Description of the organization and tasks of students’ independent work

Examination of clinical cases as well as analysis of scientific articles. Assessment of homework tasks in accordance with the tasks specified in practical work.

Criteria for Evaluating Learning Outcomes

Student skills are assessed in accordance with the procedure set in the practical tasks. The tests of the study course are evaluated in accordance with the 10-point system scale criteria specified in the Study Regulations of the Latvia University of Agriculture.
The final grade consists of the average grade of two tests.

Compulsory reading

1. Bowman D.D. Georgis Parasitology for Veterinarians. 10th edition. USA: Elisevier, 2014. 499 p.
2. Gravier-Widen D., Duff P.J., Meredith A. Infectious diseases of wild mammals and birds in Europe. Wiley-Blackwell, 2011. 561 p.
3. Ninios T., Lunden J., Korkeala H., Fredriksson-Ahomaa M. Meat Inspection and Control in the Slaughterhouse. Wiley-Blackwell, 2014. 698 p.
4. Colville J., Berryhill D., Handbook of Zoonoses. Elsevier, 2007. 272 p.
5. Pētersone–Kampe G. Latvijas zīdītāji. Rīga: Zvaigzne ABC, 2017. 192 lpp.
6. Kalniņš A. Medniecība. Rīga; Zvaigzne ABC, 2010. 704 lpp. I
7. Keidāns P., Krūklīte A., Keidāne D. Mājdzīvnieku parazitāro slimību diagnostika un profilakse: mācību materiāls studentiem un veterinārārstiem. Jelgava, Latvijas Lauksaimniecības universitāte. 2008. 136 lpp. LLU Veterinārmedicīnas fakultātes Informācijas centrs - Skaits: 10 eks.
8. EUR Lex – Access to European Union Law. Pieejams: https://eur-lex.europa.eu/homepage.html
9. Likumi.lv - legal acts of the republic of Latvia [tiešsaiste]. [Skatīts 03.11.2020.] Pieejams: https://likumi.lv/p/en/covid-19

Further reading

1. European Journal of Wildlife Research. ISSN: 1612-4642
2. Deer Industry News. ISSN 1176-0753
3. International Journal for Parasitology: Parasites and Wildlife. ISSN: 2213-2244

Periodicals and other sources

1. European Wildlife Disease Association Pieejams: http://ewda.org/
2. World Organisation for Animal Health. Pieejams: https://www.oie.int/
3. Journal of Wildlife Diseases. Pieejams: https://www.jwildlifedis.org/
4. The Federation of European Deer Farmers Associations. Pieejams: https://www.fedfa.com

Notes

Elective course of study programme Veterinary medicine