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

Course introduction and description of final examination rules.

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 performed at the Faculty dairy farm aimed to assess the welfare level of animals by means of validated score systems, design of "animal friendly" labels, 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:

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

Fraser A.F. e Broom D. 1997. Farm animals behaviour and welfare. CABI Publishing (UK).

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

This course consists of formal lectures, supervised individual work mainly dealing with welfare assessment of dairy cows and/or pigs kept in the Department facilities, self-evaluation of animal welfare perception and design of labels for "animal friendly" foods.

 

Assessment methods

Written examination based on multi-answers questions and open questions. Presentation of individual practical work. The written test is always followed by an oral discussion with the teachers. Booking for the examination can be esclusively done by means of Alma Esami web system. The examinations take place every month (indicatively).

 

Teaching tools

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

Office hours

See the website of Giovanna Martelli

See the website of Eleonora Nannoni