Handbook home
Animal Welfare (ANSC90007)
Graduate courseworkPoints: 12.5On Campus (Parkville)
To learn more, visit 2023 Course and subject delivery.
About this subject
- Overview
- Eligibility and requirements
- Assessment
- Dates and times
- Further information
- Timetable(opens in new window)
Contact information
May
Overview
Availability | May |
---|---|
Fees | Look up fees |
On completion of the subject, students should have 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 animals in modern livestock production systems and other captive animal settings.
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- 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
- Codes of practice for the welfare of livestock and welfare solutions
This subject runs in alternate years.
Intended learning outcomes
On completion of this subject, students should be able to:
- Outline the systems regulating body function and the behavioural and physiological responses utilised by animals in responding to environmental change
- Compare and contrast the concepts of animal welfare, and the scientific approaches used to assess animal welfare
- Identify the main welfare issues confronting animals in modern livestock production systems and other captive animal settings
- Outline current debate about animal usage and animal welfare, and the ethical problems concerning animal welfare
- Assess the welfare of animals in captivity
- Provide sound science-based advice on animal welfare practices to industry, interest groups and the public
Generic skills
- A profound respect for truth, intellectual and professional integrity, and the ethics of scholarship
- Develop problem solving skills, sharpen analytic skills
- Capacity for independent critical thought, rational inquiry and self-directed learning and research
- Develop the ability to work as a team member
- An ability to derive, interpret and analyse social, technical or economic information from primary and other sources
- Awareness of and ability to utilise appropriate communication technology and methods for the storage, management and analysis of data
- Capacity for creativity and innovation, through the application of skills and knowledge
- Highly developed computer - based skills to allow for effective online learning and communication
- Highly developed written communication skills to allow informed dialogue with individuals and groups from industry, government and the community
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Eligibility and requirements
Prerequisites
None
Corequisites
None
Non-allowed subjects
None
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: 10 November 2023
Assessment
Description | Timing | Percentage |
---|---|---|
Assignment due within two weeks after the delivery period
| 2 Weeks after the end of teaching | 35% |
6 group presentations during the delivery period up to an equivalent of 15 minutes per student
| During the teaching period | 35% |
Individual presentation and a written abstract (500 words) due in the final week of the delivery period
| End of the teaching period | 30% |
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Dates & times
- May
Principal coordinator Lauren Hemsworth Mode of delivery On Campus (Parkville) Contact hours Up to 45 hours of lectures/practicals/tutorials Total time commitment 170 hours Teaching period 8 May 2023 to 26 May 2023 Last self-enrol date 11 May 2023 Census date 19 May 2023 Last date to withdraw without fail 9 June 2023 Assessment period ends 18 June 2023 May contact information
Time commitment details
Including non-contact time: 170 hours
Last updated: 10 November 2023
Further information
- Texts
Prescribed texts
N/A
Recommended texts and other resources
- Broom, D.M. and Fraser, A.F. (2015) Domestic Animal Behaviour and Welfare. 5th Edition CABI
- Broom, D.M. and Johnson, K.G. (1993) Stress & Animal Welfare, Chapman & Hill
- Appleby, M.C., Mench, J.A., Olsson, I.A.S. and Hughes, B.O. (2011) Animal Welfare, 2nd Edition CABI
- Subject notes
This subject involves the use of animals. Students should be aware that this is an essential part of the subject and exemption from this component is not possible.
- Related Handbook entries
This subject contributes to the following:
Type Name Course Graduate Diploma in Agricultural Sciences Course Graduate Certificate in Agricultural Sciences Informal specialisation Master of Agricultural Sciences - Elective Subjects Specialisation (formal) Animal Science - 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.
- Available to Study Abroad and/or Study Exchange Students
This subject is available to students studying at the University from eligible overseas institutions on exchange and study abroad. Students are required to satisfy any listed requirements, such as pre- and co-requisites, for enrolment in the subject.
Last updated: 10 November 2023