Outline

Overview

This unit of study provides the foundation for a career involving animals with an emphasis on livestock (cattle, sheep, pigs, fish/aquaculture and poultry), horses and wildlife. A clear understanding of animal production systems in the Australian and global environment is developed through online educational resources linked with tutorials and hands on in-field practicals. Lecture and tutorial topics will include indigenous animal management, animal husbandry, animal health and welfare, and genetics. Invited industry experts provide their vision and trends for industry alongside the career opportunities available for their respective livestock species. In-field practicals will develop capability in the handling and husbandry of animals. Tutorials will be held at the Camperdown Campus in Sydney and practicals at the Camden Campus. Risk assessments are regularly conducted for units that require the completion of compulsory learning activities that may expose students to zoonotic diseases. These assessments aim to identify appropriate risk mitigation controls, such as vaccination against vaccine- preventable zoonoses. Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this unit of study. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than week one of the enrolled teaching session. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete. Students must also submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment. Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally. Please refer to the University’s website https://www.sydney.edu.au/students/q-fever-vaccinations.html for more information on student vaccinations.

Unit details and rules

Academic unit	Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points	6
Prerequisites ?	None
Corequisites ?	None
Prohibitions ?	AGEN2006
Assumed knowledge ?	AGEN1004 or BIOL1XXX or AVBS1003
Available to study abroad and exchange students	No

Teaching staff

Coordinator	Jessica Rickard, jessica.rickard@sydney.edu.au
Demonstrator(s)	Cameron Sharpe, cameron.sharpe@sydney.edu.au
	Jeanette Lipscombe, jeanette.lipscombe@sydney.edu.au
	Paul Lipscombe, paul.lipscombe@sydney.edu.au
Lecturer(s)	Sabrina Lomax, sabrina.lomax@sydney.edu.au
	Wendy Muir, wendy.muir@sydney.edu.au
	Joy Becker, joy.becker@sydney.edu.au
	Luciano Gonzalez, luciano.gonzalez@sydney.edu.au
	Stephen Cattle, stephen.cattle@sydney.edu.au
	Sergio Garcia, sergio.garcia@sydney.edu.au
	Jaime Gongora, jaime.gongora@sydney.edu.au
	Christopher Grupen, christopher.grupen@sydney.edu.au
	Brandon Velie, brandon.velie@sydney.edu.au
	Jessica Rickard, jessica.rickard@sydney.edu.au
	Mitch Gibbs, mitchell.gibbs@sydney.edu.au
	Alice Shirley, alice.shirley@sydney.edu.au
Tutor(s)	Roslyn Bathgate, roslyn.bathgate@sydney.edu.au

Assessment

The census date for this unit availability is 1 September 2025

Details
Criteria

Type	Description	Weight	Due	Length	Use of AI
Written exam ?	Final Exam Final exam assessing content from unit of study	50%	Formal exam period	2 hours	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
Out-of-class quiz	Zoonosis Awareness module Zoonosis Awareness module A mandatory work health and safety induction online Canvas module	0%	Week 01 Due date: 04 Aug 2025 at 09:00	30 Minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
In-class quiz	Online MCQ Quiz- #Early Feedback Task Quiz examining week 1+2 lecture + biosaftey lecture content	5%	Week 03	30 minutes	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Experimental design	Presentation Plan Project plan on group presentation (due later in week 10)	5%	Week 06	2 pages	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Presentation	Livestock handling guide Presentation and plan: Marks awarded by staff, peers and group.	20%	Week 10	10 minute group presentation	AI allowed
Outcomes assessed:
Written test ?	MCQ Practical Quiz 2 short answers (week 11+12) and MCQ all practical content	20%	Week 13	1 hour	AI prohibited
Outcomes assessed:
= group assignment ? = early feedback task ?

Early feedback task

This unit includes an early feedback task, designed to give you feedback prior to the census date for this unit. Details are provided in the Canvas site and your result will be recorded in your Marks page. It is important that you actively engage with this task so that the University can support you to be successful in this unit.

Assessment summary

Livestock Handling Guide: A presentation plan is submitted (1 per group) and presentation given to the class (group of 4-5 students) on your production animal species of interest.

Online EFT quiz: Multiple choice quiz online.

MCQ Practical Quiz: 60 min MCQ quiz on content learnt in practical classes at camden

Zoonosis Awareness Module: This is an online Canvas module which provides introductory content on zoonoses—diseases transmitted from animals to humans. This module is an essential part of your work health and safety induction for practical activities requiring frequent contact with animals. It must be completed before you begin any practical activities and is mandatory for this unit of study.

