Study Guide

Objective

The students know the production chain of beef. They are 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. The students are able to take part in professional discussions on beef production.

Content

Production chain of beef and novel methods of production, 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, mainly web-based
Assingments
Self-study, partly web-based

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.

Evaluation scale

1-5

Assessment criteria, satisfactory (1)

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

Assessment criteria, good (3)

Opiskelija osaa seurata ja suunnitella tuotantoa itsenäisesti ja pidemmällä aikavälillä. Hän osaa laatia itsenäisesti eri eläinryhmien ruokintasuunnitelmia. Hän osaa arvioida ja selittää eläinaineksen kehittämisen ja eläinten terveydenhuollon keinoja sekä tuotantoketjun eri osien merkitystä. Opiskelija osaa tunnistaa ruokinnan, hoidon ja tuotantoympäristön vaikutuksen tuotantoon, tuotteiden laatuun, terveyteen, ympäristöön ja kustannuksiin. Hän osaa perustellusti valita ruokinnallisia ja teknologisia ratkaisuja.

Assessment criteria, excellent (5)

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

Assessment methods and criteria

Approved assingments
Active participation
Exam

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.