Key facts
Start date: 12 October 2026, February or July 2027
Cost: $500 per person for the general public, $300 for Horticulture and Agriculture Teachers Association of New Zealand (HATA) members and Agribusiness in Schools members
Delivery mode: Online
Time commitment: 50 hours over 10 weeks
Overview
This course covers the influence of biological factors, including anatomy and physiology, on the productivity of farm animals in New Zealand agricultural systems.
Topics include:
- nutrition and the composition of living material
- the digestive tract
- introduction to reproduction
- introduction to genetics: implications on animal production
- pig industry and production systems
- pig nutrition, feeding and husbandry
- poultry: broiler production
- poultry: layer production
- aquaculture: king salmon farming
- aquaculture: shellfish farming.
What you'll get
Successful participants will receive a Massey University Certificate of Completion in Monogastric Animal Production and have this achievement and 5 credits added to their academic record at Massey.
Entry requirements
No prior experience or qualifications are required, though ideally, participants should have had some previous tertiary education.
Learning outcomes
After completing this course, participants will be able to describe the basic biology underpinning digestion, reproduction, lactation and genetic expression and outline how these biological processes can influence production.
Quality assurance
The School of Agriculture and Environment will oversee course content, and the school's Examination Committee will oversee assessment and grading.
Registration
For all course enquiries and to register your interest, please email Fiona Bardell at F.M.Bardell@massey.ac.nz.
Course contacts
