AD3APQ: Advanced Livestock Production and Product Quality

Module code: AD3APQ

Module provider: School of Agriculture, Policy and Development

Credits: 20

Level: Level 3 (Honours)

When you'll be taught: Semester 2

Module convenor: Dr Caroline Rymer, email: c.rymer@reading.ac.uk

Module co-convenor: Professor Christopher Reynolds, email: c.k.reynolds@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

When does muscle become meat? What factors affect meat quality? How can meat production and quality be enhanced and financial value of meat increased? What are the key performance indicators of sustainable dairy production? What makes egg production more sustainable? Through a combination of lectures, guest speakers, and industry-based visits, you’ll develop a more advanced understanding of the many factors and processes which affect the composition and eating quality of meat, and the quality and profitability of milk and egg production. You’ll  develop a series of farm to fork strategies which could be employed by the meat, egg and dairy industry to optimise the organoleptic quality of meat the welfare of laying hens and the environmental impact of milk production.  

Module learning outcomes

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

1. Critically evaluate the factors affecting the sustainable production of meat, milk and eggs
2. Critically assess the means by which product quality is evaluated
3. Critically evaluate the factors that affect the quality of meat, milk and eggs

Module content

The lecture content covers:  

• Evolution of the dairy and meat industries in the UK and globally  
• Evaluating dairy cow management and facilities  
• Genetics and breeding  
• Management of reproduction and fertility  
• Management of the transition from gestation to lactation  
• Feeds and feeding  
• Calf management and heifer rearing  
• Data recording and decision making in dairy and meat enterprises  
• Cattle lameness management  
• The conversion of muscle to meat  
• Carcass evaluation  
• Meat and egg composition  
• Meat and egg quality evaluation and factors affecting eating quality  
• Factors affecting the sustainability of egg production 

The practical content covers:  

• Visits to different enterprises  
• Presentation of research findings  
• Case study of the University dairy unit.  

The primary focus is on UK livestock production, but systems of production used in the UK are compared with systems used in other countries throughout the module.  

Structure

Teaching and learning methods

There will be a series of lectures supported by study visits to different farms and enterprises.  

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.

Student presentations on the blueprint and an opportunity for formative feedback on a draft section of the blueprint prior to final submission will be available.  

Reassessment

Additional costs