Course description for 2024/25
Animal welfare and ethology
HUS1006
Course description for 2024/25

Animal welfare and ethology

HUS1006
The course gives an introduction to animal welfare, basic ethology and housing of domestic animals.

This course covers the following main themes:

  • ethology focusing on the behavioural needs of domestic animals, motivation, learning, social behavior and behavioural problems
  • animal welfare as a term and subject area from both a biological, ethological, ethical and moral perspective
  • housing of domestic animals; design solutions, space requirements and grouping of different livestock animals
  • laws, regulations and recommendations for animal welfare and livestock keeping

The subject is reserved for students of the following study programmes:

  • Animal Welfare, One-year Programme
  • Livestock Science, Bachelor's Programme

Other students can get admitted if there are places available. Contact student advisor. 

Students must meet current admission requirements for the associated study program.

After completing the course, the student will have achieved the following learning outcomes:

Knowledge:

  • has basic knowledge in animal welfare, both in general and specifically related to livestock
  • has knowledge of the natural behavior needs and social relations of livestock animals
  • has thorough knowledge of stocking conditions, space requirements and environment of livestock animals
  • has knowledge of key research and development work in the field
  • has knowledge of regulations and recommendations for the keeping of livestock and animal welfare

Skills:

  • can conduct behavioural studies to study animals' time budgets and preferences
  • can analyse and make simple calculations on issues related to the animal welfare of livestock

General competence:

  • has insight and ability to reflection and assessment in animal welfare questions
  • has insight in factors affecting animal behaviour, and how housing can affect production, health and welfare
  • has knowledge of and developed the ability to reflect upon and assess issues where welfare of livestock is a key component
  • is able to propose preemptive measures to prevent animal welfare issues for livestock
  • can communicate professional literature that is of relevance to the livestock's environment and contribute to professional discussions in the field
  • has the knowledge and skills required to communicate about issues and potential solutions in the field in a clear and comprehensible way
Paid semester fee and syllabus literature. It is also required that students have a laptop at their disposal.
Compulsory
Lectures and exercises. Group exercises. The exercises take place on nearby farms and at Mære agricultural school, in addition to the regular teaching facilities.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys. These evaluations are included in the university’s quality assurance system.

Compound assessment, letter grade

  • Compulsory work, comprises 0/100 of the grade, grading scale approved/ not approved. Must be passed prior to submission of the written examination.
  • Written examination, 4 hours, comprises 100/100 of the grade, letter grade.

Pen, ruler and up to 2 bilingual dictionaries.

Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating.