Animal Breeding BAG301

Online Farming Course -Breeding Farm Animals -Alternative education opportunity, for a part time qualification through elearning.

Online Training Course

• For Plant Breeders
• Pet Shop Owners
• Farmers
• Pet Owners

Learn to plan implementation of an animal breeding program using genetic theory, practical applications to daily husbandry practice, and management of animal breeding programs.

Includes a sound introduction to genetics
Relevant to any type of animal (pets, farm animals, wildlife, horses, dogs, etc)
Personal guidence from highly qualifed and experienced animal scientists and practitioners.

COURSE STRUCTURE

There are 7 lessons as follows:

1. Introduction to Genetics - Plant cells; Animal cells; Cell division - mitosis (asexual reproduction); meiosis (sexual reproduction); Genes - phenotype and genotype; homogenous and heterogenous; Terminology; The work of Mendel; Sex determination

2. Genetics - Gene mutations; Lethal genes; Effect of the environment; Hybrid vigour; Genetics in agriculture; Heritability

3. Selection - Animal breeding programs; Agriculture; Decide on your priorities; Dual purpose animals; Artificial selection; Gene groups; Regression; Domestic animals - Dogs, cats etc.

4. Pure Breeding - Inbreeding - close breeding and line breeding; Genetic effects of inbreeding; Advantages and disadvantages

5. Introduction to Cross Breeding - The effects of cross breeding in farm animals; Genetic effects, phenotype effects,heterosis, and genotype effect; Cross breeding in sheep; Cross breeding in domestic animals

6. Cross Breeding - Practical cross breeding; Two breed or single cross; Back cross or crisscrossing; Cyclical crossing; Rotational crossing; Advantages of cross breeeding; Reciprocal recurrent selection; Breed societies; Grading up

7. Livestock Improvement  - Performance Testing; Sib Testing; Progeny testing; Relative breeding Values (RBV); Artificial insemination; Synchroised heats; Ova transplants

Each lesson culminates in an assignment which is submitted to the school, marked by the school's tutors and returned to you with any relevant suggestions, comments, and if necessary, extra reading.

COURSE AIMS

• Explain genetic influence on the characteristics exhibited by animals.
• Explain the factors that interact with genes to produce nonconformity in animals.
• Develop procedures to select animals for a breeding program.
• Develop an animal straight breeding program.
• Develop an animal cross breeding program.
• Explain the commercial methods used to breed farm animals.

WHAT THE COURSE COVERS

The following provides examples of some of the things that you would be asked to do within the course:

• Explain how genes control the inheritance of characteristics, using two specific examples of animal breeding.
• Distinguish between the phenotype and the genotype, of a specified farm animal.
• Distinguish between dominant and recessive gene pairs.
• Explain the differences in the function of chromosomes, of a specified fowl, when compared with a specified mammalian farm animal.
• Describe the linkage of gender with the expression of non-sex character traits, in a specified farm animal.
• Explain the role of mutation in animal breeding, including both positive and negative aspects.
• Explain the role of the environment in all factors which determine genetic expression in animals.
• Explain the relevance of hybrid vigour to breeding different animals, including; *chickens *pigs *sheep
• Explain heritability in different classes of livestock, including: * dairy cattle *beef cattle *pigs *sheep.
• Develop a set of aims for a breeding program, for a chosen farm animal.
• Develop a checklist of criteria for selecting animals in a breeding program for a specified type of farm animal.
• Explain natural selection, by giving an example of its application in a farm animal breeding program.
• Explain artificial selection in animal breeding programs, including: * it's aims *the methods used.
• Explain genetic regression by giving an example of its possible occurrence in a farm breeding program.
• Design a checklist of factors to consider when purchasing breeding stock for a specified farm situation.
• Explain how an animal breeder in the learner's locality selects animals from which to breed, for a commercial breeding program.
• Distinguish between different types of straight breeding, including: *close breeding *line breeding.
• Explain how a specified pure breed (ie. straight breed) is maintained.
• Compare the advantages and disadvantages of line breeding in a breeding program for a specified type of farm animal.
• Explain where it would be appropriate to use line breeding methods in animal breeding programs.
• Explain where it would be appropriate to use close breeding methods in animal breeding programs.
• Write a procedure for straight breeding of a specified type of animal.
• Differentiate between different types of cross breeding, including: *terminal cross *two breed cross *back cross *three breed cross *rotational cross.
• Explain the concept of 'grading up', as it relates to commercial animal husbandry.
• Evaluate 'crossbreeding' in an animal breeding program investigated by the learner, to determine its relevance to the situation.
• Determine a commercial situation, in which crossbreeding may be justified.
• Explain the services provided by a specified Breed Society in cross breeding, on a specified farm.
• Write a procedure for cross breeding of a specified type of animal.
• Define breeding terminology including: *artificial insemination *synchronised heats *ova transplants
• Describe the breeding programs which use artificial insemination, synchronised heats and ova transplants.
• Explain the importance of synchronised heats to breeding animals.
• Describe two different testing methods, observed by the learner that are used for animal breeding programs,
• Evaluate the relevance of breeding methods, that are used on a specified property, to the stated aims of the property owner.
• Describe the husbandry procedures which may be carried out during the pregnancy of a specified farm animal.
• Describe husbandry practices which may be carried out during the birth of a specified type of farm animal, including: *routine husbandry procedures *emergency husbandry procedures
• Plan the management of a breeding program to maximise male breeding performance for either: *dairy *pigs *poultry *beef *sheep *horses
• Perform and record the birth of a specified animal.

