Explore UCD

UCD Home >

VET40140

Academic Year 2024/2025

Calf Health & Heifer Rearing (VET40140)

Subject:
Veterinary Medicine
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Veterinary Medicine
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
Assoc Professor Conor McAloon
Trimester:
Spring
Mode of Delivery:
Online
Internship Module:
No
How will I be graded?
Letter grades

Curricular information is subject to change.

This module focuses on dairy heifer management from birth to breeding. It will provide an in-depth insight into the following topics related to calf health and heifer rearing:
- Perinatal mortality
- General principles of disease prevention
- Housing
- Calf nutrition until weaning
- Heifer nutrition and rearing post weaningo Management of the main calf diseases (neonatal diarrhoea, respiratory disease)

About this Module

Learning Outcomes:

On the completion of this module, students will be able to:
- Investigate and assess heifer rearing management on dairy farms and other dairy heifer rearing units
- Advise farmers on reasonable performance targets in the area of heifer rearing and calf health
- Develop strategies together with the farmer on how these targets can be reached
- Monitor the performance of heifer rearing systems
- Investigate cases of increased calf morbidity and/or mortality, or poor performance
- Give evidence-based advice after thorough review of the current literature on means to improve causative management factors which lead to increased calf morbidity and/or mortality, or poor performance

Student Effort Hours:
Student Effort Type Hours
Specified Learning Activities

30
Autonomous Student Learning

95
Total

125

Approaches to Teaching and Learning:
A variety of teaching and learning methods will be used during the course of this module including active/task-based learning; e-lectures; field assignments and reflective learning; debates and case-based learning.

Requirements, Exclusions and Recommendations

Not applicable to this module.


Module Requisites and Incompatibles
Not applicable to this module.
 

Assessment Strategy  
Description Timing Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment(Including Essay): This assignment will involve calculation of growth curves for pre-weaned calves and include commentary on the performance of calf growth in the herd and on the milk replacer used. Week 8 Other No

33

 Yes
Assignment(Including Essay): For this assignment, students will submit written report assessing calf housing and calf health in a dairy herd. Week 8 Other No

33

 Yes
Exam (Online): This exam will take the form of an online multiple choice exam. Week 7 Other No

34

 Yes

Carry forward of passed components
Yes
 

Resit In Terminal Exam
Autumn No
Please see Student Jargon Buster for more information about remediation types and timing. 

Feedback Strategy/Strategies

• Feedback individually to students, post-assessment

How will my Feedback be Delivered?

Students are given feedback after grading of each component.

Name Role
Dr Luke O'Grady Lecturer / Co-Lecturer
Mr Finnian Logan Tutor
Dr Catherine Mc Aloon Tutor
Eilidh Elizabeth Thomson Tutor
Print this page
Fill in the following details:
Enter the body of your query here.

From time to time UCD would like to send you further information that we feel, based on your enquiry, would be of interest to you.