Postgraduate Course: Lambing Percentage (VESC11210)
Course Outline
| School | Royal (Dick) School of Veterinary Studies |
College | College of Medicine and Veterinary Medicine |
| Credit level (Normal year taken) | SCQF Level 11 (Postgraduate) |
| Course type | Online Distance Learning |
Availability | Not available to visiting students |
| SCQF Credits | 10 |
ECTS Credits | 5 |
| Summary | Lamb production is the principal output of sheep farming in the UK. For farms to remain profitable it is important that farmers maximise the number of lambs they have available to sell. Perinatal lamb loss is an area where there is scope for large amounts of valuable veterinary input and this module aims give participants a greater understanding of what input vets can have. |
| Course description |
The objective of this module is to promote a scientific, evidence based approach to the management of sheep flocks and the diagnosis and treatment of the diseases of sheep, and to help students develop both practical and theoretical skills in the field. The student will be able to evaluate their own standards of practice and develop strategies for continuous improvement in the future. Furthermore, they will understand the legislation relating to the health, management, and welfare of sheep and food production in the UK in the context of topics covered in the module.
Lamb production is the principal output of sheep farming in the UK. For farms to remain profitable it is important that farmers maximise the number of lambs they have available to sell. Perinatal lamb loss is an area where there is scope for large amounts of valuable veterinary input and this module aims give participants a greater understanding of what input vets can have.
Five-week course fully taught online through a mixture of recorded presentations, formative activities and asynchronous discussion. Live non-compulsory sessions may be scheduled depending on student group availability and time zones.
As a guide, each week students will spend approximately seven hours working through online materials including essential reading and up to three hours of online discussion and activity. A further ten hours may be spent on additional self-study and work on the assignment. As it is very difficult to measure time spent in any intellectual undertaking, the timings are only intended for guidance.
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Entry Requirements (not applicable to Visiting Students)
| Pre-requisites |
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Co-requisites | |
| Prohibited Combinations | |
Other requirements | None |
Course Delivery Information
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| Academic year 2018/19, Not available to visiting students (SS1)
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Quota: None |
| Course Start |
Flexible |
Timetable |
Timetable |
| Learning and Teaching activities (Further Info) |
Total Hours:
100
(
Online Activities 13,
Programme Level Learning and Teaching Hours 2,
Directed Learning and Independent Learning Hours
85 )
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| Assessment (Further Info) |
Written Exam
0 %,
Coursework
100 %,
Practical Exam
0 %
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| Additional Information (Assessment) |
Assessment will include the following:
One case of 1500 words focusing on practice experience 50%
Critical review of a journal article included within the teaching content of the module (1500 words) 50%
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| Feedback |
All assignments will be marked and feedback provided within a period of 15 working days following submission (excluding holidays periods whereby the University of closed, e.g. over the Christmas period).
Opportunities for informal feedback arise within the course discussion boards and live sessions as well as through email discussions. Formal feedback and feedforward will be provided only on coursework assignments and on formative activities.
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| No Exam Information |
Learning Outcomes
On completion of this course, the student will be able to:
- Describe the data required for investigation of lambing percentage and how this data can be assessed.
- Formulate simple diets, assess and provide advice on the adequacy of diets and feeding of sheep in relation to their nutritional requirements and reproductive performance.
- Assess the needs of lambs in the perinatal period to optimise their survival.
- Describe the effects of abortive agents on the profitability of sheep farms.
- Evaluate methods available for optimising reproductive performance in a flock.
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Additional Information
| Graduate Attributes and Skills |
A. Research and Enquiry
Graduates of the University will be able to create new knowledge and opportunities for learning through the process of research and enquiry. This may be understood in terms of the following:
- be able to identify, define and analyse problems and identify or create processes to solve them
- be able to exercise critical judgment in creating new understanding
- be ready to ask key questions and exercise rational enquiry
- be able to critically assess existing understanding and the limitations of their own knowledge and recognise the need to regularly challenge all knowledge
- search for, evaluate and use information to develop their knowledge and understanding
- have an informed respect for the principles, methods, standards, values and boundaries of their discipline(s) and the capacity to question these
- understand economic, legal, ethical, social, cultural and environmental issues in the use of information
B. Personal and Intellectual Autonomy
Graduates of the University will be able to work independently and sustainably, in a way that is informed by openness, curiosity and a desire to meet new challenges. This may be understood in terms of the following:
- be independent learners who take responsibility for their own learning, and are committed to continuous reflection, self-evaluation and self-improvement
- be able to make decisions on the basis of rigorous and independent thought, taking into account ethical and professional issues
- be able to use collaboration and debate effectively to test, modify and strengthen their own views
- be intellectually curious and able to sustain intellectual interest
- be able to respond effectively to unfamiliar problems in unfamiliar contexts
C. Communication
Graduates of the University will recognise and value communication as the tool for negotiating and creating new understanding, collaborating with others, and furthering their own learning. This may be understood in terms of the following:
- make effective use of oral, written and visual means to critique, negotiate, create and communicate understanding
- use communication as a tool for collaborating and relating to others
- further their own learning through effective use of the full range of communication approaches
- seek and value open feedback to inform genuine self-awareness
- recognise the benefits of communicating with those beyond their immediate environments
- use effective communication to articulate their skills as identified through self-reflection
D. Personal Effectiveness
Graduates of the University will be able to effect change and be responsive to the situations and environments in which they operate. This may be understood in terms of the following:
- appreciate and use talents constructively, demonstrating self-discipline, motivation, adaptability, persistence and professionalism
- be able to manage risk while initiating and managing change
- be able to flexibly transfer their knowledge, learning, skills and abilities from one context to another
- understand social, cultural, global and environmental responsibilities and issues
- be able to work effectively with others, capitalising on their different thinking, experience and skills
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| Keywords | veterinary,clinical practice,sheep,production animal |
Contacts
| Course organiser | Mr Robert Kelly
Tel:
Email: robert.kelly@roslin.ed.ac.uk |
Course secretary | Ms Linda Pollock
Tel: (0131) 650 6149
Email: Linda.Pollock@ed.ac.uk |
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