AGS300 Livestock Management (8)

This subject is designed to expose students to the more detailed aspects of efficient and sustainable livestock management within a commercial production environment. Concepts developed in previous livestock subjects will continue to be expanded so that students develop practical and best practice management strategies within the main areas of livestock management that will have an impact upon profitability and sustainability of an enterprise. These include reproduction management, meeting nutritional requirements and maximising feed utilisation across the farm (including managing the impact of environmental variation on decision making in livestock management), breeding systems and genetic selection, meeting market specifications and managing livestock health. There is a focus on the interactions between decisions that are made within the entire livestock production chain and the subsequent impacts on other areas of management within the farm, as well as the marketing environment.

Availability

Session 2 (60)
On Campus
Wagga Wagga Campus
Online
Wagga Wagga Campus

Continuing students should consult the SAL for current offering details: AGS300. Where differences exist between the Handbook and the SAL, the SAL should be taken as containing the correct subject offering details.

Subject Information

Grading System

HD/FL

Duration

One session

School

School of Agricultural and Wine Sciences

Assumed Knowledge

AGS100

Incompatible Subjects

ASC227, ASC355

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion of this subject, students should:
  • be able to collect and analyse relevant property information and evaluate current management strategies in a livestock enterprise in terms of industry benchmarks;
  • be able to identify, measure, analyse and prioritise the opportunities to most effectively improve the profitability and/or sustainability of a livestock production system;
  • be able to develop and evaluate further production strategies to meet customer &/or consumer specifications and improve the profitability and/or sustainability of the enterprise or respond to risks to a livestock production system;
  • be able to suggest valid management decisions and recommendations that are supported by technically credible and scientifically sound knowledge and information and/or valid analytical processes; and
  • be able to communicate research, analyses and recommendations effectively, coherently and professionally to a client in a report.

Syllabus

This subject will cover the following topics:
  • Feed Utilisation;
  • Livestock Breeding Systems;
  • Reproduction Management;
  • Meeting Market Specifications; and
  • Livestock Health Management.

Indicative Assessment

The following table summarises the assessment tasks for the online offering of AGS300 in Session 2 2020. Please note this is a guide only. Assessment tasks are regularly updated and can also differ to suit the mode of study (online or on campus).

Item Number
Title
Value %
1
Managing nutritional requirements of livestock
30
2
Improving enterprise performance part 1
35
3
Improving livestock performance part 2
35

Workplace Learning

This subject contains a 5 days Compulsory Workplace Learning component.

The work placement can be taken at any time throughout the subject at the student's discretion, but upon subject coordinator approval. The work placement should allow the capture of information required for the critical evaluation of a livestock enterprise on a farm and development of improvements which may facilitate improved management of feed utilisation, reproduction, genetic selection, meeting market specifications and health and welfare. Visits on farm will enable students to experientially examine different components of management that they will use to complete their assessments. If the workplace component is taken as a number of visits, it is possible that these will enable the student to observe and discuss more fully, the changes in feed supply and numerous components of a livestock management calendar.

Special Resources

Students attending compulsory workplace learning placements are responsible for all associated travel, accommodation and
required resources.

The information contained in the CSU Handbook was accurate at the date of publication: May 2021. The University reserves the right to vary the information at any time without notice.

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