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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. Risk assessments are regularly conducted for units that require the completion of compulsory learning activities that may expose students to zoonotic diseases. These assessments aim to identify appropriate risk mitigation controls, such as vaccination against vaccine- preventable zoonoses. Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this unit of study. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than week one of the enrolled teaching session. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete. Students must also submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment. Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally. Please refer to the University’s website https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/q-fever-vaccinations.html for more information on student vaccinations.
Unit details and rules
Managing faculty or University school:
Science
| Study level | Undergraduate |
|---|---|
| Academic unit | Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations |
| Credit points | 6 |
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Prerequisites:
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BIOL1XX7 and AVBS100X |
|---|---|
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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 ? |
|---|---|---|---|
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Semester 1 2025
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Normal day | Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney |
Outline unavailable
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Modes of attendance (MoA)
This refers to the Mode of attendance (MoA) for the unit as it appears when you’re selecting your units in Sydney Student. Find more information about modes of attendance on our website.
