AP3A83-Practical Animal Nutrition

Module Provider: Agriculture
Number of credits: 10 [5ECTS credits]
Terms in which taught: Spring
Module Convenor: Professor DI Givens
Pre-requisites: AP2A24
Co-requisites:
Modules excluded:
Module version for: 2008/9

Email: aas03dig@reading.ac.uk

Aims:
This module aims to provide the student who already has knowledge of nutrition theory, with the opportunity to expand this into practice. This will be achieved through the undertaking of a practical nutrition exercise involving animals or birds. The exercise will provide a sound understanding of the need for accurate diet formulation and preparation and the impact of nutrient supply on factors such as efficiency of growth and composition of the animal food product.

Assessable learning outcomes:
By the end of the module it is expected that the student will have a good understanding of the following:
• The importance of having sound, up to date information on the nutritional make up of feeds.
• The importance of correct diet formulation
• The contribution that individual feeds make to diets
• The impact that inadequate nutrition has on efficiency of food production
• The impact of diet on the composition of animal derived food product
• Approaches to writing up research studies and presenting key findings orally.

Additional outcomes:
It is expected that students will gain experience of managing animals/birds during the course of a nutritional study. They will also become aware of the importance of animal welfare and the legal requirements associated with many studies.

Outline content:
Although most of module will be devoted to practical work, lectures will cover:
• Introduction to practical studies with animals
• Design and statistical analysis of experiments
• Legal requirements associated with many animal studies
• Diet formulation

A practical nutrition study will be undertaken under supervision. The nature of this study will be dependant on available facilities and the individual student’s interest.

Brief description of teaching and learning methods:
There will be a two hour session each week giving a total of 20 hours. Four hours will be devoted to lectures, with the balance available for practical work, tutorial time and presentation of results by students.

Contact hours:

	Autumn	Spring	Summer
Lectures		4
Tutorials/seminars		4
Practicals		12
Other contact (eg study visits)
Total hours		20
Number of essays or assignments		1 Report on study
Other (eg major seminar paper)		1 Preparation & delivery of oral presentation

Assessment:
Coursework
The practical exercise will be marked in three ways. Up to 50% of the marks will be awarded for the written report and up to 30% for the oral presentation. The remaining 20% will be awarded at the discretion of the student’s supervisor for the exercise.

Relative percentage of coursework: 100%

Penalties for late submission
Standard University rule applies: 10% marks deducted for work submitted up to one week late. Work submitted more than one week late will be awarded a zero mark.

Examinations
There is no written examination.

Requirements for a pass
A mark of 40% overall.

Reassessment arrangements
Re-examination in August/September only.