Module Information
Course Delivery
Assessment
Due to Covid-19 students should refer to the module Blackboard pages for assessment details
| Assessment Type | Assessment length / details | Proportion |
|---|---|---|
| Semester Assessment | Ration formulation assignment | 20% |
| Semester Assessment | Comparative digestive tract anatomy assignment (max 3000 words) | 20% |
| Semester Exam | 3 Hours | 60% |
| Supplementary Exam | 3 Hours Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 60% |
| Supplementary Assessment | Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure of the module. | 40% |
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module students should be able to:
1. Discuss the principles of energy metabolism in farm and companion animals.
2. Discuss the principles of amino acid and protein metabolism in farm and companion animals.
3. Evaluate the key biochemical roles and the consequences of excess or deficiency of vitamins and/or minerals in the diet.
4. Discuss key laboratory and animal tests used in ration evaluation.
5. Formulate rations for different categories of horse.
6. Explain principles of feeding practice based upon digestive anatomy, the role of microbial populations in the equine gut and digestive disorders.
Brief description
Semester 1 lectures will consider principals of animal nutrition in a broad context, where the evaluation of feeds in a laboratory and field context will be discussed as will principles of energy and protein metabolism and nutrition. The consequences and possible causes of mineral and vitamin deficiencies and excesses will be considered. This knowledge will then be applied to develop an understanding of ration formulation. The equine specific lectures, primarily delivered in semester 2, will cover scientific principles underlying good feeding practice including relation to anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract. Critical analysis of dietary principals for different categories of horse will be explored (e.g. maintenance, working and breeding stock). Lectures may also include reviews and discussion of recent topical research, such as the inclusion of pro and pre-biotics in equine diets due to their actions on hindgut flora and fauna and diet-related diseases.
Aims
The aims of the module are to provide a deep knowledge of broad feeding principals (for example, energy, protein and mineral metabolism and requirements, feed analysis etc.). Once these founding principals have been studied, this knowledge will be applied to specific physiological and anatomical characteristics of the horse in order to formulate rations for different categories of horse whilst avoiding digestive disorders.
Content
Weeks 1-10 (semester 1) will cover broad principals of nutrition in 10 x 1hr lectures, 2 practicals, 1 workshop:
- Comparative digestive physiology (1 lecture)
- Fundamentals of energy metabolism (2 lectures)
- Amino acid biochemistry and metabolism (2 lectures)
- Roles and functions of minerals and vitamins (2 lectures)
- Dietary analysis and evaluation (farm visit + 3hr practical)
- Systems for ration formulation and evaluation (3 lectures + 2hr workshop)
Weeks 12-21 (semester 2) will cover equine-specific nutrition in 9 x 2hr lectures and 1 practical:
- Digestive anatomy and good feeding practice (2 lectures)
- Equine digestive tract dissection (1 practical)
- Role of microbial populations and relation to feeding practice (1 lecture)
- Digestive upsets and relation to feeding practice (1 lecture)
- Ingredients and glycaemic index (1 lecture)
- Feeding the competition horse (1 lecture)
- Feeding the broodmare and growing horse (1 lecture)
- Nutrition as a cause of developmental orthopaedic diseases (1 lecture)
- Revision session (1 lecture)
Module Skills
| Skills Type | Skills details |
|---|---|
| Application of Number | The ration formulation assessment will need the application of some basic mathematical skills, although the calculations will be performed by the software for the student. |
| Communication | Developing and assessing written communication will be an integral part of the assessments for this module. |
| Improving own Learning and Performance | Detailed feedback will be given for assessments providing students with detailed guidance on how to improve their work and learning. |
| Information Technology | Students will be required to source information from a variety of scientific publication data bases. Students will be expected to deliver their assessments on BlackBoard by uploading documents produced using a word processor, containing written text and illustration. In addition, the ration formulation assessment specifically requires the application of an on-line rationing tool. |
| Personal Development and Career planning | Students will be exposed to methodologies used in industry to analyse feeds and formulate rations, which is a key skill for future careers in the field of animal nutrition. |
| Problem solving | The ration formulation assessment requires calculations of animal requirements and the students to devise a ration that will match as closely as possible the requirement to the nutrient supply. |
| Research skills | Students will be expected to demonstrate significant literature research skills in preparation for their assessments, their 'homework' tasks in semester 2, as well as in directed self-study. Student's laboratory skills will be developed in their practical laboratory work. |
| Subject Specific Skills | Ration formulation and matching animal requirements to nutrient supply provided by a specific diet is a subject specific skill in this field. |
| Team work | Students will be required to work in pairs or small groups for the 'homework' tasks and in the practical sessions. |
Notes
This module is at CQFW Level 7