Biology of lactation
between reproduction, nutrition, behavior and lactation, including effects of lactation on the lactating animal.
Information from the course leader
CHANGE OF ROOM for the course start
The course introduction tomorrow (mandatory) will be in Loftets hörsal, which is the large auditorium at Loftet. We start at 09:15 sharp, please start early enough to be sure to find the room in time!
Best regards from
Sigrid
Welcome to biology of lactation!
The course starts on Sept 28th at 09:15 at Loftet (Ultuna Campus), in the flat seating area that has windows facing the Ultuna student union building. The course start is mandatory, it is very important that you attend since we will introduce the teaching and learning model used in the course. The second day of the course you will get an overview of the science area of the course by going to a PhD dissertation in the field. This will take place in Audhumbla and you will be in the auditorium together with scientists at the Faculty and from other Universities. In addition to an overview of this scientific field you will learn how a PhD-thesis is evaluated at SLU. On the following Monday there is again a mandatory activity.
The course schedule is available at the schedule link. Please note that the course uses a flipped classroom design and you need to plan for full days of studying to keep up with the course, even if there are few activities in the schedule. Also, we may be able to add one or two teaching activities, therefore we ask you to please check in here again a couple of weeks before the course starts to see if the schedule is updated.
We also want to inform you that your participation in the course requires access to the text book “Physiology of domestic animals” by Sjaastad et al., 3rd edition https://scanvetpress.com/. If you do not already have it you may be able to borrow it from the library or another student. It is also possible to buy the book and we are convinced you will find it very useful both for your studies and future career. Last but not least you need access to a computer and a good quality internet connection. If you do not have this at home you need to plan to study using computers or the network on campus. If you are well set up at home you will be able to do a lot of the work in the course from home.
We look forward to seeing you in the end of September!
/Anna Edvardsson Rasmussen (Course leader) and Sigrid Agenäs (Examiner)
Course evaluation
The course evaluation is now closed
HV0194-10063 - Course evaluation report
Once the evaluation is closed, the course coordinator and student representative have 1 month to draft their comments. The comments will be published in the evaluation report.
Additional course evaluations for HV0194
Academic year 2022/2023
Biology of lactation (HV0194-10262)
2022-09-29 - 2022-10-31
Academic year 2021/2022
Biology of lactation (HV0194-10015)
2021-09-30 - 2021-11-01
Syllabus and other information
Syllabus
HV0194 Biology of lactation, 7.5 Credits
LaktationsbiologiSubjects
Animal Science Biology Animal science BiologyEducation cycle
Master’s levelModules
| Title | Credits | Code |
|---|---|---|
| Biology of lactation | 7.5 | 0102 |
Advanced study in the main field
Second cycle, has only first-cycle course/s as entry requirementsMaster’s level (A1N)
Grading scale
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.
Language
EnglishPrior knowledge
150 credits at first cycle level, of which• 60 credits biology or
• 60 credits animal science or
• 60 credits equine science or
• 60 credits veterinary nursing or veterinary medicine or
• 60 credits agricultural sciences of which at least 30 credits animal and dairy science/zoology
Objectives
The aim of the course is to provide in-depth knowledge of factors that affect milk production and interactions
between reproduction, nutrition, behavior and lactation, including effects of lactation on the lactating animal.
After completing the course, the student should be able to:
describe the development, anatomy and physiology of the mammary gland and surrounding tissue, including the physiology of lactation,
explain how the quality and process characteristics of the milk can be affected by management, feeding and milking routines and the impact of the genotype on the composition and quality of the milk,
give examples of interactions between reproduction and lactation,
explain the milk ejection reflex, describe its significance for the possibility of emptying the mammary gland and describe in detail different steps in lactation and in milking routines, describe in detail how a milking machine works and describe the interaction between animals, humans and technology regarding milking,
give examples of the most common pathogens and pathological changes affecting lactating udders and describe metabolic disease states that are linked to lactation,
describe and propose different forms of methodology analysis used for quality determination of milk,
on the basis of biological knowledge, assess and evaluate milking techniques, routines and care adjacent to milking to achieve optimal production, milk raw material and animal health and discuss the impact on the sustainability of milk production from a social, economic and ecological perspective,
discuss and summarize scientific studies in lactation biology.
Content
The course content is udder anatomy, udder physiology, milk formation, milk extraction, udder health, care routines, milking technology, milking equipment and genetics. In addition, the composition of the milk is treated as an effect of feeding, milking and management routines as well as breeding, milk chemistry and milk analyses.
The course makes comparisons between different milk-producing animal species, such as cattle, water buffalo, goats, sheep and camels. The course is further based on basic knowledge mainly in cell biology, physiology and nutrition, but ethology, animal welfare, food science, production systems, sustainability and interaction between humans, animals and technology are also included.
The course compares different mammalian species, including humans, regarding lactation, but cows, sheep and goats are given the most space. During the first part of the course, the different topics will be covered in lectures, exercises and demonstrations. At the end of the course, the student works on a project/thesis.
Within the course the following general skills is trained: critical thinking, scientific communication and oral presentation
Grading form
The grade requirements within the course grading system are set out in specific criteria. These criteria must be available by the course start at the latest.Formats and requirements for examination
Passed written and oral examination. Passed participation in compulsory course modules.
If a student has failed an examination, the examiner has the right to issue supplementary assignments. This applies if it is possible and there are grounds to do so.
The examiner can provide an adapted assessment to students entitled to study support for students with disabilities following a decision by the university. Examiners may also issue an adapted examination or provide an alternative way for the students to take the exam.
If this syllabus is withdrawn, SLU may introduce transitional provisions for examining students admitted based on this syllabus and who have not yet passed the course.
For the assessment of an independent project (degree project), the examiner may also allow a student to add supplemental information after the deadline for submission. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Other information
The right to participate in teaching and/or supervision only applies for the course instance the student was admitted to and registered on.
If there are special reasons, students are entitled to participate in components with compulsory attendance when the course is given again. Read more in the Education Planning and Administration Handbook.
Additional information
It is recommended that the student has basic knowledge in cell biology and physiology.Responsible department
Department of Animal Nutrition and Management
Cooperating departments:
Further information
Litterature list
- Physiology of domestic animals Författare: Sjaastad et al ISBN: 978-82-91743-41-7 [Physiology of domestic animals] (https://www.scanvetpress.com) Kommentar: Chapters 4, 6, 15, 19 should be read/repeated before the start of the course since they provide important background knowledge for this course.
- Physiology of domestic animals Författare: Sjaastad et al ISBN: 978-82-91743-41-7 [Physiology of domestic animals] (https://www.scanvetpress.com/) Kommentar: Course literature (will be examined in the course) includes all of chapter 20 and parts of chapters 7, 15, 16, 18 and 19.
- Scientific papers Kommentar: The main part of the course literature is a collection of scientific papers and book chapters that are provided in digital format in Canvas during the course.