Course description for 2024/25
Livestock Environment and Technology
HUS1007
Course description for 2024/25

Livestock Environment and Technology

HUS1007
The course gives an introduction to physical environment for livestock animals and technology in animal husbandry.

This course covers the following main themes:

  • Indoor climat: ventilation, gases, dust, light and sound in animal housing for livestock production
  • Heat balance and animals' adjustment to different thermic environments
  • Enabling technology in livestock production

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:

  • can describe stocking conditions, space requirements and environment of livestock animals, including the gas, dust, bacteria, light and sound content of air as well as thermal conditions
  • can explain central terminology in thermoregulation and thermal conditions in animal housing
  • has knowledge of ventilation systems in animal housing
  • can provide examples on sensor technology and precision livestock farming.
  • 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 apply relevant measuring equipment to map indoor climate in livestock animal buildings
  • can interpret and assess measurement results and draw reasoned conclusions
  • can calculate thermal balance within a housing system

General competence:

  • has insight in livestocks' requirements to its environment and in how factors affecting and deciding the physical environment for the animals can be registered and assessed
  • can exchange views on how place allocation, indoor climate and the rest of the environment affects livestocks' 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
  • 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. 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 - One group excersis, one individual assignment and participation in one professional seminar. These 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, up to 2 bilingual dictionaries and calculator.

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