OPTIMIZATION OF FEED AND MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY OF LIVESTOCK FARMS

Single discipline educational activity

Course Sheet

Academic Year of enrolment:

2022/2023

Type of Course:

Elective Course

Optional/Mandatory:

Optional

Degree:

Master's Degree Programme in ANIMAL PRODUCTION SCIENCES

Disciplinary Sector:

Animal Nutrition and Feeding

Language:

Italian

Credits:

Programme Year:

Professor and Collaborators:

ATZORI Alberto Stanislao

CANNAS Antonello

Obligatory attendance:

Yes

Minimum hours of attendance:

Hours of classroom activity:

Prerequisites:

None

AF code:

A003487

Assessment Methods

Verification of learning:

Oral exam and tests on real case studies

Teaching period

First semester

Objectives

To deepen knowledge on the efficiency of transforming livestock feed into animal productions, with particular regard to quantitative aspects, both in confined barns and with pasture use
- stimulate students to familiarize with tools useful for quantifying technical (feed and management) efficiency and the use of indicators of livestock farm performance both in stall barns and with pasture use
- provide the basis for evaluating animal and production system response to the technical choices adopted at farm leve, both in stall barns and with pasture use.

Contents

Nutritional management optimization
- Definition of production processes, resources used and products in the agro-livestock systems
- Use of partial indicators for quantifying livestock performance
- Improvement of feed efficiency
- Animal-level and farm-level management indicators
- Optimization in feeding formulation
- Relationship between technical efficiency and environmental and economic performance of livestock farms.

Examples and case studies from real farms
- Application of feed and technical efficiency indices in cattle, sheep, and goat farms and development of case studies

Examples and case studies in livestock farms involving grazing flocks
- Use of nutritional indicators and electronic devices to improve grazing feed management
- Determination of animal stocking rate and technical efficiency at grazing
- Application of feed and technical efficiency indices on cattle, sheep, and goat farms and development of case studies

The course plans to cover at least the first 4 levels of the learning process (Bloom's Taxonomy) and specifically expects that students at the end of the course will have acquired:
- memorization (level 1) and understanding (level 2) of the cognitive basis of performance indicators
- ability to apply the calculation methods of technical evaluation of production processes (liv.3)
- ability to organize and analyze farm data and information for the purpose of technical evaluation (levels 3 and 4)
- compare and test scenarios of farm performance (liv.4) with propensity to evaluate the best choice (liv.5).

Recommended Bibliography

- Copies and slides of presented material
- Spreadsheets and dimonstrative calculations
- Divulgative articles

Methods of Provision

Conventional

Teaching Methods

frontal lessons and practical lessons with computer calculations.

Contacts/More Information

Practicals
the course will include practical use of spreadsheet (Microsoft Excel®) da utilizzare nel laboratorio.

OPTIMIZATION OF FEED AND MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY OF LIVESTOCK FARMS

Course year: 1

Course year: 2

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OPTIMIZATION OF FEED AND MANAGEMENT EFFICIENCY OF LIVESTOCK FARMS