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Unit of study_

AVBS3005: Animal Health and Disease

2025 unit information

The ability for animals to live a healthy and productive life free of disease is essential to sustain farming and natural animal populations. In animal health and disease you will apply principles of animal management to optimise animal health and minimise the incidence and severity of disease, based on host, pathogens and environmental interactions. You will analyse epidemiological approaches to investigate diseases in animal populations and management strategies that are frequently employed to sustain a healthy flock or herd. The management of current diseases relevant to production animals, wildlife and emergency diseases of relevance to Australia, will be explored. You will gain practical experience in the handling and health-based management of cattle, sheep and poultry, and will have the opportunity to visit farms, an animal health research facility or an animal disease diagnostics laboratory. By doing this unit you will be able to explain and justify practical approaches and procedures used to augment animal health and minimise the incidence and severity of disease. In this unit, there is a risk of exposure to zoonotic pathogens. Students should check the unit of study outline for vaccination requirements.

Unit details and rules

Managing faculty or University school:

Science

Study level Undergraduate
Academic unit Life and Environmental Sciences Academic Operations
Credit points 6
Prerequisites:
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12 credit points from (AVBS2001 or IMMU2X11 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02) or [6 credit points from (AVBS2001 or IMMU2X11 or MEDS2004 or MIMI2X02) and 6 credit points from (BIOL2XXX or MICR2XXX)]
Corequisites:
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None
Prohibitions:
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AVBS4001
Assumed knowledge:
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None

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

  • LO1. apply epidemiological principles to the investigation and control of disease in an animal population
  • LO2. identify variations from normal physiology that are indicative of a pathogen incursion or metabolic imbalance including emergency disease in animals including sheep, cattle, poultry and wildlife
  • LO3. justify animal management strategies employed to optimise animal health and reduce the incidence of disease based on a broad understanding of the physiological response of animals to infectious and non-infectious agents
  • LO4. investigate diseases of consequence to the production of wool, meat, milk, eggs and fish and, be able to explain and justify based on host, pathogen and environmental interactions, intervention strategies utilised to alleviate or prevent disease and to facilitate improved animal welfare.
  • LO5. critically evaluate and contribute to the formulation of plans for management of diseases of wildlife populations, with consideration of social, economic, ecological, livestock and human health issues
  • LO6. develop communication skills that are articulate, evidence based and appropriate for the audience, facilitating effective communication with all animal health stakeholders

Unit availability

This section lists the session, attendance modes and locations the unit is available in. There is a unit outline for each of the unit availabilities, which gives you information about the unit including assessment details and a schedule of weekly activities.

The outline is published 2 weeks before the first day of teaching. You can look at previous outlines for a guide to the details of a unit.

Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2024
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2025
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Outline unavailable
Session MoA ?  Location Outline ? 
Semester 1 2020
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Semester 1 2021
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Semester 1 2022
Normal day Remote
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Camden, Sydney
Semester 1 2023
Normal day Remote

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Modes of attendance (MoA)

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