Animal Husbandry

The course aims to provide foundational knowledge in the following areas: the structure of animal tissues and the main concepts of anatomy and physiology of domestic ungulates (cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, and horses), necessary for understanding the subsequent parts of the course;
2) nutrition, understood as the description of the main food components and nutrients and the study of their utilization within the animal body, and feeding, understood as the characterization of the main feedstuffs used in livestock farming and the primary nutritional requirements of dairy cattle and pigs;
3) livestock farming techniques for the main animal domestic species in Italy (in particular dairy and beef cattle, and pigs), including the effects of farming systems on the production and quality of animal products, the environment, and animal welfare.

Upon passing the exam, students will have acquired:
1. an adequate understanding of the structure and function of the organs and systems most relevant to the farming and welfare of domestic animals, including the main interspecies differences;
2. basic knowledge of animal nutrition and feeding, including introductory concepts of rationing for dairy cattle and pigs;
3. fundamental skills and tools for the technical evaluation of livestock farming systems with different production orientations, in preparation for further study in the master's program and for professional activities supporting livestock farms.