Final Exam: The final exam will focus on lecture material and key concepts covered in practical classes. This assessment is compulsory and failure to attend, attempt, or submit, will result in the award of an AF grade. If a second replacement exam is required, this exam may be delivered via an alternative assessment method, such as a Viva Voce (oral exam). The alternative assessment will meet the same learning outcomes as the original exam. The format of the alternative assessment will be determined by the unit coordinator.

Detailed information for each assessment can be found on Canvas.

Assessment criteria

The University awards common result grades, set out in the Coursework Policy 2021 (Schedule 1).

As a general guide, a high distinction indicates work of an exceptional standard, a distinction a very high standard, a credit a good standard, and a pass an acceptable standard.

Result name	Mark range	Description
High distinction	85 - 100	At HD level, a student demonstrates a flair for the subject as well as a detailed and comprehensive understanding of the unit material. A ‘High Distinction’ reflects exceptional achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates the ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding to produce comprehensive critical discussions of theoretical concepts.
Distinction	75 - 84	At D level, a student demonstrates an aptitude for the subject and a well-developed understanding of the unit material. A ‘Distinction’ reflects excellent achievement and is awarded to a student who demonstrates an ability to apply their subject knowledge and understanding of the subject to produce a reasonably well-developed critical analysis of theoretical concepts.
Credit	65 - 74	At CR level, a student demonstrates a good command and knowledge of the unit material. A ‘Credit’ reflects solid achievement and is awarded to a student who has a broad general understanding of the unit material and can identify and superficially discuss theoretical concepts.
Pass	50 - 64	At P level, a student demonstrates proficiency in the unit material. A ‘Pass’ reflects satisfactory achievement and is awarded to a student who has threshold knowledge of the subject and can accurately identify key theoretical concepts.
Fail	0 - 49	When you don’t meet the learning outcomes of the unit to a satisfactory standard.

For more information see sydney.edu.au/students/guide-to-grades.

For more information see guide to grades.

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

You can use generative AI tools for open assessments. Restrictions on AI use apply to secure, supervised assessments used to confirm if students have met specific learning outcomes.

Refer to the assessment table above to see if AI is allowed, for assessments in this unit and check Canvas for full instructions on assessment tasks and AI use.

If you use AI, you must always acknowledge it. Misusing AI may lead to a breach of the Academic Integrity Policy.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Late submission

In accordance with University policy, these penalties apply when written work is submitted after 11:59pm on the due date:

Deduction of 5% of the maximum mark for each calendar day after the due date.
After ten calendar days late, a mark of zero will be awarded.

This unit has an exception to the standard University policy or supplementary information has been provided by the unit coordinator. This information is displayed below:

Penalties of 5% per day will apply for late submissions as per University Policy. Each short answer or multiple choice quiz exam will need to be conducted in the time period stipulated. Without an approved special consideration, a mark of 0 will be recorded if the exam is not submitted in this time.

Academic integrity

The University expects students to act ethically and honestly and will treat all allegations of academic integrity breaches seriously.

Our website provides information on academic integrity and the resources available to all students. This includes advice on how to avoid common breaches of academic integrity. Ensure that you have completed the Academic Honesty Education Module (AHEM) which is mandatory for all commencing coursework students

Penalties for serious breaches can significantly impact your studies and your career after graduation. It is important that you speak with your unit coordinator if you need help with completing assessments.

Visit the Current Students website for more information on AI in assessments, including details on how to acknowledge its use.

Learning support

Simple extensions

If you encounter a problem submitting your work on time, you may be able to apply for an extension of five calendar days through a simple extension.  The application process will be different depending on the type of assessment and extensions cannot be granted for some assessment types like exams.

Special consideration

If exceptional circumstances mean you can’t complete an assessment, you need consideration for a longer period of time, or if you have essential commitments which impact your performance in an assessment, you may be eligible for special consideration or special arrangements.

Special consideration applications will not be affected by a simple extension application.

Using AI responsibly

Co-created with students, AI in Education includes lots of helpful examples of how students use generative AI tools to support their learning. It explains how generative AI works, the different tools available and how to use them responsibly and productively.

Support for students

The Support for Students Policy reflects the University’s commitment to supporting students in their academic journey and making the University safe for students. It is important that you read and understand this policy so that you are familiar with the range of support services available to you and understand how to engage with them.

The University uses email as its primary source of communication with students who need support under the Support for Students Policy. Make sure you check your University email regularly and respond to any communications received from the University.

