Scienze Naturali, Scienze dei Sistemi Naturali,
Evoluzione del comportamento animale e dell’uomo

The Integrated Course (I.C.) aims to acquaint the student with:

i)     Basic knowledge to tackle working in a multidisciplinary team, and with and holistic approach, the management and the conservation of wildlife and natural resources

ii) knowledge of the main breeding systems and management of animal resources considering the wild life-domestic animals-environment interaction with a specific reference to the Developing Countries.

Explicit training  based on practical experience acquired within projects based on management and preservation of wildlife and livestock. Specific goal is to stimulate capacity-building to analyze the main livestock production systems, including the management of high impact infectious/parasitic diseases.

The Learning Objectives above-mentioned are considered adequate to reach, through an integration of practical and theoretical activities,  the outcomes outlined in the INDICATORS OF DUBLIN.

The learning activity will focus on:

i) the acquirement of technical-professional abilities to tackle with a multidisciplinary approach the management and preservation of wildlife and livestock resources including environmental matters.

ii) the capability to understand and evaluate wildlife-livestock management and preservation projects .

The I.C. includes two Learning Modules (L.M.)  L.M.  SVB0085A -HEALTH MANAGEMENT AT THE WILDLIFE/LIVESTOCK INTERFACE; LM2  SVB0085B - ANIMAL PRODUCTION IN RURAL AND PERI-HURBAN AREAS.  It offers 56 hours of lecturing giving a total of 7 CFU.

 L.M 1 Animal health problems in developing countries, with special reference to the (sub-)tropics (e.g. vector-borne diseases); Epidemiology and control of the main trans-bonboundary diseases of interest to livestock and/or wildlife  (e.g. Foot-Mouth disease, blue tongue, malignant chatharral fever); Major diseases at the interface domestic-wild animals-humans, related to public health (e.g. Rift Valley Fever, rabies); Infectious and parasitic diseases with a high impact (in terms of morbidity/mortality) on animal health, which might endanger the animal populations (e.g. mange, rabies). Seminars will be offered about: " Prevention and control programs  of the major parasitic diseases/infectious diseases common to domestic and wild animals"; "Organization and management of cooperation projects on conservation and management of wildlife heritage".

L.M.2  Project building for animal husbandry and production in Developing Countries. General principle of poultry  in Developing Countries, main feeding systems for poultry and monogastric livestock. Livestock global distribution (Cattle, Small ruminants, swine). Main livestock production systems and distribution. Urban and peri-urban livestock production a challenge and an opportunity.

The I.C  includes synergic lecturing focusing on: i). strategic approach to the international cooperation issues; ii). different projects/programs of international cooperation (bilateral, multilateral, etc.);  iii). building of  International cooperation projects.

 Lecturing includes 56 hours, of which 33 are theoretical, and 23 practical.  Specific practical work will focus on seminars, workshops, presentation and discussion of case studies.  Problem analysis and problem-solving will constitute an asset of practical work to be carried out by sub-groups of students according to the number of participants.

 The main topics will be further considered with an integrated approach during practical work sessions and analyzed in light of the case studies.

Will be determined through the presentation of a project proposal focused on wildlife-livestock- environment management and preservation (e.g. animal health and production, rural communities environment livestock interaction, wild life-livestock interaction etc. …)   

Extra activities such as tutorial support are not foreseen. 

Slides of topics considered during lecturing will be published in the site of the Course.

Some textbooks suggested: Coetzer J.A.W, Tustin R.C. (eds.) (2005). Infectious diseases of livestock- with special reference to Southern Africa.  2^nd ed. Vol. I-II-III Oxford University press, Cape Town;  Seifert H.S.H. (2000) Sanità animale in ambiente tropicale. Giraldi editore, Bologna;  Corti L.N. (1999) L’allevamento del bestiame nelle regioni tropicali. Edagricole, Bologna;   Payne W.J.A. ,  Wilson R.T. (eds.) (1999). An Introduction to Animal Husbandry in the Tropics. 5^thed.  Wiley-Blackwell.;  Webster C.C.; Wilson P.N. (1980). Agriculture in the tropics. Longman Group Ltd.

Further material will be made available at the beginning of the Course.