Unit ANIMAL WELFARE
- Course
- Animal science
- Study-unit Code
- GP000818
- Curriculum
- In all curricula
- Teacher
- Silvana Diverio
- Teachers
-
- Silvana Diverio
- Hours
- 54 ore - Silvana Diverio
- CFU
- 6
- Course Regulation
- Coorte 2022
- Offered
- 2022/23
- Learning activities
- Caratterizzante
- Area
- Discipline zootecniche e delle produzioni animali
- Academic discipline
- VET/02
- Type of study-unit
- Obbligatorio (Required)
- Type of learning activities
- Attività formativa monodisciplinare
- Language of instruction
- Italian
- Contents
- A. General ethology
B. Comparative Ethogy
C. Animal Welfare: indicators of animal welfare in the short term and long term, stereotypes and behavioral abnormalities
D. Assessment of animal welfare, economic implications, ethical and social well-being of the animals. - Reference texts
- 1. Etologia e Benessere Animale. In: "Fisiologia degli animali domestici con elementi di Etologia". 2000. (G. Aguggini, V. Beghelli, L.F.Giulio Eds.) UTET - Torino.
2. Il comportamento degli animali domestici. 2000. (K.A.Houpt). EMSI, Roma.
3. Etologia applicata e benessere animale (vol. I e II). 2009. (C.Carenzi, M.Panzera et al.) Le
Point Vétérinaire Italie.
4. Lecture notes and material of the course provided by prof. Silvana Diverio - Educational objectives
- The main objective of the course is to provide students with the knowledge on 'General and comparative ethology applied to the different species of farm animals and the mechanisms that trigger the behaviour of the animals; to provide the basic knowledge regarding the animal welfare and the ability to identify and correctly interpret the indicators of the animal welfare (physiological, behavioural and clinical indicators) and to select and apply different models of protocols for assessing animal welfare. Fulfilment of the knowledge on the problems and methods involved in the assessment of animal welfare. Acquisition of new technical and practical skills.
D1 - KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
The student must acquire the knowledge of applied comparative ethology, the ability to identify and interpret animal welfare indicators, the theory of the application of animal welfare assessment protocols. The main objective of the module is to provide students with an adequate knowledge of the ethology and welfare of domestic animals, with particular emphasis on specific behavioral repertoires, the value of the human-animal relationship and methods for assessing the state of well-being in the farm and in confined conditions. The main knowledge acquired will provide the basis for understanding the species ethogram and for understanding the systems for assessing the welfare status of animals.
D2 - ABILITY TO APPLY KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERSTANDING
At the end of the training, the student must know how to understand the behavior of the species; identify the main causes of poor animal welfare; critically evaluate the physiological, ethological and pre-pathological parameters indicators of poor animal welfare; being able to carry out an assessment of the behavior and welfare status of livestock.
D3 - AUTONOMY OF JUDGMENT
At the end of the training activity, the student must be able to assess, at basic levels, the welfare state of the livestock by formulating a professional judgment and suggesting, in the case of needs, the critical issues and any interventions to be made on the farm to improve the living conditions of the animals.
D4 - COMMUNICATION SKILLS
At the end of the training activity the student must be able to support a cross-examination with people both of equal preparation and experts in different topics, of a regulatory, scientific, procedural and / or technological nature on activities related to the study and observation of animal behavior and to the evaluation of their state of well-being.
D5 - LEARNING SKILLS
At the end of the training activity, the student must be able to consult and understand scientific texts, bibliographic updates and regulations concerning the study and observation of animal behavior and the methodologies for assessing their state of well-being, in order to use them in contexts that are not only usual for the profession, including research, but also applications to improve the living conditions of animals, know how to relate to people of different roles and professionalism who work in the zootechnical field and have the motivation to continue professional updating throughout the span of life, through ongoing ongoing formation. - Prerequisites
- An essential prerequisite to understanding the contents of the course and the learning objectives is that the student has adequate knowledge of animal physiology, animal husbandry and breeding techniques that help to understand the topics discussed.
- Teaching methods
- The course is organized as follows:
- Lectures on all subjects of the course;
- Seminars , visits and exercises on the field, " brainstorming "
- video projections, discussions and working groups, on farm visits, field practice.
Material provided by prof. Diverio, - Learning verification modality
- The exam provides for an oral test and the presentation of a technical report produced either autonomously or in a group. The oral test consists of a discussion lasting about 20 minutes, aiming to ascertain the knowledge and skills acquired by the student on the theoretical and applied content covered during the course, as well as the disadvantage of the technical elaboration which will focus on the analysis of problems related to well-being Animal of a farm visited by the student, after collecting and processing the data. The technical elaboration will be presented in the form of a textbook, with related material and attached photographic and / or video documents.
- Extended program
- Theoretical and Practical lessons
A. General ethology (1 CFU)
Study of general ethology, mechanisms of adaptation, evolution and domestication, instinctive processes and methods of learning in animals. Influence of limbic system, memory, motivation, types of communication and biological rhythms on animal behaviour.
B. Comparate Ethogy (1 CFU)
Elements on social, feeding, reproductive and maternal behaviour of the main species of livestock. Effects of the basic mechanisms of human-animal relationship, empathy, and evolutionary processes on animal welfare.
C. Animal Welfare (2 CFU)
Animal welfare: definitions, basic concepts, history and development of the evaluation methods. Physiology of the stress response, short term indicators of animal welfare (ethological and physiological indicators) and long-term indicators of animal welfare (ethological indicators, production, reproductive and immune system indicators). Stereotypes and behavioural abnormalities: identification and assessment of their impact on animal welfare. State of frustration and suffering in animals. Assessment of preferences and motivational states in animals. Study of human-animal relationship and livestock enterprise diversification. Understanding why it is important to protect and promote animal welfare. Implications on animal welfare of empathy, ability to feel pain and suffering, emotions and behavioural responses, cognition and animal intelligence and consciousness.
D. Assessment of animal welfare (2CFU)
Different approaches (natural, organic and functional, subjective) to assess animal welfare of farm and game animals, and pets. Criteria and indicators to be used for assessing animal welfare in different rearing conditions of livestock. Animal welfare and intensive and extensive farming systems. Animal welfare and farm management: effects on product quality. European and national legislation on animal welfare. Application of different methods for assessing animal welfare during farming, transport and slaughter. Measures and actions to be taken for improving the animal welfare in relation to different farming conditions. Economic, ethical and social implications on animal welfare.