MMB8055 : Practical Aspects of Animal Welfare
- Offered for Year: 2024/25
- Module Leader(s): Dr Colline Poirier
- Lecturer: Dr Helen Gray, Dr Carmen Hubbard, Dr Johnny Roughan, Dr Theresa Rueger, Professor Lucy Asher, Dr Matthew Leach, Dr Fritha Langford
- Deputy Module Leader: Dr Jessica Martin
- Owning School: Biomedical, Nutritional and Sports Scien
- Teaching Location: Newcastle City Campus
Semesters
Your programme is made up of credits, the total differs on programme to programme.
| Semester 1 Credit Value: | 20 |
| ECTS Credits: | 10.0 |
| European Credit Transfer System | |
Aims
This module aims to provide students with an in-depth understanding of the practical aspects of animal welfare assessment. It will discuss how to assess the welfare of various animal species, including laboratory (rodents and non-human primates), farm (poultry, pigs and ungulates), companion (cats and dogs) and wild animals; and what are the outstanding research questions regarding these different groups. The students will develop skills in the design and conduct of behavioural-based animal welfare studies and will gain training in the skills that underpin the techniques used to assess animal welfare, including those using cutting-edge technologies.
Outline Of Syllabus
This module consists of a series of lectures and practical demonstrations that cover how to assess the welfare of various groups of animals. It will include practical sessions in welfare assessment in cows, rodents and/or cats, as well as in the use of behavioural informatics to quantify behavioural indicators of welfare.
This module will cover a range of topics which may include:
• Humane killing of animals
• How advancing technology is revolutionizing the assessment of animal welfare
• Animal welfare and social sciences
• Clinical pain assessment
• Welfare assessment of laboratory rodents
• Welfare assessment of laboratory primates
• Welfare assessment of poultry and pigs
• Welfare assessment of farmed livestock (cow/sheep)
• Companion animal behavioural therapy
• Welfare assessment of fish
• Welfare assessment of wild animals
Teaching Methods
Teaching Activities
| Category | Activity | Number | Length | Student Hours | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 35:00 | 35:00 | Analysis and presentation of behavioural informatics data (Poster) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Lecture | 13 | 2:00 | 26:00 | Present in person (PIP): 2 hr lectures |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 30:00 | 30:00 | Analysis and Writing up of Welfare assessment (Case study) |
| Guided Independent Study | Assessment preparation and completion | 1 | 25:00 | 25:00 | Design and Data collection for Welfare assessment (Case study) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Present in person (PIP): Practical exercise (Behavioural informatics) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Practical | 1 | 3:00 | 3:00 | Present in person (PIP): Practical exercise 1 (welfare assessment) |
| Scheduled Learning And Teaching Activities | Small group teaching | 1 | 2:00 | 2:00 | Synchronous online: 2 hr seminars |
| Guided Independent Study | Reflective learning activity | 1 | 28:00 | 28:00 | Additional Reading and Reflective Learning |
| Guided Independent Study | Independent study | 1 | 48:00 | 48:00 | Preparing notes from lectures, seminars and reading |
| Total | 200:00 |
Teaching Rationale And Relationship
The module intersperses lectures to develop the scientific knowledge of students and practical sessions, structured around between-peers practical exercises, aiming to develop their research skills. Lectures will mix non-interactive components with interactive ones such as discussions, between-peers practical exercises polls and quizzes, since they are recognised to promote deeper learning.
Assessment Methods
The format of resits will be determined by the Board of Examiners
Other Assessment
| Description | Semester | When Set | Percentage | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Case study | 1 | M | 60 | Design, implementation, analysis & reporting of a behaviour- based welfare assessment in a species of the students’ choice 2000 words |
| Poster | 1 | M | 40 | Analysis and Reporting behavioural informatics welfare data in a poster |
Formative Assessments
Formative Assessment is an assessment which develops your skills in being assessed, allows for you to receive feedback, and prepares you for being assessed. However, it does not count to your final mark.
| Description | Semester | When Set | Comment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | Welfare assessment practical - students will receive feedback during the session. |
| Practical/lab report | 1 | M | Behavioural Informatics practical - students will receive feedback during the session. |
Assessment Rationale And Relationship
The welfare assessment practical will feature training on welfare assessment through video recording or in situ observation of animals, which the students will have the opportunity to put into practice. Their ability to assess welfare will be assessed informally through discussion at both an individual and group level. This discussion will include feedback on their ability to assess welfare and how this could be improved.
A similar approach will be used in the second formative assessment, focusing on the ability of the students to use behavioural welfare indicators.
Summative assessments will include one welfare assessment, assessing the key skills of designing (i.e. determining the most appropriate measurement indices), conducting an assessment, analysing and presenting data in a clear way to a broad scientific audience, and critically discussing the strengths and limitations of the assessment. The second assessment will build upon the second practical and will assess the ability of students to design a scientific poster on behavioural informatics data.
Reading Lists
Timetable
- Timetable Website: www.ncl.ac.uk/timetable/
- MMB8055's Timetable