Animal Husbandry

Teaching unit 1: Anatomy and Physiology of Domestic Animals (4 ECTS)

The module aims to provide students with the necessary knowledge to understand how to provide domestic animals with the optimal conditions for its well-being and health in the context of sustainable husbandry. The teaching is divided into 28 hours of frontal lectures equivalent to 3.5 ECTS and 8 hours of practical exercises equivalent to 0.5 ECTS, as follows:

LECTURES (3.5 ECTS, 28 hours)

Course introduction, anatomical nomenclature, and general body organization (2 hours)
Cell biology (2 hours) - Structure of different cellular components (membrane, nucleus, cytoskeleton, organelles) and mechanisms of cell-to-cell communication, energy production, absorption, and synthesis.
Histology (4 hours) - Overview of animal tissues (types and functions of epithelial, connective, muscular, and nervous tissues).
Digestive system (5 hours) - Anatomy: oral cavity, salivary glands, esophagus, stomach in monogastric animals, stomaches in polygastric animals, intestines, pancreas, and liver. Physiology: food mastication, salivary secretion, swallowing, stomach and prestomach motility, ruminal fermentations, gastric, pancreatic, and enteric juice secretion, bile, intestinal motility, digestion, and absorption.
Urinary system (1.5 hours) - Anatomy: kidney, ureter, bladder, urethra, renal circulation. Physiology: glomerular filtration, reabsorption and secretion, endocrine regulation, renal hormones, water-salt homeostasis, urine composition.
Male reproductive system (1.5 hours) - Anatomy: testis and spermatic ducts, accessory sex glands. Physiology: spermatogenesis, male reproductive hormones, accessory glands and their functions.
Female reproductive system (3 hours) - Anatomy: ovary, oviducts, uterus. Physiology: oogenesis, estrous cycle, female reproductive hormones. Pregnancy and parturition.
Tegumentary system and accessory glands (2 hours).
Lactation (3 hours) - Mammary gland morphology, lactogenesis overview (milk and colostrum), lactation endocrinology, and milk synthesis.
Circulatory system (1 hour) - Anatomy: heart, arteries, veins, and capillaries. Physiology of myocardium, cardiac cycle, regulation of cardiovascular functions. Blood components. Plasma and serum. Hemopoiesis, hemostasis, and coagulation. Lymph and lymphatic pathways.
Respiratory system (1 hour) - Anatomy of respiratory pathways, lungs, pleura. Physiology: respiratory cycle, gas transport, neural control of respiration.

PRACTICAL EXERCISES (0.5 ECTS, 8 hours)
The practical exercises are divided into sessions of:

4 hours: Exercise on anatomical models, both physical and virtual.
4 hours: Exercise on histological preparations.
The practical exercises will allow students to personally apply the acquired knowledge to describe and evaluate the physiological processes discussed during the lectures.

Teaching unit 2: Animal Nutrition and Feeding (4 ECTS)


This unit will describe the chemical composition of feed (minerals, organic matter, carbohydrates, lipids, and nitrogenous substances) and briefly explain the main chemical analyses used to determine dry matter, ash, proteins, lipids, and fibrous fractions. After an overview of mineral and vitamin nutrition, the course will examine the factors regulating feed intake and digestibility. In particular, the chapter on fiber and its dietary and nutritional functions in ruminant and monogastric feeding will be explored in depth. Subsequently, the course will cover the two key topics of energy and protein metabolism, distinguishing between polygastric and monogastric animals. Another section of the course will focus on biological analyses of feed for the determination of in vivo, in vitro (Tilley & Terry and Daisy), in situ (nylon bags) digestibility, and ruminal fermentation (gas production). This aims to help students understand the importance of evaluating feed not only based on chemical analysis but also on the interaction between the feed and the animal's digestive system. Nutritional requirements of cattle (dairy and beef) and pigs in different growth and physiological stages will be summarized. The second part of the course will cover animal feed, divided into two main categories: forages and concentrates. Among forages (grass, hay, silage, and straw), special emphasis will be placed on the most commonly used ones: maize silage, grass, alfalfa, and winter cereals. The analysis will also include the most important concentrates such as cereals, bran, plant and animal protein meals, oilseed seeds, liquid feeds, and by-products from various industrial processes. Each feed will be presented with its fundamental analytical and nutritional characteristics, as well as its main utilization methods. The final part of the course will focus on rationing, with practical examples of diets for dairy cattle (calves, heifers, dry and lactating cows), beef cattle (growth, fattening, and finishing), and pigs (piglets, growing pigs, fattening, and gestating sows).

Teaching Unit 3: Husbandry Techniques (4 ECTS)
The course aims to provide students with theoretical and applied knowledge of husbandry techniques for major farmed animal species. Additionally, it aims to offer initial tools for evaluating the impact of livestock techniques on the production and quality of animal-origin products, environmental impact, and animal welfare. The course will consist of lectures and practical exercises at livestock farms.

Topics covered:

From Domestication to Modern Zootechnics (0.5 ECTS): Domestication; Evolution of Italian livestock production in the past century; Statistics and market: livestock numbers; production and consumption of animal-origin products; Perspectives.
Dairy Production (1.5 ECTS): Overview of the chemical and nutritional characteristics of milk; factors influencing milk production and quality; overview of lactation physiology and milk secretion; milking systems; livestock management and feeding techniques for dairy cattle; reproduction and fertility; rearing of replacement animals.
Beef Production (1 ECTS): Major beef cattle breeds; chemical, physical, and nutritional characteristics of meat; growth and development; key factors influencing meat production and quality; carcass evaluation; livestock management and feeding techniques for major categories of beef cattle (white veal, light and heavy bulls, heifers); cow-calf production.
Swine Production (1 ECTS): Major swine breeds; management and reproduction of sows; rearing of replacement gilts; livestock management and feeding techniques for light and heavy swine.
Practical Exercises (0.5 ECTS): Educational visits and exercises at livestock farms.