Handbook home
Animal Welfare and Ethics (BIOL30010)
Undergraduate level 3Points: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
Semester 2
Overview
Availability | Semester 2 |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
Formerly DASC30015
This subject develops knowledge and understanding of systems for regulating body function, and physiological and behavioural processes that are utilised by animals in response to environmental challenges. This basis will allow students to evaluate and assess animal welfare and ethical issues that confront livestock production and amenity use of animals in society. The subject will also develop knowledge in adaptation, preference testing, cognition, and short and long-term biological responses.
Specific topics covered include;
- The current debate about animal usage and animal welfare
- Systems regulating the body (homeostasis, motivation and control systems, and development of regulatory systems)
- Limits to adaptation (stimulation, tolerance and coping, variation in adaptation)
- Stress and welfare (Selye’s concept of stress and refinements to the concept, coping and fitness, definition of welfare and its assessment)
- Assessing welfare using short-term and long-term biological responses
- Assessing welfare using preference testing
- Assessing welfare by studying cognitive skills
- Ethical problems concerning welfare
- Welfare issues in agriculture and the general community; and codes of practice for the welfare of livestock and welfare solutions
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of the course, students should have a sound and broad understanding of the systems regulating body function and the behavioural and physiological responses utilised by animals in responding to environmental change. From this theoretical base, students should develop an appreciation of the scientific approaches available to assess animal welfare. Furthermore, students should understand the concepts of animal welfare and be aware of the main welfare issues confronting domestic animals.
Generic skills
On completion of the subject the students should have developed the following generic skills:
- Academic excellence
- Greater in-depth understanding of scientific disciplines of animal behaviour and its application to the humane care and efficient management of farm and companion animals
The student’s flexibility and level of transferable skills should be enhanced through:
- Improved time management
- Enhanced ability to communicate their ideas effectively in both written and verbal formats
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
A physiology subject at 200 level such as:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL20002 | Animal Physiology and Growth | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
Recommended background knowledge
Recommended Background Knowledge:
Code | Name | Teaching period | Credit Points |
---|---|---|---|
BIOL20002 | Animal Physiology and Growth | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
DASC20011 | Companion Animal Biology | Semester 1 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
BIOL20003 | Comparative Nutrition and Digestion | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
DASC20013 | Topics in Animal Health | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
ECOL20003 | Ecology | Semester 2 (On Campus - Parkville) |
12.5 |
Inherent requirements (core participation requirements)
The University of Melbourne is committed to providing students with reasonable adjustments to assessment and participation under the Disability Standards for Education (2005), and the Assessment and Results Policy (MPF1326). Students are expected to meet the core participation requirements for their course. These can be viewed under Entry and Participation Requirements for the course outlines in the Handbook.
Further details on how to seek academic adjustments can be found on the Student Equity and Disability Support website: http://services.unimelb.edu.au/student-equity/home
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Assessment
Additional details
- Written presentation (1500 words) due approximately in Week 7 (35%)
- 5-minute oral presentation due approximately in Week 12 (15%)
- 2-hour end-of-semester examination which may include essay and short-answer sections (50%)
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Dates & times
- Semester 2
Coordinator Paul Hemsworth Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours 48 hours - 24 hours of lectures, up to 12 hours tutorials and 12 hours practicals to be undertaken at Parkville and off-site Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 23 July 2018 to 21 October 2018 Last self-enrol date 3 August 2018 Census date 31 August 2018 Last date to withdraw without fail 21 September 2018 Assessment period ends 16 November 2018 Semester 2 contact information
Time commitment details
170 hours.
Last updated: 22 March 2024
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
Animal Welfare (2011). M. C. Appleby, J. A. Mench, I. A. S. Olsson and B. O. Hughes. CAB International, Oxon UK.An Introduction to Animal Behaviour. A Manning and M S Dawkins Cambridge University Press, 2012 or 1993 editions.
Understanding animal welfare: the science in its cultural context (2008). D Fraser. UFAW animal welfare series. Wiley-Blackwell.
- Subject notes
This subject involves the use of animals. Students should be aware that this is an essential part of the course and exemption from this component is not possible.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Major Agricultural Economics Major Plant and Soil Science Informal specialisation Animal Disease Biotechnology specialisation Major Animal Science and Management Major Production Animal Science Major Production Animal Health Informal specialisation Science-credited subjects - new generation B-SCI and B-ENG. Informal specialisation Selective subjects for B-BMED - Breadth options
This subject is available as breadth in the following courses:
- Available through the Community Access Program
About the Community Access Program (CAP)
This subject is available through the Community Access Program (also called Single Subject Studies) which allows you to enrol in single subjects offered by the University of Melbourne, without the commitment required to complete a whole degree.
Entry requirements including prerequisites may apply. Please refer to the CAP applications page for further information.
Last updated: 22 March 2024