Nutrition and Management of Companion Animals
Course content
Nutrition and management of the healthy animal:
- Energy and nutrient requirements of dogs and cats as affected by life stage (maintenance, growth, reproduction, lactation).
- Energy and nutrient requirements of dogs and cats for health, performance and longevity.
- Causes for malnutrition disorders and their prevention (incl. growth disturbances and obesity) in dogs and cats.
- Feeding management of dogs and cats.
- Nutrition and management of common exotic companion and hobby animal species (e.g. small mammals incl. rabbits and rodents, petbirds and reptiles).
- Feed manufacturing and appropriate feedstuffs for companion animals (incl. nutritional value, quality and feed technology).
- Evaluating commercial diet formulations (incl. raw food/vegan diets).
- Formulating balanced diets for companion animals.
- Legislation regarding nutrition and management relevant to companion animal species.
MSc Programme in Animal Science - semi-compulsory/Restricted electives
This course will focus on nutrition and management of companion animals. The core of the course will be the quantitative aspects of companion animal science. Students will obtain knowledge of optimal nutrition and management practices, including legislation, to ensure health, longevity and performance. The focus will be on nutrition and management of dogs and cats, and to some extent, nutrition and management of common exotic companion and hobby animal species (e.g. small mammals incl. rabbits and rodents, petbirds and reptiles).
The aim is to educate graduates with academic competence to become consultants and with an option to work in areas within this sector, incl.:
- Pet food companies
- Veterinary support industries
- Pet shop management
- Pet breeder organisations
- Companion animal advisory services
- Government advisory service
- Local government advisory service/registration
- Research
- Teaching
The aim is to educate graduates with the following competence profile:
Knowledge
The student is able to:
- Account for quantitative nutrition and feeding of dogs and cats in different life stages (maintenance, growth, reproduction, lactation) to optimize health, performance and longevity and prevention of malnutrition.
- Account for nutrition and management for common exotic companion and hobby animal species (e.g. small mammals incl. rabbits and rodents, petbirds and reptiles).
- Account for principles of different feedstuffs and feed manufacturing.
- Account for legislation relating to nutrition and management,
relevant to companion animal species.
Skills
The student is able to:
- Apply methods for evaluation of the interactions between animal nutrition and health and advice within this area.
- Quantify and model animal life processes, from cellular to whole body level, including nutritional, biochemical and physiological processes.
- Apply methods to evaluate feed formulation and feed quality.
Competencies
The student is able to:
- Understand relevant scientific principles and to analyse, and critically evaluate scientific literature.
- Use relevant scientific principles to evaluate and analyse the animals' nutritional- and health status.
- Formulate and optimize diets for companion animals in different life stages and under different physical activity or training conditions to optimize performance and prevent malnutrition.
- Evaluate the nutritional composition of commercial diets.
- Apply principles of important food processing methods, how they influence the nutritive value and applicability of diets in different life stages and under different physical activity.
Lectures, seminars and project work.
The course is centred around group based project work, seminars and
oral presentations. Throughout the course, the students will be
working in groups. Lectures, exercises and seminars will support
the case-based project work. The project work should result in oral
presentations, colloquia and written reports covering the key areas
of nutrition, including relevant perspectives to management and
legislation.
Evaluation model: Survey-based model
SAS10145U Ernæringsfysiologi
SASA10143U Dyrs ernæring og præstation
Open for credit transfer students and other external students. Apply here:
Credit transfer students:
Credit transfer student at SUND – University of Copenhagen (ku.dk)
Other external students:
https://healthsciences.ku.dk/education/student-mobility/guest-students/
- ECTS
- 15 ECTS
- Type of assessment
-
Written assignmentOral examination, 20 minutes
- Type of assessment details
- Written assignments/project reports covering the key areas of
nutrition, including relevant perspectives to management and
legislation, demonstrating a satisfactory insight into the project
areas must be submitted. Final submission deadline is Friday 4 PM
in block week 8.
Oral examination based on the written assignments/project reports and pensum accounting for the general principles regarding nutrition and management of companion animals.
Weight: Oral examination 100 %.
Students in the same group cannot participate in their fellow student’s individual oral exam unless they have already had their own individual oral exam. - Aid
- Only certain aids allowed
written power-point reports: All aids
Oral examination: No aids
- Marking scale
- 7-point grading scale
- Censorship form
- No external censorship
More than one internal examiner
Criteria for exam assessment
To achieve the maximum grade of 12, the student shall be able to:
Knowledge
- Account for quantitative nutrition and feeding of dogs and cats in different life stages (maintenance, growth, reproduction, lactation) to optimize health, performance and longevity and prevention of malnutrition.
- Account for nutrition and management for common exotic companion and hobby animal species (e.g. small mammals incl. rabbits and rodents, petbirds and reptiles).
- Account for principles of different feedstuffs and feed manufacturing.
- Account for legislation relating to nutrition and management, relevant to companion animal species.
Skills
- Apply methods to evaluate feed formulation and feed quality.
- Apply methods for evaluation of the interactions between animal nutrition and health and advice within this area.
- Quantify and model animal life processes, from cellular to whole body level, including nutritional, biochemical and physiological processes.
Competencies
- Understand relevant scientific principles and to analyse, and critically evaluate scientific literature.
- Use relevant scientific principles to evaluate and analyse the animals' nutritional- and health status.
- Formulate and optimize diets for companion animals in different life stages and under different physical activity or training conditions to optimize performance and prevent malnutrition.
- Apply principles of important food processing methods, and how they influence the nutritive value and applicability of diets in different life stages and under different physical activity.
- Evaluate the nutritional composition of commercial diets.
- Perform evaluation of nutrition and management relevant to legislative issues in companion animal species.
Single subject courses (day)
- Category
- Hours
- Lectures
- 42
- Class Instruction
- 24
- Project work
- 331
- Guidance
- 14
- Exam
- 1
- English
- 412
Kursusinformation
- Language
- English
- Course number
- SASK23001U
- ECTS
- 15 ECTS
- Programme level
- Full Degree Master
- Duration
-
1 block
There is no lectures in block week 8 - Placement
- Block 2
- Schedulegroup
-
Lectures will mainly be placed from 8-12. Exercises, supervised group work and workshops from 13-17.
- Capacity
- 40 students.
- Studyboard
- The Study Board for Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science
Contracting department
- Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences
Contracting faculty
- Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
Course Coordinators
- Caroline Marcussen
(4-6a687368477a7c756b35727c356b72)
Chief Responsibillity - Charlotte Reinhard Bjørnvad (3-69786846797b746a34717b346a71)
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