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Unit of study_

AVBS2006: Animal Farming Systems

2025 unit information

Animal farming systems play a key role in global food security and underpinning global economies. They are dynamic systems that experience constant change and sometimes even controversy! This unit builds on the animal production and management knowledge gained in AVBS 1002 and challenges students to create more sustainable approaches to production. By exploring the holistic nature of various farming systems, students in this unit can begin to understand the complexity of farming animals and the factors driving changes in practices. We will focus on ruminant, pig, poultry, and aquaculture systems in Australia and compare with international farming systems. Current issues facing animal farming systems will be explored and we will consider how these industries are changing to meet both the needs of the environment and society. The unit aims to inspire and motivate students through research-informed teaching and application of the principles of scientific thinking for the basis of decision making for improving productivity in animal farming systems.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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BIOL1XX7 and AVBS100X
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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None
Assumed knowledge:
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Basic handling skills for production animals

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

  • LO1. Identify and describe the range of animal production systems that are used in Australia and overseas in various environments, and the drivers of change in farming practices.
  • LO2. Identify and critically evaluate current issues facing animal farming systems in Australia.
  • LO3. Critically evaluate scientific and technical information in animal production systems and use it to identify potential solutions to problems.
  • LO4. Effectively communicate a key issue in animal production systems.
  • LO5. Conduct work independently and in teams to source, critically evaluate and analyse scientific literature and communicate effectively in different modes to a variety of audiences.

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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