250-106 Animal Health, Management & Welfare 1A

At the end of the sequence Animal Health, Management & Welfare 1A and Animal Health, Management & Welfare 1B students completing these subjects should: be familiar with the principles of nutrition and the nutritive value of feeds, and be able to provide practical advice on the feeding of individual; be familiar with the management of individual animals commonly treated by veterinarians in Australia - cattle, sheep, goats, camelids, pigs, caged birds, dogs, cats, pocket pets, and wildlife; be able to catch and restrain individual animals in a safe and humane manner, and apply basic animal care (husbandry techniques); understand the principles of animal behaviour as they relate to management and handling of each of the domestic animal species (and some wildlife species); be familiar with animal welfare issues, and the appropriate codes of practice for the welfare of animals during their production, use, transport, and processing; understand the hygiene and disease prevention principles followed by veterinarians when handling individual animals.

Topics include animal production systems including aquatic animals; principles and practices of feeding domestic animals and fish; animal behaviour in relation to management, housing, handling and restraint of individual animals; and codes of practice for the management, housing, transport, health, welfare and care of dogs, cats, cattle and horses. Introduction to public health, food safety, biosecurity, risk management and prevention of bioterrorism associated with animals and animal products.

At the end of the sequence Animal Health, Management & Welfare 1A and Animal Health, Management & Welfare 1B students completing these subjects should have:

• skills in independent and self directed learning;

• skills in report writing and collaborative learning;

• skills required to be efficient managers of information; and

• developed respect for professional ethics.

A 2-hour written examination at the end of semester (70%) and one 30-minute computer based or written assessment (10%) during the semester, computer based quizzes associated with equine practical classes during semester (10%) and indicated in the teaching timetable available at the commencement of the semester. Written assignments in Veterinary Public Health to be prepared as electronic portfolios and submitted online (10%) and indicated in the teaching timetable available at the commencement of the semester. Participation in practical exercises is compulsory. Completion of no less than eight weeks of experience in animal handling, care and management during the vacations of the first and second years is required before the end-of-year examination in second year. Six weeks of the work must be carried out on approved farms or animal enterprises, two weeks at urban animal or wildlife shelters and a report of no more than four pages must be completed for each period of practical work