EXTRACT FROM COURSE NOTES

The Technique of Artificial Insemination

There are two main parts to Artificial Insemination, namely:

• collecting, diluting, freezing and packing the semen from the bull; and
• thawing out and injecting the semen into the cow at the right time for conception.

With each ejaculation, a normal bull produces 7 - 10 millilitres of semen. Each millilitre contains one to one and half thousand million healthy sperm. After collection, the semen is diluted to five times the original volume using a solution called an extender. A typical extender consists of egg yolk, sodium citrate, antibiotics, dextrose and glycerol.

The diluted semen is packed into long, thin containers called straws. Each straw contains enough semen for one insemination. Every straw is labelled with the name and number of the bull and the date of packing. The straws are then deep frozen and stored in liquid nitrogen at a temperature of -142°C or in liquid nitrogen vapour at a temperature of -125°C. Although semen will freeze at any temperature below 0°C, it is safe from injury only when it is below - 40°C. to - 65°C. Freezing of sperm in N_(l) also allows sperm to remain viable for 20 years or more after collection.

As the temperature rises above the safe zone, ice crystals in the semen will enlarge and move, causing damage to the sperm and reducing their viability. Once a straw has been thawed out it must be used at once or thrown away. Each straw contains 0.5ml or diluted semen. By using deep frozen semen, one bull can produce enough semen to inseminate 30 000 to 40 000 cows a year. Using natural service, one bull might serve 50 cows a year.

The semen is thawed out and deposited into the uterus of the cow using a special instrument consisting of a long plunger and a long, thin plastic tube. A cow is inseminated when she is ‘on heat’. The plastic tube must be passed through the cervix and the semen placed into the uterus so that it is available to fertilise the egg after ovulation has taken place. Insemination is a skilled process and should be carried out only by a trained operator. A good inseminator should achieve an 80% conception rate.

COURSE DURATION

100 hours; to be completed at your own pace according to how much time your situation allows.

Why Choose This Course

• Course notes and materials are unique (written by our staff) and up to date (most revised annually) –our graduates are more up to date with what they learn than many other institutions.
• We don’t just present you with information; we also work to help you understand and remember it, develop an ability to apply it in the real world, and build networks with others who work in this field.
• Start any time, study at your own pace, study from anywhere
• Don’t waste time and money traveling to and from classes
• More choices in your assignment work –courses are written to allow you more options to focus on parts of the subject that are of more interest to you.
• Tutors more accessible than many colleges – academics are hard at work in both the UK and Australia, 5 days a week, 16 hours a day, and answering individual queries from students are top priority and always attended to within a day –often within an hour.
• Be treated like an individual –don’t get lost in a crowd of other students. Our tutors interact with you one to one.
• Extra help at no extra cost where needed.. If you find a task you can’t do, we will help you through it or give you another option.
• Support after graduation –We will advise on getting work, starting a business, putting a CV together. We will promote students and their businesses through our extensive profile on the internet. Any graduate who asks will be helped.

How You Study

• When you enroll, we send you an email that explains it all.
• You are given a short orientation video to watch, where our principal introduces you to how the course works, and how you can access all sorts of support services
• You are either given access to your course online, or sent a CD or course materials through the mail (or by courier).
• You work through lessons one by one. Each lesson has at least four parts:
• An aim -which tells you what you should be achieving in the lesson
• Reading -notes written and regularly revised by our academic staff
• Set Task(s) -These are practicals, research or other experiential learning tasks that strengthen and add to what you have been reading
• Assignment -By answering questions, submitting them to a tutor, then getting feedback from the tutor, you confirm that you are on the right track, but more than that, you are guided to consider what you have been studying in different ways, broadening your perspective and reinforcing what you are learning about
• Other - Your work in a course rarely stops at just the above four parts. Different courses and different students will need further learning experiences. Your set task or assignment may lead to other things, interacting with tutors or people in industry, reviewing additional reference materials or something else. We treat every student as an individual and supplement their learning needs as the occasion requires.
• You are given access to and encouraged to use a range of supplementary services including an online student room, including online library; student bookshop, newsletters, social media etc.
• You are provided with a "student manual" which you can refer to if and when needed. It provides a quick solution to most problems that might occur (some people never need to use this; but if you are studying late at night & have a problem, the manual provides a first port of call that can often get you moving again).

Recognition

• ACS is known and highly respected internationally: by employers and academics alike:
• Recognised by International Accreditation and Recognition Council
• ACS has been training people around the world since 1979
• Over 100,000 have now studied ACS courses, across more than 150 countries
• Formal affiliations with colleges in five countries
• A faculty of over 40 internationally renowned academics –books written by our staff used by universities and colleges around the world.