Livestock Farming System

Evolution of Italian animal husbandry: from the maximum productivity to the attention to animal welfare. The changes in progress and future prospects. Statistical data: the importance of animal husbandry at global, European, Italian and regional level. Basic knowledge on the anatomy and physiology of the digestive tract in ruminants and monogastrics. Review on the chemical composition of feeds: carbohydrates, lipids, proteins. Notes on the main chemical analyses for the determination of dry matter, ash, protein, ether extract, fibrous fractions and starch. Digestibility and factors affecting it. Notes on energy and protein metabolism in ruminants and monogastrics. The concept of the "ideal protein" and of the ileal digestible aminoacids for the pig. Evaluation of some feeding strategies to reduce the excretion of the main environmental polluters. The importance of the best ratio administration/requirements; the "multiphase feeding". Main nutritive requirements of dairy cattle and pigs. Evaluation of the chemical-nutitive characteristics of the main animal feeds and production techniques related. Swine production: swine breeds; sow reproduction, management and feeding; rearing and finishing techniques of the light and of the heavy pig; notes on the organic swine farming system. Intensive dairy cattle production: dairy cattle breeds; reproduction, managing and feeding; milk production. Notes on the slaughter and on the carcass and meat quality.

The course aims to give to the students knowledge on farming, feeding and reproduction techniques of farm animals mainly in extensive systems with particular focus on the environmental impact of the farm and the enhancement of animal resources and products. Alpine husbandry systems: breeds of cattle and goats, pasture management, nutritional value of the pasture, supplementation on pasture, typical products, farming in the valley. Environmental impact of dairy cattle farm in an alpine husbandry system in comparison with an intensive system in the plain. Production efficiency of the two systems. Techniques of breeding and feeding of beef cattle: breeds; breeding sysytems.