AD2ANG: Animal Nutrition, Growth and Reproduction

Module code: AD2ANG

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: Level 2 (Intermediate)

When you'll be taught: Semester 1

Module convenor: Dr Kirsty Kliem, email: k.e.kliem@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Dr Les Crompton, email: l.a.crompton@reading.ac.uk

Pre-requisite module(s):

Co-requisite module(s):

Pre-requisite or Co-requisite module(s):

Module(s) excluded:

Placement information: NA

Academic year: 2024/5

Available to visiting students: Yes

Talis reading list: Yes

Last updated: 20 May 2024

Overview

Module aims and purpose

Regardless of whether animals are kept for farming, companionship, recreation or conservation, there are a number of important underlying processes which contribute to their nutrition, health, growth and reproductive success. This module explores the science behind how animals are successfully fed, how they develop, reproduce and successfully rear their young. You will learn about the fundamental nutritional requirements (energy, protein, vitamins and minerals), assimilation of nutrients, factors affecting feed intake and the methods through which nutritional value of animal feeds can be determined to enable planning of balanced animal diets. You will discover the anatomy and physiology of reproduction in the male and female - from puberty and conception through to birth, lactation, rearing and growth of offspring, and will consider the influence of hormones, nutrition, the environment and human interventions.

Module learning outcomes

By the end of the module, it is expected that students will be able to:

1. Explain and analyse the fundamental principles of energy, protein, vitamin and mineral nutrition in animals; including requirements, factors controlling intake, the partitioning and metabolism of nutrients and the evaluation of nutrient supply in feed
2. Explain and discuss the reproductive physiology of placental mammals and of birds, through puberty, conception, gestation (or incubation) and parturition (or hatch), including reference to endocrine control
3. Describe and discuss the physiological and biochemical basis of mammary gland development, milk synthesis, growth and development of animals, including reference to endocrine control

Module content

The module covers topics such as:

• Biochemical and metabolic basis of energy and nutrient partitioning in animals
• Control of feed intake
• Energy and protein requirements and systems for ruminant and non-ruminant animals
• Vitamin and mineral nutrition
• In vivo and in vitro feed characterisation methods for assessment of nutritive value of feeds
• Basic principles of diet formulation and connections between diet and animal health
• Introduction to the gut microbiome and its significance
• The anatomy, physiology, endocrine control and management of: puberty, breeding and conception; Gestation (mammals) and incubation (birds), Parturition (mammals) and hatching (birds)
• Anatomy, physiology, biochemistry and endocrine control of mammary gland development and milk synthesis in mammals
• Physiology and endocrine control of growth and development in animals
• Ways in which processes can be manipulated and the breeding of animals managed to meet different objectives

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

The module consists of lectures, seminar discussions and tutorials to support understanding of topics.

Study hours

At least 44 hours of scheduled teaching and learning activities will be delivered in person, with the remaining hours for scheduled and self-scheduled teaching and learning activities delivered either in person or online. You will receive further details about how these hours will be delivered before the start of the module.

Please note the independent study hours above are notional numbers of hours; each student will approach studying in different ways. We would advise you to reflect on your learning and the number of hours you are allocating to these tasks.

Semester 1 The hours in this column may include hours during the Christmas holiday period.

Semester 2 The hours in this column may include hours during the Easter holiday period.

Summer The hours in this column will take place during the summer holidays and may be at the start and/or end of the module.

Assessment

Requirements for a pass

Students need to achieve an overall module mark of 40% to pass this module.

Summative assessment

Penalties for late submission of summative assessment

The Support Centres will apply the following penalties for work submitted late:

Assessments with numerical marks

• where the piece of work is submitted after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): 10% of the total marks available for that piece of work will be deducted from the mark for each working day (or part thereof) following the deadline up to a total of three working days;
• the mark awarded due to the imposition of the penalty shall not fall below the threshold pass mark, namely 40% in the case of modules at Levels 4-6 (i.e. undergraduate modules for Parts 1-3) and 50% in the case of Level 7 modules offered as part of an Integrated Masters or taught postgraduate degree programme;
• where the piece of work is awarded a mark below the threshold pass mark prior to any penalty being imposed, and is submitted up to three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline), no penalty shall be imposed;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension to the deadline): a mark of zero will be recorded.

Assessments marked Pass/Fail

• where the piece of work is submitted within three working days of the deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): no penalty will be applied;
• where the piece of work is submitted more than three working days after the original deadline (or any formally agreed extension of the deadline): a grade of Fail will be awarded.

The University policy statement on penalties for late submission can be found at: https://www.reading.ac.uk/cqsd/-/media/project/functions/cqsd/documents/qap/penaltiesforlatesubmission.pdf

You are strongly advised to ensure that coursework is submitted by the relevant deadline. You should note that it is advisable to submit work in an unfinished state rather than to fail to submit any work.

Formative assessment

Formative assessment is any task or activity which creates feedback (or feedforward) for you about your learning, but which does not contribute towards your overall module mark.

Study questions and tutorial sessions will provide opportunities for formative feedback and student self-assessment of module concepts.

Reassessment

Additional costs