Synopses of Departmental courses

 

APH 202: INTRODUCTION TO ANIMAL AGRICULTURE (3 Units)

The role of livestock in national economy. Livestock breeds and distribution in Nigeria, livestock management systems including feeding, housing, rearing etc. Introduction to Animal Breeding. Element of climate and effect of climate on animal production. Introduction to animal health and diseases. Introduction to livestock products and by-products. Record keeping on livestock farms. Common animal husbandry terminologies

Practical: Identification of different livestock species and breeds, common livestock parasites and livestock parasites and livestock products and by-products.

 

APH 301:  RUMINANT ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND HUSBANDRY (3 Units)

Cattle production, problems and prospects in Nigeria. Indigenous and exotic breeds of beef and dairy cattle. Dairy and beef production systems. Dairy and beef production enterprises. Sheep and goat production – breeds, management systems, feeding for growth, production and housing. Common diseases and control in cattle, sheep and goats. Marketing of animals and their products. Methods of ageing in animals. Common farm operations, handling and control of animals.

Practical: Visit to cattle, sheep and goat farms to study various management practices and disease control measures. Live animal handling and control. Animal marking and identification methods.

 

APH 302: NON-RUMINANT ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND HUSBANDRY
(3 Units)

Poultry production – problems and prospects. Management systems: management of broilers, layers and cockerels. Management of ducks and turkeys. Diseases and control. Hatchery enterprises. Factors affecting hatchery enterprises. Marketing and record keeping. Pig production – problems and prospects. Management systems: management of pregnant sows, piglets, growers, gilts, breeding sows and boars. Diseases and control. Planning production targets: record targets and record keeping. Pig production enterprise. Rabbit production – problems and prospects. Management systems: management of pregnant does, litters, growers, breeding does and bucks. Diseases and control. Planning production targets: record targets and record keeping. Rabbit production enterprise.
Practical: Visit to poultry, piggery and rabbit farms as well as hatcheries.

 

APH 403:  LIVESTOCK DISEASES AND CONTROL (3 Units)

Disease causing organisms – bacteria, virus, fungi, protozoa etc. Symptoms, diagnosis, treatment and control of common livestock diseases. Life cycle of parasites. Principles of parasite control, immune system of the body. Care of sick animal – isolation, quarantine and culling. Simple animal operations – castration, dehorning, drenching, drug administration. Public health, significance of animal diseases and common zoonotic diseases.

 

APH 505:  ANIMAL PRODUCTS AND BY-PRODUCTS ( 3 Units)

Pre-slaughter handling of different farm animals. Slaughtering methods, dressing and postmortem changes in meat. Meat quality. Methods of meat preservation. Processing of abattoir by-products. Meat inspection and grading. Meat processing – bacon, sausage etc. Meat hygiene. Milk products and processing e.g. ice-cream, butter, yoghurt, cheese etc. Egg quality, handling, storage and grading. Animal by-products, blood, hooves, faeces and their uses. Hides and skin processing- flaying, curing, tanning. Hides and skin utilization.

Practical: Production of meat ,egg and milk products in the laboratory. Visit to abattoir and dressing lines.

 

APH 506: DAIRY PRODUCTION (3 Units)

A survey of dairy industry in Nigeria. Production systems and breeds used in dairy production. Management of dairy animals. Physiology of milk production. Feeding of dairy animals. Dairy chemistry. Specific diseases of dairy animals. Establishment and maintenance of a dairy enterprise.

Practical: Visit to a well-established dairy. Practice milking. Practicals on dairy microbiology.

 

APH 508: HATCHERY TECHNOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT (3 Units)

Establishment of hatchery and layout of infrastructure. Management of breeders with particular reference to nutrition and health. Major factors affecting fertility of eggs. Prevention of trans-ovarian diseases in breeders. Egg formation in female reproductive tract, egg abnormalities. Physical characteristics of hatch-able eggs. Pre-incubation care of hatch-able eggs. Incubation periods in poultry species. Incubator types and hatchery sanitation. Ventilation, temperature and humidity regulation in an incubator. Egg candling and turning. Embryonic development and mortality. Major factors influencing hatchability of eggs. Sexing and marketing of chicks. Brooding and management of chicks. Hatchery waste management.

Practical: Incubation of hatchable eggs using departmental table-top incubators. Visit to commercial hatchery.

 

APH 509: BEEF ANIMAL PRODUCTION (2 Units)

Prospects and problems of beef industry in Nigeria. Sources of beef animals. Brief review of beef production systems. Factors to consider in establishing beef herd/industry. Grazing methods, uses and problems. Factors affecting beef quality. Mating methods in beef herd. Cost of beef production. Health problems in beef production.