Module: Livestock Production 1

Module details

  • Module code

    1053

  • Module leader

    Christopher Brough

  • Module Level

    4

  • Module credits

    15

  • Min study time

    150 hours

  • Contact hrs

    30 hours

Module content

  • Introduction to livestock production in the UK, distribution, trends.
  • Classification of livestock enterprises, categories.
  • Characteristics / comparison of intensive and extensive.
  • Introduction to the components of business, familiarisation with the systems analysis approach, input categories and costs, the value of output.
  • Basic management for different species, the production cycles.
  • Principles of nutrition, growth and development and breeding improvement.
  • Physical and climatic environmental requirements for health and welfare.
  • EU and global perspectives / influences.

Module outcomes

To achieve credit for this module, students must be able to:

  1. Identify the range and characteristics of the main livestock enterprises in the UK.
  2. Understand the essential elements of good practical management throughout the production cycle.
  3. Define the biological principles which underpin the commercial productivity of healthy livestock.
  4. Appreciate the cost, efficiency measurements and income components of a livestock system.

Assessment

Assessment Description Weighting
Coursework Group seminar presentation 50%
Examination Unseen exam (2 hours) 50%

Assessments may differ in 2020/21 due to adjustments for Covid-19. Please check Gateway for the latest regulations.

Key texts

Students should be familiar with the content of at least one of the following:

  • Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (2014) Pig & poultry pocketbook 2014. Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board.
  • Beynon, N. (2014) Pigs: a guide to management. 2nd ed. The Crowood Press Ltd.
  • Court, J. (2010) Sheep farming for meat and wool. CSIRO.
  • Garnsworthy, P.C. (2005) Calf and heifer rearing. Nottingham University Press.
  • Hernandez, C.T. (2013) Dairy cows: reproduction, nutritional management & diseases. Nova Publishers.
  • Herring, A.D. (2014) Beef cattle production systems. CABI.
  • Hulsen, J., Aerden, D. and Rodenburg, J. (2014) Feeding signals: a practical guide to feeding dairy cows for health and production. Roodbont Publishers.
  • Lawrence, T.L.J., Fowler, V.R. and Novakofski, J.E. (2012) Growth of farm animals. 3rd ed. CABI.
  • McDonald, P. (2011) Animal nutrition. 7th ed. Pearson Education.
  • Nix, J. (2015) Farm management pocketbook. 45th ed. Agro Business Consultants.
  • Whittemore, C.T. and Kyriazakis, I. (2006) Whittemore's science and practice of pig production. 3rd ed. Blackwell Publishing.
  • Willis, M.B. (1998) Dalton's introduction to practical animal breeding. 4th ed. Blackwell Science.

Supporting texts

  • Students to derive costing and marketing trend information associated with the range of livestock species from the regular farming press i.e. Farmers Weekly / Guardian Publications