117344

Animal Growth and Meat Production

Patterns of growth and development of farm animals will be described with emphasis on those characteristics of growth with economic implications for meat production, such as the rate, efficiency and composition of growth. Structural and functional aspects of muscle, bone and fat as they relate to animal well-being as well as carcass and meat quality will be considered. In describing factors that can affect animal growth, carcass composition and meat quality, particular attention will be given to on-farm factors.

Course code

Qualifications are made up of courses. Some universities call these papers. Each course is numbered using six digits.

117344

Level

The fourth number of the course code shows the level of the course. For example, in course 219206, the fourth number is a 2, so it is a 200-level course (usually studied in the second year of full-time study).

300-level

Credits

Each course is worth a number of credits. You combine courses (credits) to meet the total number of credits needed for your qualification.

15

Subject

Animal Science

Course planning information

Course notes

The final examination will be an online supervised examination using remote invigilation.

All assessments must be submitted in order to meet course requirements and for the student to be considered eligible for a pass grade.

Prerequisite courses

Complete first
117201 or 117225 or 117254

You need to complete the above course or courses before moving onto this one.

General progression requirements

You must complete at least 45 credits from 200-level before enrolling in 300-level courses.

Learning outcomes

What you will learn. Knowledge, skills and attitudes you’ll be able to show as a result of successfully finishing this course.

  • 1 Describe important features of meat-production systems within New Zealand and of efficiency factors pertaining to generalised systems of meat production.
  • 2 List and define the important productive characteristics of meat-producing animals, and describe how these characteristics may be measured and expressed.
  • 3 Describe the typical animal growth patterns followed by animals with regard to changes in growth rates and body composition.
  • 4 Explain the basic structural and functional features of muscle, fat and bone, and describe how these change and develop as an animal grows and their relevance to meat production.
  • 5 Discuss the physiological and structural basis of variation in meat composition and in meat quality characteristics such as tenderness, juiciness, colour and flavour.
  • 6 Describe and evaluate the extent to which animal factors, on-farm factors, and post-slaughter factors can influence carcass composition and meat quality characteristics.

Learning outcomes can change before the start of the semester you are studying the course in.

Assessments

Assessment Learning outcomes assessed Weighting
Written Assignment 1 2 10%
Written Assignment 2 3 4 20%
Written Assignment 4 5 6 20%
Exam (centrally scheduled) 1 2 3 4 5 6 50%

Assessment weightings can change up to the start of the semester the course is delivered in.

You may need to take more assessments depending on where, how, and when you choose to take this course.

Explanation of assessment types

Computer programmes
Computer animation and screening, design, programming, models and other computer work.
Creative compositions
Animations, films, models, textiles, websites, and other compositions.
Exam College or GRS-based (not centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by a college or the Graduate Research School (GRS). The exam could be online, oral, field, practical skills, written exams or another format.
Exam (centrally scheduled)
An exam scheduled by Assessment Services (centrally) – you’ll usually be told when and where the exam is through the student portal.
Oral or performance or presentation
Debates, demonstrations, exhibitions, interviews, oral proposals, role play, speech and other performances or presentations.
Participation
You may be assessed on your participation in activities such as online fora, laboratories, debates, tutorials, exercises, seminars, and so on.
Portfolio
Creative, learning, online, narrative, photographic, written, and other portfolios.
Practical or placement
Field trips, field work, placements, seminars, workshops, voluntary work, and other activities.
Simulation
Technology-based or experience-based simulations.
Test
Laboratory, online, multi-choice, short answer, spoken, and other tests – arranged by the school.
Written assignment
Essays, group or individual projects, proposals, reports, reviews, writing exercises, and other written assignments.

Textbooks needed

Textbooks can change. We recommend you wait until at least seven weeks before the semester starts to buy your textbooks.

Highly recommended

MEAT PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

Author
EDITORS: RW PURCHAS, BW BUTLER-HOGG, AS DAVIES
ISBN
0111-3976
Edition
OCCASIONAL PUBLICATION NO. 11
Publisher
NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION

MEAT PRODUCTION AND PROCESSING

Author
R.W. PURCHAS, B.W. BUTLER-HOGG, A.S. DAVIES (EDS)
ISBN
0111-3976
Edition
1989
Publisher
THE NEW ZEALAND SOCIETY OF ANIMAL PRODUCTION, OCCASIONAL PUBLICATION NUMBER 11

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