ANIMAL NUTRITION - 2025/6

Module Overview

In this module you will study the essential micro and macronutrients for animals and understand how feedstuff is evaluated. You will also study the different forms of forage that are available and how they influence feed consumption.

Furthermore, you will study the species specific anatomical and physiological differences relevant to animal nutrition.

Using lab-based ration programmes, you will be able to apply your knowledge to formulate diets across the species. The module will also introduce the basic principles of veterinary toxicology and veterinary pharmacology and how these influence companion animal and commercial livestock production.

Module provider

School of Biosciences

Module Leader

SELEMETAS Nick (Biosciences)

Number of Credits: 15

ECTS Credits: 7.5

Framework: FHEQ Level 5

Module cap (Maximum number of students): N/A

Module Availability

Semester 2

Prerequisites / Co-requisites

None

Module content

Indicative content includes:

Topic           

•          Introduction and Macronutrients

•          Vitamins and Minerals

•          Digestive anatomy and physiology: ruminants and non-ruminants

•          Feedstuff evaluation: digestibility, energy, protein

•           Forage: forms, intake and feed consumption

•           Feeding patterns: daily rhythms and behaviour

•           Feed additives: growth and immune boosting, antimicrobial

•           Feeding standards: maintenance and growth, reproduction/lactation

•           The use of computer programmes in animal nutrition

•           Nutrition and feeding of cattle and sheep

•           Nutrition, feeding and health of poultry

•           Equine nutrition

•           Nutrition for companion animals (dogs, cats)

•           Assessment: Individual presentation

•           Antimicrobials – veterinary considerations – to include resistance, withdrawal times

•           Antiparasitics – ectoparasites and helminths - to include resistance, withdrawal times

•           Growth promoters (rationale, problems, types of drug used)

•           Doping – horses and other species

•           Basic principles of toxicology (acute vs chronic, eating habits, role of metabolism, principles of therapy)

•           Agrochemical poisoning – herbicides, insecticides

•           Food toxicology: a veterinary perspective

Assessment pattern

Alternative Assessment

N/A

Assessment Strategy

The assessment strategy is designed to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate:

A detailed knowledge of the nutrition of companion and livestock species using a variety of assessment methods. 
 

Thus, the summative assessment for this module consists of:

· Coursework, 35%, 1500 word article - Deadline teaching week 7 (addresses LOs 1, 2, 3, 6, 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14 and 15)

· Exam, 65%, 15mins Video Presentation (within 24 hour window) - Exam period (addresses LOs 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 14 and 15)

Formative assessment

Students will have the opportunity to submit an article for formative peer assessment during timetabled sessions. Also, a pre presentation and writing training session will be available.

 

 Feedback

Students will receive written and/or verbal from peers during the formative peer assessment sessions. Extensive written feedback will be provided individually to students on their summative coursework. Throughout the module verbal feedback will be provided to students by lecturers based on their understanding of the teaching material. Finally, some generic feedback will be provided on the exam presentations to help students identify the strengths and weaknesses of their exam performance.

Module aims

• This module aims to provide an overview of the principles of animal nutrition and explain the basic principles of veterinary toxicology and veterinary pharmacology

Learning outcomes

Methods of Teaching / Learning

The learning and teaching strategy is designed to:

Provide students with an understanding of the important role of nutrition in livestock production and animal health, focusing on principles of nutrient requirements and metabolism, and major classes of animal feedstuffs.

Furthermore, the teaching and learning strategy aims to develop independent thinking, analytical skills, and written and oral presentations skills.

Indicated Lecture Hours (which may also include seminars, tutorials, workshops and other contact time) are approximate and may include in-class tests where one or more of these are an assessment on the module. In-class tests are scheduled/organised separately to taught content and will be published on to student personal timetables, where they apply to taken modules, as soon as they are finalised by central administration. This will usually be after the initial publication of the teaching timetable for the relevant semester.

Reading list

https://readinglists.surrey.ac.uk
Upon accessing the reading list, please search for the module using the module code: BMS2054

Other information

Resourcefulness & resilience

Literature search using online databases and resources, e.g. textbooks, peer-reviewed journal papers

Round table discussion with external speakers that improve students’ understanding of material in preparation for exams

Global & cultural capabilities

Lectures delivered by a broad range of speakers with diverse backgrounds: UK or international speakers, veterinarians, animal scientists, and researchers

Sustainability

The role of production animals in sustainability and food production and an open forum with specialists to re-enforce students’ learning about sustainable production.

Digital capabilities

Use of various software for online interaction and review of content.

High content of digital external resources to support lectures and use of feed formulation package BalanceIT for checking raw food diets for pets

Employability

Module designed to meet employers’ expectations towards self-learning ability, critical analysis, problem-solving, scientific writing and presentation skills

Externals working at various professional bodies and institutions providing information to students about potential job opportunities

Programmes this module appears in

Please note that the information detailed within this record is accurate at the time of publishing and may be subject to change. This record contains information for the most up to date version of the programme / module for the 2025/6 academic year.