72472 - Ruminant Production

Learning outcomes

At the end of the course, the student has basic knowledge on the production techniques of meat and milk. In particular, the student is able to: - understand the main steps of the production and identify the factors that may affect the process in terms of quantity and quality - assess and recognize the rearing techniques related to the profitability and sustainability of livestock production - access and use information on production traits and genetic values.

Course contents

Cattle. Veal and beef production: beef cattle breeds, breeding schemes, carcass grading, meat quality. Milk production: dairy cattle breeds, breeding schemes, dairy herd management and feeding. Sheep and goat: breeds, breeding, feeding, milk and meat production.

Readings/Bibliography

The book suggested is written in Italian but, on a request, a book on English could be used.

Regarding the rearing of ruminant, the suggested book is:

Produzioni animali. Ed. A. Sandrucci, E. Trevisi. EDISES Università, Napoli, 2022.

The following chapters are suggested:

Capitolo 4: Selezione e miglioramento genetico delle bovine da latte

Capitolo 5: Il processo fisiologico della lattazione

Capitolo 10: Allevamento delle vitelle e delle manze da rimonta

Capitolo 15: Sostenibilità ambientale della produzione di latte

Capitolo 17: Pecore

Capitolo 18: Capre

Capitolo 22: Selezione e miglioramento genetico del bovino da carne

Capitolo 23: Accrescimento e sviluppo dei bovini da carne

Capitolo 24: Allevamento del vitello a carne bianca

Capitolo 25: Allevamento del vitellone intensivo

Capitolo 27: Il trasporto e la macellazione dei bovini

Capitolo 28:Classificazione della carcassa e qualità della carne bovina

Capitolo 30: Sostenibilità ambientale della produzione della carne bovina

Regarding the ruminant nutrition, the book suggested is:

Manuale di nutrizione dei ruminanti da latte. Ronchi, Savoini, Trabalza-Marinucci. EDISES Università, Napoli, 2019.

The following chapters are suggested:

Capitolo 5: Piano alimentari per animali in produzione

bovini: da 5.1 a 5.2

ovini: da 5.8 a 5.10

caprini: 5.11

Capitolo 6: Piani alimentari per animali in accrescimento e da riproduzione

Capitolo 9: alimentazione e impatto ambientale

Teaching methods

The course is divided in two units; the first includes 40 hours of lectures supported by pictures and short movies. It is finalized to show the main arguments related to the ruminant production. The second unit is devoted to seminar and lab activities as well as to visit farms (if it will be possible taking into account the pandemia).

Assessment methods

The examination is oral and includes four questions. The first question concerns sheep or goats production, and it is mainly focused on Italian breeds; the second concerns the main topics of cattle feeding; the third concerns the breeding techniques applied by the Italian breeder associations and the fourth concerns the sustainability of ruminant production. Usually the examination lasts 30 min

The final vote obtained in an oral exam will express the degree of achievement of an organic vew of the topics and subjects discussed during the lessons together with their critical utilization in relation to the themes faced during the course.

The vote will be assigned following these criteria:

- A strong and deep knowledge of the topics addressed during the course together with high capacity of critical analysis, of links among the arguments and with a high and sure mastery of the specific terminology will be evaluated with the highest vote (30-30L)

- An in-deepth knowledge of the topics addressed during the course together with capacity of critical analysis, of links among the arguments and a mastery of the specific terminology will be evaluated with good vote (27-29)

-A technically adequate knowledge and a medium capacity of analysis evn though non very well articulated , expressed in a correct langiage will give discrete vote ( 23-26)

A preparation and a sufficient capacity of analysis even if quite limited , expressed using a language only formally adequate and only formally correct, will give the sufficiency of the vote (18-22).

The presence of serious gaps, a not suitable language, an exclusively mechanic and mnemonical limited knowledge of the arguments with the lack of the specific level of knowledge will determine a non positive evaluation. The student may not accept the negative vote and asks to repeat the exam in a future date.

The examination will last 25-30 minutes and aids are not allowed a part for the students who have the rights to use them. The dates, the times and the rooms of exam and the examination procedures are visible on web site of the degree course. To sign up for the exams it's necessary to utilize the applicative web Alma Esami

The examination will be at the end of the lessons of both the modules that constitute the course of Zootecnica. The final vote is the mean value of the two votes in each part of the exam Livestock Breeding" and "Farming Technologies"

The exam is in italian language but it's possible also for the students to have the exam in english Language.

Teaching tools

Pc with video projector

Office hours

See the website of Leonardo Nanni Costa