B9001 - NUTRIZIONE, ALIMENTAZIONE E TECNICHE DI PRECISIONE NELLE PRODUZIONI ZOOTECNICHE

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, students will have acquired advanced knowledge of comparative nutrition among different species of ruminants and monogastric animals. They will gain expertise in the main innovative techniques used to determine the nutritional profile of feedstuffs and raw materials employed in animal production.

Upon completion of the course, students will be able to evaluate the parameters required to identify changes in nutritional requirements occurring throughout the different stages of animal life and production. They will also be able to develop nutritional strategies aimed at modifying the physiological and productive responses of animals while ensuring animal welfare, production efficiency, and environmental sustainability, as well as to modulate the chemical and nutritional composition of animal-derived products.

Finally, students will acquire the knowledge necessary to formulate feeding programs based on modern precision nutrition approaches, developing multi-objective nutritional strategies grounded in the principles of the circular economy, with the aim of improving the economic and environmental sustainability of livestock production systems.

Course contents

Prerequisites

To facilitate a full understanding of the course contents, students are expected to have acquired prior knowledge of:

• principles of animal nutrition and feeding;

• nutrient requirements of farm animals;

• chemical composition, nutritive value, and bromatological characteristics of feedstuffs;

• digestive physiology and nutrient metabolism in ruminants and monogastric animals;

• fundamentals of livestock production and management of cattle, pigs, and the main monogastric species;

• basic concepts of applied statistics and production data management.

These competencies are normally acquired through first-year courses in animal nutrition, livestock production, and animal science.

Course Contents

The course is organized into 3 modules.

Modules 1 and 2

Lecturers: Prof. Andrea Formigoni and Prof. Ludovica Maria Eugenia Mammi

These two modules are closely coordinated and provide an integrated approach to sustainable livestock management and precision nutrition in both small and large ruminants.

The course combines classroom lectures with practical activities. Approximately half of the teaching hours consist of theoretical lectures, while the remaining hours are devoted to practical training and field visits to selected livestock farms. During these visits, students will collect production and management data that will subsequently be analyzed and critically interpreted during the practical sessions.

The following topics will be covered:

a) Principles of sustainable precision nutrition in ruminants, with particular emphasis on advanced methods for determining nutrient requirements during the different physiological and productive stages (weaning, growth, pregnancy, and lactation), and on the physiological and environmental factors affecting nutrient requirements;

b) Modern chemical, nutritional, and hygienic characterization of feedstuffs for livestock;

c) Feed preservation techniques and precision ration formulation, with particular attention to the technologies and methodologies currently employed to improve the accuracy, efficiency, and sustainability of feeding systems;

d) Farm performance indicators used to evaluate the adequacy and effectiveness of nutritional and feeding strategies;

e) Nutritional strategies for the prevention of major metabolic disorders, the improvement of animal welfare, productive performance, milk and meat quality, and environmental sustainability;

f) Feeding management techniques and indicators of feed efficiency;

g) Use of the main farm data management software, critical analysis and interpretation of production data, and decision-support systems for nutritional management;

h) Development of precision feeding programs using dynamic nutritional models based on the Cornell Net Carbohydrate and Protein System (CNCPS) equations.

Module 3

Lecturer: Prof. Diana Luise

This module includes both theoretical lectures and practical activities focusing on precision nutrition in monogastric animals, with particular emphasis on improving production efficiency and environmental sustainability.

The following topics will be covered:

a) Introduction to precision feeding in monogastric animals and the relationships among nutrition, production efficiency, and sustainability;

b) Dynamic nutrient requirements of monogastric animals;

c) Nutritional characterization of feed ingredients and precision diet formulation for monogastric species;

d) Nutritional modelling and its applications in feed formulation;

e) Innovative technologies for precision feeding and sustainable livestock production in monogastric species.

Practical activities will focus on:

a) Automatic feeding systems in pigs (4 hours);

b) Analysis and interpretation of data generated by precision feeding systems;

c) Simulation of feeding programs using specialized software and assessment of the environmental impact of different nutritional strategies.

Readings/Bibliography

Teaching materials and digital resources will be made available to students to support the study and further exploration of the topics covered during the course.

In particular, selected scientific articles will be provided to enable students to deepen their understanding of the subjects addressed and to develop the ability to critically use scientific literature as a basis for evidence-based feeding and ration formulation decisions.

Teaching methods

In Module 1 (25 hours), 11 hours will consist of classroom lectures, while the remaining 14 hours will be devoted to guided farm visits conducted in coordination with Professor Mammi, who is responsible for Module 2.

The theoretical lectures of the course are delivered in blended learning mode, allowing students to attend either in person or remotely.

Assessment methods

Assessment will consist of an oral examination designed to evaluate both the student's knowledge of the course topics and their ability to formulate balanced animal rations.

The final grade will be expressed on the Italian 30-point grading scale. A passing grade is 18/30 or higher.

Teaching tools

Lecture materials will be made available to students in advance. In addition, specialized ration formulation software will be used during the course to support teaching activities and practical applications.

Office hours

See the website of Andrea Formigoni

See the website of Ludovica Maria Eugenia Mammi

See the website of Diana Luise