Learning resources and detailed information about weekly assessment and learning activities can be accessed via Canvas. It is essential that you visit your unit of study Canvas site to ensure you are up to date with all of your tasks.

If you are having difficulties completing your studies, or are feeling unsure about your progress, we are here to help. You can access the support services offered by the University at any time:

Support and Services (including health and wellbeing services, financial support and learning support)
Course planning and administration
Meet with an Academic Adviser

Weekly schedule

WK	Topic	Learning activity
Week 01	Welcome and Introduction to AVBS1002	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 01	Farm Biosecurity and WHS	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 02	Soil Week	Lecture (1 hr)
	Soil Week	Lecture (2 hr)
	Please see Practical timetable on Canvas. Students are divided into 10 groups which rotate around 7 practical topics between weeks 3-9 of S2. Each practical rotation is 3hours in duration. - Sheep - Aquaculture - Soil to Pasture - Pigs - Poultry - Dairy - Beef	Practical (3 hr)
Week 03	Feed and Environment Week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 03	Feed and Environment Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 04	Sheep Week	Lecture (1 hr)
	Drop in session, Q+A, EFT, feedback on assessment	Online class (1 hr)
	Sheep Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 05	Dairy week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 05	Dairy Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 06	Beef Week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 06	Beef Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 07	Poultry week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 07	Poultry Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 08	Pig week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 08	Pig Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 09	Equine week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 09	Equine Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 10	Wildlife week	Lecture (1 hr)
	Drop in session, Q+A, advice for presentations	Online class (1 hr)
	Wildlife Week Incursion around USyd to conduct a biodiversity survey	Lecture and tutorial (2 hr)
Week 11	Indigenous Animal Management Week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 11	Indigenous systems Week + panel of visiting Elders	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 12	Aquaculture week	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 12	Aquaculture Week	Lecture (2 hr)
Week 13	Industry Job Forum	Lecture (1 hr)
Week 13	UoS Summary, feedback and exam prep	Lecture (1 hr)

Attendance and class requirements

Students are expected to participate in at least 80% of the timetabled activities for all units of study in their degree, unless granted an exemption by the Associate Dean. To meet the learning outcomes of this Unit of Study, students are required to attend a minimum of 5 of the 7 practical classes as defined in the unit of study outline. Attendance will be recorded on the day. A student may fail this unit of study where inadequate attendance results in learning outcomes not being met.

Study commitment

Typically, there is a minimum expectation of 1.5-2 hours of student effort per week per credit point for units of study offered over a full semester. For a 6 credit point unit, this equates to roughly 120-150 hours of student effort in total.

Required readings

Reading resources below:

The Agskills series of booklets, published by the NSW Department of Primary Industries.

Books – Tagged "Agskills"– Regional NSW

Titles include:

Farm AgSkills #B113

Beef AgSkills # B105

Goat AgSkills # B108

Pastures AgSkills # B110

Sheep AgSkills # B111

Anderson, R. S. and Edney, A.T.B. (1991). Practical Animal Handling. Pergamon Press.
Battaglia,R.C (2002) Handbook of Livestock management Prentice Hall.
Cottle, DJ ed. (1991). Australian Sheep and Wool Handbook. Inkata Press.
Gardner, JAA et al ed. (1990). Pig Production in Australia. 2nd edn. Butterworths.
Malcolm B, Sale P, Leury B & Barlow S (2009) Agriculture in Australia: an introduction. 2nd edition. Oxford University Press.
North M.O. and Bell,D. (1990). Commercial Chicken Production Manual. 4th edition. Heinemann.
Reid R.L. (1990). A Manual of Australian Agriculture. 5th edition.
POULTRY RESOURCES
Jordon, FTW, and Pattison, M (1996) Poultry Diseases. 4th edition. WB Saunders, London
Moreng, RE and Avens, JS (1985) Poultry Science and Production. Reston Publishing, Virginia
Nowland, WJ (1978) Modern Poultry Management in Australia. Rigby, Sydney
Rose, SP (1997) Principles of Poultry Science. CAB International, UK
PIG RESOURCES
English, PR, Smith, WJ and MacLean, A. (1977) ‘The Sow – improving her efficiency’, Farming Press, Ipswich, Suffolk.
Ensminger, ME and Parker, RO (1984) ‘Swine Science’, The interstate Printers, Danville, Illinois.
Gardner, JAA, Dunkin, AC and Lloyd, LC (1990) ‘Pig production in Australia, Butterworths, Sydney.
Whittemore, C (1993) ‘The science and practice of Pig Production’, Longman Scientific & Technical, London.

