Livestock production significantly contributes towards livelihood and food security, particularly in developing countries. During this course, students will gain knowledge on the basic principles of animal production and agroecological practices for sustainable animal production. They will understand the different types of production systems utilized for important tropical livestock species, and the challenges of animal production under tropical and subtropical conditions. They will also be familiar with important breeds within these species. Lectures and seminars will be conducted through MS Teams and recorded, and available to students through Microsoft Stream.
Lectures:
- Introduction: Livestock, livelihoods, and food security
- Characteristics of different livestock production systems in tropics
- Importance and use of indigenous livestock breeds
- Principles of animal welfare
- Agroecological approaches to animal production
- One health and livestock production
Seminars:
- Livestock, livelihoods, and food security: role of pastoralism - group discussion
- Research in sustainable animal production
- Livestock farming systems: case study videos
- Animal welfare: current challenges and opportunities
- Student credit assignment presentations
- Student debate: future of agroecology in livestock systems
For self-study, students will consult the compulsory e-textbook as well as the recorded videos series on important livestock species in the tropics. Students will be provided with interactive feedback activities to assist them in obtaining the study objectives for the subject, through Moodle.
Within this course, your co-teacher will be Dr Martina Komárková, our expert on animal behaviour, welfare and cognition in ungulates, especially equids.
