Module Information

Module Identifier
BDM5420
Module Title
Livestock Production Science
Academic Year
2025/2026
Co-ordinator
Semester
Distance Learning
Reading List
Other Staff

Course Delivery

 

Assessment

Assessment Type Assessment length / details Proportion
Semester Assessment Interactive Task  (Minimum 1200 words) 1500 Words  40%
Semester Assessment Essay on livestock production  2500 Words  60%
Supplementary Assessment Data report  (Minimum 1200 words) Students must take elements of assessment equivalent to those that led to failure. 1500 Words  40%
Supplementary Assessment Essay on livestock production  2500 Words  60%

Learning Outcomes

On successful completion of this module students should be able to:

1. Identify the components of livestock production systems and demonstrate an understanding of the relationships between them.

2. Review and evaluate scientific literature and apply the results to the development of livestock production systems.

3. Explain how research can be used to increase the efficiency of livestock.

Brief description

This module will explore the way in which research is used to develop more efficient livestock production systems. Lectures and seminars will cover a range of topical subjects selected from the growth and development of livestock, parasitology, reproductive technologies, precision livestock farming technologies, disease epidemiology and livestock performance and welfare.

Aims

To give masters students in the livestock sciences an understanding of livestock production and in particular the ongoing research in this area in IBERS and elsewhere.

Content

1. The challnges faced by livestock production
2. Growth and development of livestock animals
3. Parasites of livestock
4. Reproduction and fertility of livestock
5. Livestock slaughter
6. Epidemiology and modeling livestock disease
7. Precision livestock farming
8. Livestock performance and welfare
9. Case studies
10. Future production

Module Skills

Skills Type Skills details
Application of Number The data report will require the interpretation of scientific publications. The assignment will also require the manipulation and statistical analysis of a raw data set.
Communication The interactive and other assignments will expect students to demonstrate good communication and literacy. Assessed through their submissions.
Improving own Learning and Performance Through developing skills in the reading and interpretation of scientific publications, preparation of written work and working to deadlines. Assessed in the assignments; feedback from the assignment.
Information Technology The assignments will require the use of internet based academic journal search engines and the retrieval of academic journal papers. The data for the assignment must be handled using spreadsheet software. The assignments must be prepared using word processing and spreadsheet software. Assessed in the assignment; feedback from the assignment.
Personal Development and Career planning Students will gain confidence in their ability to understand livestock production though the module, revealing some potential career destinations to students.
Problem solving Course content will develop an awareness of the complex inter-relationships among components of animal production systems. This will enable students to identify and analyse problems. This along with an evaluation of the research literature and its applications, will provide case studies that demonstrate how applied science can be used in problem solving. Assessed in the assignment and exam; feedback from the assignment.
Research skills Developed through a study of the scientific literature. Assessed in the assignments; feedback from the assignment.
Subject Specific Skills Subject specific concepts relating to animal production science will be developed and assessed in the assignments. Feedback will be given in the assignment.
Team work Online interactive tasks will require students to debate among themselves to develop a consensus of opinion.

Notes

This module is at CQFW Level 7