Recommended

For excellent and inexpensive help with written English:

Strunk, W. and White, E.B. (2002) The Elements of Style. 4th edition, Longman Publishers.

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes are what students know, understand and are able to do on completion of a unit of study. They are aligned with the University's graduate qualities and are assessed as part of the curriculum.

Outcomes
Graduate qualities

At the completion of this unit, you should be able to:

LO1. Describe the management system of the major domestic species used within agriculture, focusing on nutrition & feeding, breeding, housing and welfare
LO2. Demonstrate an appreciation of the dependence of animals upon a diverse and sustainable ecosystem, considering the impact of soils, climate and species biodiversity
LO3. Critically evaluate the merits of husbandry practices and recent innovations that have been adopted by animal production industries to retain their competitive advantage
LO4. Understand the traditional animal management practices used by indigenous communities and consider how these could be incorporated today, ensuring sustainable animal production in our industries
LO5. Demonstrate a solid understanding of the practical skills needed for the handling and husbandry of major livestock production species

Graduate qualities

The graduate qualities are the qualities and skills that all University of Sydney graduates must demonstrate on successful completion of an award course. As a future Sydney graduate, the set of qualities have been designed to equip you for the contemporary world.

GQ1	Depth of disciplinary expertise Deep disciplinary expertise is the ability to integrate and rigorously apply knowledge, understanding and skills of a recognised discipline defined by scholarly activity, as well as familiarity with evolving practice of the discipline.
GQ2	Critical thinking and problem solving Critical thinking and problem solving are the questioning of ideas, evidence and assumptions in order to propose and evaluate hypotheses or alternative arguments before formulating a conclusion or a solution to an identified problem.
GQ3	Oral and written communication Effective communication, in both oral and written form, is the clear exchange of meaning in a manner that is appropriate to audience and context.
GQ4	Information and digital literacy Information and digital literacy is the ability to locate, interpret, evaluate, manage, adapt, integrate, create and convey information using appropriate resources, tools and strategies.
GQ5	Inventiveness Generating novel ideas and solutions.
GQ6	Cultural competence Cultural Competence is the ability to actively, ethically, respectfully, and successfully engage across and between cultures. In the Australian context, this includes and celebrates Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, knowledge systems, and a mature understanding of contemporary issues.
GQ7	Interdisciplinary effectiveness Interdisciplinary effectiveness is the integration and synthesis of multiple viewpoints and practices, working effectively across disciplinary boundaries.
GQ8	Integrated professional, ethical, and personal identity An integrated professional, ethical and personal identity is understanding the interaction between one’s personal and professional selves in an ethical context.
GQ9	Influence Engaging others in a process, idea or vision.

Outcome map

Learning outcomes	Graduate qualities
Learning outcomes

Responding to student feedback

This section outlines changes made to this unit following staff and student reviews.

Subjects are now delivered by species rather than major topic - helps with flow and learning to group this way.

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Risk assessments are regularly conducted for units that require the completion of compulsory learning activities that may expose students to zoonotic diseases. These assessments aim to identify appropriate risk mitigation controls, such as vaccination against vaccine- preventable zoonoses.

Vaccination against Q fever (Coxiella burnetii) is an inherent requirement for students enrolling in this unit of study. Students must be vaccinated against Q fever before commencing the unit or no later than week one of the enrolled teaching session. Q fever vaccination is only available in Australia with the vaccination process taking three weeks to complete.

Students must also submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration upon enrolment.

Students who fail to receive vaccination by the specified deadline and/or submit a Q fever Vaccination Declaration are precluded from practical learning activities and will not be able to satisfactorily complete relevant units of study and/or progress in their course more generally.

Please refer to the University’s website here for more information on student vaccinations.

Disclaimer

The University reserves the right to amend units of study or no longer offer certain units, including where there are low enrolment numbers.

To help you understand common terms that we use at the University, we offer an online glossary.

Current students

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links

AVBS1002: Animal Management

Semester 2, 2025 [Normal day] - Camperdown/Darlington, Sydney

Overview

Overview

Unit details and rules

Teaching staff

Assessment

Assessment

Early feedback task

Assessment summary

Assessment criteria

Use of generative artificial intelligence (AI)

Late submission

Academic integrity

Learning support

Learning support

Simple extensions

Special consideration

Using AI responsibly

Support for students

Weekly schedule

Weekly schedule

Attendance and class requirements

Study commitment

Required readings

Learning outcomes

Learning outcomes

Graduate qualities

Outcome map

Responding to student feedback

Responding to student feedback

Additional information

Additional information

Work, health and safety

Disclaimer

On this page

Useful links