About this course

The course VET362 Herd Health and Production Medicine, including Nutrition, provides students with knowledge of how to carry out preventive herd health medicine, as well as knowledge of nutrition in all animal species.

Herd Health and Production Medicine is a method of optimizing health, animal welfare and sustainable production in an animal population. We do this through systematic analysis of relevant data and through regular objective observations of the animals and their environment. With this background, we can arrive at well-founded decisions to adjust and improve the herd over time and when acute population illnesses occur. 

The course gives an introduction to the methods veterinarians use in herd health medicine, and will prepare for the more applied teaching given in Level 3 of the study plan. Central to the teaching will be understanding how to conduct a herd visit to obtain the information you need, and also understand why Herd Health and Production Medicine and nutrition are important for sustainable production.

The course provides a basic introduction to nutrition from a herd health perspective, with a focus on the nutritional needs of different animal species (production animals, horses, small animals (dogs and cats)) and factors that affect feed and water uptake as part of systematic herd health management. Furthermore, a brief introduction to feed production and feed quality, as well as the veterinarian's role in interaction with feed suppliers and other relevant actors in herd health management, is given.

Learning outcome

Learning outcome: After completing the course, the students should have knowledge of what Herd Health and Production Medicine is, and understand how principles of Herd Health and Production Medicine are used to improve health, welfare, productivity and contribute to the sustainable production of the common livestock species, including farmed fish, in Norway. In addition, students will understand and apply knowledge in nutrition in both companion and production animals, in order to give advice on proper nutrition to pet owners.  

Skills: After completing the course, students should know how to prepare for a herd visit, and they have acquired sufficient skills to carry out objective observation on the health and welfare status of a population. In addition, the students should be able to use digital tools to handle data related to Herd Health and Production Medicine and nutrition. 

General competence: Understand how systematic review relevant data and regular objective observations of animals and their environment can solve complex problems related to health and nutrition challenges in an animal population. 

The following D1C will be covered in the course, in whole or in part

 1.5, 1.6, 1.7, 1.8, 1.11, 1.16, 1.21, 1.26, 1.38

  • Learning activities

    Varied teaching with an increasing academic level is planned throughout the course. The weeks are divided between organized teaching and working on assignments under one's own responsibility. A herd health problem will be handed out at the beginning of the course, which the students will work on in groups throughout the course (assignment). Theoretical teaching is given as lectures and group assignments as a general rule. Practical teaching includes a trip to Western Norway (1 week) to learn more about fish farming, as well as herd visits, among other things, practical training for how to enhance reproduction numbers in cattle.

  • Syllabus

    An overview of the literature and learning objectives will be given in Canvas 

  • Prerequisites

    The course is only for veterinary students and assumes that the student satisfies the progression requirements described in the study description.

  • Recommended prerequisites

    The course is only for veterinary students and assumes that the student satisfies the progression requirements described in the study description.

  • Assessment method

    Oral group exam, but individual assessment during the exam based on active participation in the discussion and achievement of learning outcomes. Pass/Not passed

  • About use of AI

    AI can be used in the course, but it is not possible to use support materials in the exam. Follow NMBU guidelines.

    Descriptions of AI-category codes.

  • Examiner scheme

    Two internal examiner will be used for the oral group exam. The exam will be evaluated by an external sensor

  • Mandatory activity

    Parts of the teaching are subject to compulsory attendance. Alternative arrangements are only offered in the event of documented valid absence and to the extent that this is considered professionally justifiable. In the event of extensive absence, this may still mean that the activity will have to be retaken next year, even if the absence is valid. The course will not yild any ECT until alternative arrangement or retake has been academically approved and the exam has been passed.

    Lectures are normally not mandatory, unless specifically stated in the Canvas room. Due to the rising academic level of the course, we recommend that you follow as many lectures as possible.

    Compulsory parts of the course include:

    • Presentations during the group assignment (see Canvas)
    • All excursions (For example, trip to Western Norway and visit to barns, see canvas for further information)
    • 2 Canvas tests that must be approved to get credits
    • Submitted group assignment and peer-to-peer assessments of another assignment must be approved to get credits (see Canvas for details)

  • Notes

    During fieldwork, it is important that everyone is aware of the risk of injury when handling animals and equipment