Facilitating vertical integration of knowledge from animal physiology to farm system level

Abstract

We describe a teaching methodology evolved over 25 years for taking incoming students with little farming background to near-consultancy level in terms of ability to discuss feed supply and demand manipulation with practicing farmers. The methodology is currently used in a double semester course offering to 2nd year BVSc students at Massey University with positive feedback from students. Component skills such as visual assessment of herbage mass are introduced at the outset. A keystone of the methodology is the provision of student operated 'farmlets' with 16 sheep on 0.8 ha, where the storage of autumn-surplus feed as increased herbage mass, and release back to animals for winter and early lactation feed is demonstrated. Feed budget calculations for these farmlets in units of MJ metabolisable energy and kg pasture DM/ha/ day promote understanding of animal physiology principles and simulate those of a larger scale commercial farm. As currently offered the module comprises 20 lectures and 5 organised 2 hour farmlet discussion and data collection visits. Students complete additional farmlet work in their own time, such as moving or weighing sheep. Two written assignments promote integration of component knowledge and ownership of that information by participants.