35530 - Animal Welfare and Production Quality

Learning outcomes

The course is aimed to enable students to:1) Assess the welfare level of farm animals by means of validated systems; 2) Recognize the relationships between animal welfare, rearing system and the quality of animal-derived products.

Course contents

The teaching of ANIMAL WELFARE AND PRODUCTION QUALITY is part of the Integrated Course of ANIMAL PRODUCTIONS II.

The Integrated Course aims to provide the student with:

- knowledge relating to pigs and polygastrics (cattle and sheep-goats) rearing technologies with reference to the profitability and the implications on the quality of production, animal welfare and environmental protection.

The Integrated Course is divided into 3 courses:

- Pig Production (theoretical lessons and practical activities held by Prof. Luca Sardi and Eleonora Nannoni)

- Cattle and Sheep Production (theoretical lessons and practical activities held by Prof. Martelli)

- Animal welfare and product quality (theoretical lessons and practical activities held by Prof. Giovanna Martelli and Prof. Eleonora Nannoni)

COURSE OF ANIMAL WELFARE AND PRODUCTION QUALITY

The course (Modules 1 and 2) aims to provide advanced notions and competencies of a practical nature relating to rearing technologies and their impact on animal welfare and product quality.

At the beginning of the course, detailed information will be provided on the internal organization of the theoretical and practical lesson timetable, the structure of the exam and the relative verbalization.C

Module 1: The concept of animal-derived food quality (consumer perspective, industrial perspective, ethic implications).

Animal welfare: concept, indicators and methods for its assessment (ANI, Welfare Quality, Classyfarm score systems).

The role of animal welfare on product quality.

The perception of animal welfare by consumers.

The quality of foods deriving from non-intensive farming systems: the example of the Organic Method (Reg. 848/2018)

Practical activity (Module 2) performed at the Faculty dairy farm aimed to enable each student to assess the welfare level of animals by means of validated score systems. Other practical activities include designing of "animal friendly" labels and the self-evaluation by each student of his/her perception of animal welfare as a consumer.

 

Readings/Bibliography

1) Slides and notes available online in the course web site

2) Further reading (available at the Ercolani Library)

Sandrucci A., Trevisi E. 2022. Produzioni Animali. EdiSES (NA).

Broom D. 2022. Broom and Fraser's domestic animal behaviour and 6. ed Wallingford, Oxfordshire, UK

Caccioni D. e Colombo L. 2012. Il Manuale del Biologico. Edagricole (BO)

Napolitano F., De Rosa G., Grasso F. 2007. Comportamento e benessere degli animali in produzione zootecnica. Aracne Editrice. Roma

Webster J. 2011. Management and welfare of farm animals (5th ed.) Wiley-Blackwell (UK)

 

Teaching methods

The course consists of formal lectures, supervised individual work mainly dealing with welfare assessment of dairy cows and/or pigs kept in the Department facilities (carried out in person followed by the use of on-line available tools), self-evaluation of animal welfare perception and design of labels for "animal friendly" foods.

Considering the types of activities and teaching methods adopted, the frequency of this training activity requires all students to carry out Modules 1 and 2 in e-learning mode and participate in Module 3 of specific training on safety and health in study places. Information on dates and attendance methods for Module 3 can be consulted in the specific section of the degree program website.

 

Assessment methods

Oral exam aimed at identifying the level of knowledge and competence achieved through general and species-specific questions. In addition to knowledge, the skills of expression and connection will be as well evaluated.

During the exam, the output of the individual work carried out within Module 2 will also be evaluated.

Both modules have an equivalent impact on the final mark.

Access to the test is free upon passing the prerequisites.

The exam lasts 30 minutes, and no aids are allowed, except for eligible students. The students above are kindly requested to contact the teachers in advance by copying the reference SLD/ Disability Service staff who take care of them.

The evaluation is expressed with a mark out of thirty. The exam is passed with a score of at least 18/30. In the event of maximum marks (30/30), honours can be attributed.

In details, here is the score grid for oral examinations:

- in-deep knowledge of the topics addressed in the course, together with high skills of critical analysis, connection and a sure command of specific terminology will be evaluated with the maximum score (30-30L);

- very good knowledge of the topics addressed in the course, together with good analytical and critical skills and the possession of a sure command of specific terminology will be evaluated with good marks (27-29);

- a technically adequate preparation and a sufficient analytical capacity, even if not particularly articulated, expressed in a correct language, will produce fair evaluations (23-26);

- sufficient preparation and capacity for analysis, expressed in a language which is barely formally correct, will determine the sufficiency (18-22).

By the University Didactic Regulation, the student has the right to refuse the verbalization of the proposed positive grade at least once.

Booking for the examination can be esclusively done by means of Alma Esami web system.

The examinations take place every month (indicatively).

Teaching tools

Teams platform, PC slides, internet, laboratories and in-farm activities.

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Martelli