250-315 Pigs

At the end of this subject students should: be aware of the management and welfare issues associated with the keeping of pigs; be aware of the variety of diseases affecting pigs; understand the factors influencing outbreaks of disease in herds and/or individual animals; be able to suggest a probable diagnosis/differential diagnosis from the history, epidemiology, clinical signs and gross post-mortem lesions; be able to recommend appropriate ancillary tests to facilitate a definitive diagnosis and prognosis; be able to specify appropriate therapy or other course of action for affected herds and/or individual animals; be able to recommend appropriate measures for disease control and/or prevention; know the statutory regulations applicable to the husbandry, welfare, disease control and use of therapeutic substances/vaccines in these animals; be aware of the major factors affecting the productivity and profitability of pig farms; be aware of new issues facing the pig industry locally, nationally and internationally that are likely to affect the way pigs are produced in Australia.

Topics include clinical signs, diagnosis, pathogenesis, and epizootiology of diseases in individual pigs as well as affected swine herds; and swine management, nutrition and preventive medicine.

Students completing this subject should have:

• cognitive, analytic and problem solving skills, involving independent thought, rational enquiry and self-directed learning;

• professional and technical skills; and

• respect for intellectual integrity and professional ethics.

One 2-hour written paper (80%) and one 15-minute oral examination (20%) both at the end of semester.