Module Code - Title:
BY4016
-
ANIMAL PRODUCTION SYSTEMS
Year Last Offered:
2026/7
Hours Per Week:
Grading Type:
N
Prerequisite Modules:
BY4025
Rationale and Purpose of the Module:
The purpose of the module is to educate the students in animal production, health and welfare so that they are able to teach it as part of agricultural science at leaving certificate level
Syllabus:
- Animal Welfare
- Five freedoms of animal welfare, Animal Welfare Law; principles of animal welfare; body condition scoring of cattle, sheep and pigs; major categories of animal diseases; zoonotic and notifiable diseases.
- Sheep Flock Management
oSheep production systems; sheep breeds; sheep breeding; rearing and feeding of sheep and lambs; sheep diseases; building and handling facilities for sheep.
- Beef Herd Management
- Breeds of beef cattle; rearing and production of steer, heifer and bull beef; feeding of beef cattle; carcass grading systems for beef cattle; diseases of beef cattle; housing and handling facilities for beef cattle.
- Dairy Herd Management
- Breeds of dairy cattle; spring and autumn calving dairy herds; life cycle of a dairy cow; the lactation curve; diseases of dairy cows; rearing of dairy calves; feeding of dairy cows; milking machine and milking parlour operation; housing and handling facilities for dairy cows.
- Pig Production
oBreeds of pigs; the pig production cycle; diseases of pigs; feeding of pigs.
- Poultry Production
- Poultry management of production of meat and eggs; poultry housing.
Learning Outcomes:
Cognitive (Knowledge, Understanding, Application, Analysis, Evaluation, Synthesis)
On completion of this module, the students will be able to:
- Describe the various management systems for the production of meat, dairy, swine and poultry products.
- Discuss how management, housing and feeding of farm animals can impact on their welfare, health and productivity.
- Recognise available strategies for the prevention, identification and treatment of common infectious and non-infectious disorders of farm animals.
- Describe the range of animal housing and handling facilities used in Irish agriculture.
Affective (Attitudes and Values)
On completion of this module, the students will be able to:Actively participate in laboratory sessions and field trips investigating animal production systems.
Psychomotor (Physical Skills)
On completion of this module, the students will be able to:
Adapt their knowledge, understanding and technical skills acquired in this module, to the requirements of teaching second level agricultural science; design a feeding scheme for farm animals; diagnose health problems in farm animals; develop a farm-level biosecurity plan.
How the Module will be Taught and what will be the Learning Experiences of the Students:
The module will be taught through a series of lectures and laboratory sessions.
Prime Texts:
Soffe, R.J. (Ed.). (2003)
The Agricultural Notebook (20th Ed.)
, Blackwell Publishing.
Shapiro, L.S (2001)
Introduction to Animal Science
, Prentice Hall.
Teagasc (2013)
2013. Dairy Manual. Teagasc.
, Teagasc, Dublin.
Teagasc. (2012)
Teagasc Beef Manual.
, Teagasc, Dublin.
Damron, W.S. (2013)
Introduction to Animal Science. Global, Biological, Social and Industry Perspectives (5th Ed.)
, Pearson.
Other Relevant Texts:
Kyriazakis, I. and Whittemore, C.T. (Eds) (2006)
Whittemore's Science and Practice of Pig Production (3rd Ed.)
, Blackwell Publishing.
Programme(s) in which this Module is Offered:
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (EDUCATION) IN BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
BACHELOR OF SCIENCE (EDUCATION) IN BIOLOGY WITH PHYSICS OR CHEMISTRY OR AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE
Semester(s) Module is Offered:
Spring
Module Leader:
ken.byrne@ul.ie