Study Guide

Objective

The student knows the production chain of beef. The student is able to gather information, evaluate, plan and develop operations of units specialized in raising cattle for meat or beef cow production taking into account animal productivity, health and welfare as well as effective use of resources and sustainbilty. The student is able to take part in professional discussions on beef production.

Content

Production chain of beef and methods of production in Finland and internationally, current topics in production and nutrition of beef cows and animals grown for meat, digital solutions used to gather information and other technology used in production, indicators describing the production, producer prices and principal production costs, principles of planning breeding in beef cow production, current topics in health care, important subjects relating to planning of preventive health care, environmental effects of production, prevention of common diseases.

Materials

Material assigned by teacher.

Teaching methods

Lectures, recorded
Assingments
Self-study, partly web-based

Employer connections

study visits/ visiting lectures

Completion alternatives

The course can also be connected with the student’s work tasks and assingments if the student is in a workplace where the work assignments have similar contents. The matter is agreed in more detail with the teacher at the beginning of the course.

Student workload

Totally 135 h.

Further information

Grassland production and use as forage is recommended before this course

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

The student can act in a beef unit or beef cow farm at daily activities and gather basic information needed for production and heath care. The student can produce feeding plans for different groups of animals when advised. The student can describe elements of producer price and list ways of reducing production costs. The student can describe and compare technological solutions.

Assessment criteria, good (3)

The student can manage and plan the production from a longer perspective. The student can plan the feeding of different groups of animals. The student is able to evaluate and explain possibilities health care and animal breeding. The student can explain the significance of different farms in production chain. The student can recognize the effects of feeding, care and housing conditions on performance, health, environment and production costs. The student can justifiably compare and choose solutions for feeding and technology.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

The student can take into account and apply detailed facts of nutrition and production biology when planning feeding and production. The student is able to search and apply information and give reasons for decisions independently. The student can form a broad multidisciplinary view combining animal welfare and productivity, technology, effective use of resources and mutual impact of the different parts of production chain.

Assessment methods and criteria

Approved assignments

Qualifications

Common professional studies in animal production or comparable knowledge.

Further information

The student can direct studies to either beef cow production or animals raised for meat.