Course description for 2024/25
Animal Nutrition 1
HUS1008
Course description for 2024/25

Animal Nutrition 1

HUS1008
What should we feed our livestock, and why? How do the different species ingest feed, what happens inside their bodies when the feed is digested, what differences are there between different species, and how can we ensure animals stay healthy by feeding them correctly? These are some examples of what you will learn about in this course.
The course provides a basic introduction to the anatomy and physiology of the digestive organs in the most common livestock species in Norway. The subject covers monogastric animals - pigs, horses, poultry (hens/chickens, turkeys), ruminants (cattle, sheep and goats), dogs and cats. The subject also provides a basic introduction to the structure and absorption of nutrients, and how nutrition can affect the health and welfare of animals.

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:

  • have knowledge of the structure, classification and properties of carbohydrates, fats, proteins, vitamins and minerals, as well as the importance of these nutrients for the organism
  • have knowledge of the anatomy of the digestive organs in monogastric animals and ruminants
  • have knowledge of the physiology of the digestive organs in monogastric animals and ruminants
  • have knowledge of the absorption of nutrients from the digestive system
  • have knowledge of rumen function, the rumen's microbiome and the importance of ruminal pH for digestion and health
  • have knowledge of the development of the digestive system in ruminants, from birth until the rumen function is fully developed
  • have knowledge of how incorrect or insufficient nutrition can lead to disease in monogastric animals and ruminants

Skills:

  • explain connections between nutritional content and structure in different types of feed
  • explain the processes in the digestive system in different species, and what significance these have for production, health and welfare in different animal species
  • explain the difference between the digestive systems of monogastric animals and ruminants

General competence

  • have basic insight into how feed materials can affect production and health at individual and herd level, and be able to communicate this in a professional context
Paid semester fee and syllabus literature. It is also required that students have a laptop at their disposal.
Compulsory
Teaching consists of lectures and exercises.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys. These evaluations are included in the university’s quality assurance system.

Composite assessment.

Must be approved before taking the written school exam:

  • Compulsory attendance at 2 of 3 exercises. Approved/not approved
  • Two assignments. Approved/not approved.

Exam:

Written school exam, 4 hours, grade rule A-F.

Pen, ruler, up to 2 bilingual dictionaries and simple calculator.

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