GESTIONE SOSTENIBILE DEL SUOLO E DEI SISTEMI ZOOTECNICIModule SOSTENIBILITA' DEI SISTEMI DI PRODUZIONE ANIMALE
Academic Year 2023/2024 - Teacher: Luisa BIONDIExpected Learning Outcomes
The course deals with the study of the relationships between animal production systems, the environment and the territory. With reference to the Dublin Descriptors, the course aims to provide the following knowledge and skills:
Knowledge and understanding abilities: The student will acquire specific knowledge on the relationships between livestock activities and environmental resource. These relationships can protect or degrade the environmental resources, depending on management. The aim is to provide the basic knowledge to identify the sustainability criteria of animal production systems.
Applying knowledge and understanding abilities: By the end of the course, the student will have acquired knowledge specific to the field of animal production functional to rural land use planning.
Making judgements: The set of knowledge and skills acquired through lectures and other activities (opportunity to deepen some issues, to analyze data and/or case studies, to discuss with professionals through seminars and/or technical visits) will provide the student with the basic tools to recognize the sustainability criteria of the animal production systems.
Communication skills: Attendance of the course (lessons and other activities), debate in the classroom and the use of recommended educational materials will help the student in the acquisition and use of technical language.
Learning skills: The organization of the course, using various international bibliographic references and valuing discussion with professionals, represents a method of study and work that is based on the importance of the quality of sources and can be replicated and pursued independently. This method can be useful for the preparation of the bachelor thesis and for the continuous updating of the knowledge and skills necessary for the profession.
Course Structure
The course includes 3 ECTS of lectures and other activities. These include seminars and exercises (in the classroom, technical visits) which may also be held by experts on the subject. The other activities will be carried out, where possible, jointly by the teachers of the integrated course.
If the teaching is given in a mixed or remote mode, the necessary changes may be introduced with respect to what is described above, in order to comply with the contents reported in the syllabus.
Information for students with disabilities and / or SLD. To guarantee equal opportunities and in compliance with the laws in force, interested students can ask for a personal interview in order to plan any compensatory and / or dispensatory measures, based on the didactic objectives and specific needs. It is also possible to contact the Di3A CInAP (Center for Active and Participated Integration - Services for Disabilities and / or SLD) referent teachers.
Required Prerequisites
None.
Attendance of Lessons
Class attendance is not mandatory but is strongly recommended because it facilitates the learning process.
Detailed Course Content
The first part of the course analyzes the context in which the topics of the course are framed and provides the basic knowledge to understand i) what a livestock system is, ii) distinguish the different forms of farming systems and iii) learn about the interactions between animal husbandry, environment and territory.
The second part of the course explores the relationship between animal farming systems and land protection or environmental pollution; provides indications on the tools for mitigating environmental problems; identifies parameters and / or indicators useful for assessing sustainability in the different animal production systems.
Textbook Information
Stefanon B., Mele M., Pulina G. Allevamento animale e sostenibilità ambientale. I principi. FrancoAngeli Editore, 2018.
Supplementary teaching materials to the textbook will be uploaded to Studium during the course.
The supplementary teaching material includes notes, articles from national scientific journals and all slides discussed during the course.
Course Planning
| Subjects | Text References | |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | To know and define animal production systems: pastoral, mixed and landless systems; extensive and intensive systems; organic systems. FAO criteria for animal production systems classification. Criteria for classification on the basis of intensification level. Notes on statistical data on the consumption of products of animal origin in the world based on FAO data. | Textbook and supplementary teaching materials, complementary to the textbook, available on Studium. |
| 2 | Interaction between animal breeding systems and environment. Natural resources and animal production systems. | Textbook and supplementary teaching materials, complementary to the textbook, available on Studium. |
| 3 | Animal production systems as a tool for territorial protection or degradation. Role of pastoral systems in the multifunctional agriculture approach. Technical and political strategies for the mitigation of land degradation. | Textbook and supplementary teaching materials, complementary to the textbook, available on Studium. |
| 4 | Animal production systems and environmental pollution, with focus on nitrogen and phosphorous pollution. Technical and political strategies for the mitigation of pollution. Green houses gas emission from livestock systems: carbon footprint. Water consumption and pollution form livestock systems: water footprint. | Textbook and supplementary teaching materials, complementary to the textbook, available on Studium. |
| 5 | Sustainable animal production systems. Agri-enviromental sustainability indicators for animal production systems. EU agri-enviromental sustainability indicators. | Textbook and supplementary teaching materials, complementary to the textbook, available on Studium. |
Learning Assessment
Learning Assessment Procedures
During the lessons and the other activities, the student will be strongly encouraged to use technical language. The final assessment of learning takes place through an oral exam that begins with a question on a topic chosen by the student. In addition to the relevance of the answers with respect to the questions formulated, the property of technical language, the ability to connect and give examples and the overall expressive ability of the student will be evaluated. Verification of learning can also be carried out on distance, if needed.
The note system is as follows:
Not suitable - Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Important shortcomings. Significant inaccuracies. Ability to analyze and synthesize: Irrelevant. Frequent generalizations. Inability to synthesize. Use of references: Completely inappropriate.
18-20 - Knowledge and understanding of the topic: At the threshold level. Obvious imperfections. Analysis and synthesis skills: Just enough skills. Use of references: As appropriate.
21-23 - Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Routine knowledge Ability to analyze and synthesize: It is capable of correct analysis and synthesis. Argue logically and consistently. Using references: Use standard references.
24-26 - Subject knowledge and understanding: Good knowledge. Analysis and synthesis skills: Has good analysis and synthesis skills. The arguments are expressed consistently. Using references: Use standard references.
27-29 - Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Knowledge more than good. Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Use of references: Has explored the topics.
30-30L - Knowledge and understanding of the topic: Excellent knowledge. Ability to analyze and synthesize: He has considerable abilities of analysis and synthesis. Use of references: Important insights.
Examples of frequently asked questions and / or exercises
Overgrazing: meaning and reasons why ot may cause land degradation. Multifunctional role of pastures. Environmental advantages from mixed production systems. Green houses gases origin from livestock systems. Tools for P pollution mitigation. Sustainability indicators in pastoral systems. Water footprint in animal production systems.