Module Details

Module Code: HEAL C4F01
Module Title: Farm Animal Health and Welfare
Title: Farm Animal Health and Welfare
Module Level:: 8
Credits:: 5
Module Coordinator: Stephen Whelan
Module Author:: Stephen Whelan
Domains:  
Module Description: This module will focus on the health and welfare of farmed animals and how management can play a role to reduce the incidence of both ill health and welfare issues on farm. Students will learn about the role of the consumer and the regulator in setting the standards for farm animal welfare and how this applies to different animal groups. Several concepts relating to health and welfare will be explored so that the student will be capable of assessing and implementing health and welfare standards on farms that keep animals for food production.
 
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner will be able to:
# Learning Outcome Description
LO1 Be capable of recognising the signs of stress and ill health in farm animals and provide the animal keeper with advise on any changes that are required to reduce the incidence of both
LO2 Be capable of constructing an animal health plan and demonstrate how this health plan will be implemented on the farm
LO3 Be capable of engaging with the consumer, government and NGO on farm animal health and welfare related issues
LO4 Be capable of assessing the welfare standards of animal facilities on farm and else where and providing advise on any changes that are required to improve the overall welfare standards of the facility.
Dependencies
Module Recommendations

This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
7832 FARM H1718 Introduction to animal production
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Additional Requisite Information
No Co Requisites listed
 
Indicative Content
Concepts of Animal Welfare
Five freedoms of farmed animals, definition of a sentient animal, the role of the consumer in setting animal welfare standards, the role of non governmental organisations in setting animal welfare standards, Temple Grandin principles of design for animal welfare
Animal Welfare in Practice
Statutory Management Requirements and other legislation that governs animal welfare on farm, assessing the adequacy of animal welfare in the built environment, assessing the adequacy of the animal's diet in the prevention of malnutrition
Concepts of Animal Health
One Health as it applies to food producing animals, dealing with antimicrobial resistance in the food chain, testing and treating ill health from an animal keeper's perspective
Animal Health in Practice
Recognising the signs of ill health, production diseases of farm animals and their prevention, parasitic infection of farmed animals and it's prevention, construction of a farm health plan, The Four Rights of medicine administration as it applies to the animal keeper.
Module Content & Assessment
Assessment Breakdown%
Project20.00%
Practical30.00%
End of Module Formal Examination50.00%

Assessments

Full Time

No Continuous Assessment
Project
Assessment Type Project % of Total Mark 20
Timing n/a Learning Outcomes 1,2
Non-marked No
Assessment Description
Students will be asked to devise an animal health plan for a farm of their choice. This should identify the various animal health risks on the farm and provide a strategy for reducing said risks.
Practical
Assessment Type Practical/Skills Evaluation % of Total Mark 30
Timing n/a Learning Outcomes 1,3,4
Non-marked No
Assessment Description
Students will be required to complete reports on their practical sessions summarising the key learnings and discussing the implications of these learnings for farm animal health and welfare.
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type Formal Exam % of Total Mark 0
Timing End-of-Semester Learning Outcomes 1,3,4
Non-marked No
Assessment Description
Terminal Examination
Reassessment Requirement
Exam Board
It is at the discretion of the Examination Board as to what the qualifying criteria are.
Reassessment Description
Re-assessment will be based on repeat coursework. This is at the discretion of the exam board contingent on the nature of the failed submission. The student the student may have to complete a number of components of the project or it may be requested to repeat and attend the module.

SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment

 

Module Workload

Workload: Full Time
Workload Type Workload Category Contact Type Workload Description Frequency Average Weekly Learner Workload Hours
Lecture Contact Imparting knowledge and ideas and facilitating learners to learn independently. 12 Weeks per Stage 2.00 24
Practicals Contact Field and laboratory based practical work that backs up lecture based learning activities. 12 Weeks per Stage 1.00 12
Independent Learning Time Non Contact Completion of project and reports. Autonomous student learning and revision of concepts delivered through the lectures 12 Weeks per Stage 3.00 36
Total Weekly Contact Hours 3.00
 
Module Resources
Recommended Book Resources
  • Harry Blokhuis,Mara Miele,Isabelle Veissier,Bryan Jones. (2013), Improving farm animal welfare, Wageningen Academic Publishers, p.232, [ISBN: 9789086862160].
  • Andres Aland, Thomas Banhazi. (2013), Livestock housing : modern management to ensure optimal health and welfare of farm animals, [ISBN: 9789086862177].
  • Marija Klopcic,Reinhard Reents,Jan Philipsson,Abele Kuipers. (2009), Breeding for robustness in cattle, Wageningen Academic Publishers, p.288, [ISBN: 9789086866571].
This module does not have any article/paper resources
Other Resources
Discussion Note: