YAS-10306 Introduction Animal Sciences

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Contents:

This course gives an orientation in Animal Sciences. The diversity in animal production and pet-keeping in the Netherlands and the world is enormous. This diversity is related to the different goals for keeping animals, e.g. food production, pets, care, sport and education. Cases and lectures describe the different goals and give an overview on several animal sectors in the Netherlands and the world, i.e. cattle production, pig production, poultry production, horse keeping, aquaculture and fisheries, biological production, keeping of cats and dogs. To experience Dutch animal keeping practices farms or projects with animals are visited in small groups.

Learning outcomes:

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:
- explain the role of animal production in world food production;
- summarize the structure and dilemmas of different animal sectors: e.g. dairy, pigs, aquaculture and pets;
- analyse a specific subject related to Dutch practices in which animals are kept, using literature, interviews and expert knowledge;
- write a report about an analysis of a Dutch farm or project;
- present results of the analysis in a poster to a general audience;
- distinguish the different roles in team work for scientific research, to organise effective and efficient team work, and to provide and receive peer feedback.

Activities:

- each lecture describes the structure and dilemmas and research topics of one animal sector;
- in advance, students study the lecture material and prepare an assignment that is related to the topic of the lecture, individually;
- feedback on the assignment and lecture material is presented and discussed, during the lectures;
- in a group of 5 students projects with animals or farms are visited;
- the project or farm is analysed and the data are presented in a report and with a poster presentation.

Examination:

- examination with 55 multiple choice questions and 5 open questions (60%);
- group report (30%);
- poster (10%);
Each component needs a minimum mark of 5.5 to pass.

Literature:

A study guide and available on-line:
- the reader;
- hand-outs of lectures and literature.