Animal Reproduction and Herd Health

The teaching of Animal Reproduction and Herd Health aims to integrate the basic knowledges previously acquired with the most modern methods available to effectively manage these two fundamental aspects of animal breeding.
In the field of reproduction, the knowledge of the main advanced reproductive techniques will be broaden starting from the techniques used for the recognition and synchronization of estrous cycles to the techniques for the effective management of insemination. The teaching will also deal with the technologies of superovulation, the collection and evaluation of gametes, the production and transfer of embryos using the approach of genetic selection, the methods of semen sex sorting, the cryopreservation of gametes and embryos and the methods used to shorten the generation intervals.
In the field of herd health, the objective is to provide basic knowledges of immunology and the good general hygiene practices related to the health and the prevention of infectious diseases in the various breeding systems. The aspects to which greater attention should be paid during the various phases of the productive and reproductive cycle of domestic animals in modern intensive farms will be described.

In the part of animal reproduction, the student will need to recognize and understand advantages and disadvantages, potentiality and limitations of advanced reproductive techniques used in the different domestic species. In particular, the student will need to acquire the competences and methodological tools to be able to recognize and describe the most suitable approaches to be used to improve the management strategies of breeding farms and the productive and reproductive performance of the raised animal.
In the part of herd health, the student will need to demonstrate the ability to understand how the animal immune system responds to the contact with pathogens and how to limit this possibility. The student will be able to select the best hygienic-sanitary procedures to be adopted for the prevention and control of infections at all levels of the farm activities: from feeding to milking, to the best practices for artificial insemination and parturition management.
The knowledge acquired in this course, which will also provide the ability to use the correct scientific terminology, and will train the student to select the most suitable tools for improving animal welfare and breeding efficiency.