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VET40140

Academic Year 2023/2024

Calf Health & Heifer Rearing (VET40140)

Subject:
Veterinary Medicine
College:
Health & Agricultural Sciences
School:
Veterinary Medicine
Level:
4 (Masters)
Credits:
5
Module Coordinator:
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 Open Book Exam Component Scale Must Pass Component % of Final Grade In Module Component Repeat Offered
Assignment: Report on ventilation assessment of a calf shed and quantify the prevalence of calf respiratory disease on the farm. Unspecified n/a Other No
33
Yes
Assignment: Report on the investigation of calf growth and nutrition Unspecified n/a Other No
33
Yes
Multiple Choice Questionnaire: Single best answer exam on calf health and nutrition Unspecified n/a 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