POPM*4230 - Animal Health

Course Description

This course examines the causes and effects of important diseases of food animals in Canada, with a focus on dairy cattle. Elements of physiology, epidemiology, microbiology, nutrition, and production management are integrated into a health management approach emphasizing disease prevention. The course is directed at senior undergraduate students with interest in and knowledge of, food animal production agriculture.

Learning Outcomes

1. Describe health and disease in the context of production animal health management.

2. Identify and articulate the relative importance of common diseases of cattle, swine, small ruminants, and poultry in Canada as it pertains to animal health, welfare, and health management.

3. Explain, at a basic level, the risk factors, etiology, clinical signs, interrelationships, and preventive management of common infectious and metabolic diseases of       cattle, swine, small ruminants, and poultry.

4. Describe the association of common diseases with sub-optimum productivity or welfare in food-producing animals (cattle, swine, small ruminants, and poultry);

5. Explain the elements of a health management program for dairy cattle, beef cattle, swine, poultry, and small ruminants in Ontario.

6. Recognize antimicrobial resistance and antimicrobial residues as it pertains to animal health management, animal health and food safety.

7. Summarize the regulatory processes for drug approval and use in food animals in Canada, and the management considerations for drug use by veterinarians and   producers.

8. List important zoonotic diseases of ruminants, swine, and poultry and their methods of transmission, and effects in humans.

9. List and describe important foreign animal diseases of ruminants, swine, and poultry. 

10. Discuss the risk and impact of foreign animal disease incursion into Canada.

Course Topics

• Introduction to Livestock Management & Production Systems
• Health Management
• Immunology, Vaccination & Antimicrobial Use
• Dairy: Youngstock - Calves and Heifer Health Management
• Dairy: Transition Health and Reproduction
• Dairy: Infectious Diseases
• Beef: Health Management of Cow-Calf and Feedlot
• Poultry: Health Management
• Small Ruminants: Health Management
• Swine: Farrowing to Weaning
• Swine: Post-Weaning to Finishing
• Exotic Diseases & Zoonoses

Assessment

Note:

Additional Technical Requirements

This course will use the following:

• Respondus tool to invigilate one or more exams. 

Please view the Technical Considerations.