Attendance at lectures 70%; participation on the practical part 100% (in case of illness - documented proof from a doctor, it is possible to justify non-participation in one exercise); Processing seminar work and its presentation visual form; Credit test – more than 50%; exam - A - 100-90%; B - 89-80%; C - 79-70%; D - 69-60%; E – 59-50%, Fx - less than 50%.

The student will gain theoretical and practical knowledge in the areas of animal hygiene, evaluation of microclimatic indicators of the environment and construction solutions of facilities for animal farms, which influence health, welfar and productivity of animals,

Thermal-humidity factors of microclimate in animal houses in relation to the health status of animals and their productivity. Air flow requirements in relation to animal health

Air conditioning of housing objects. Radiant and convective heating. Natural and forced ventilation of animal houses. Solar radiation and effect of biologically active portions of solar spectrum on animals. Visible light in animal production.

The role of veterinarians in the process of siting and designing animal farms and individual animal houses. Hygienic requirements on building materials and constructions intended for animal production.

Veterinary-hygienic protection of animal farms. External and internal sources of microbial contamination. The black and white system. Hygienic planning programmes, protection of the environment.

Hygiene and technology of housing of farm animals (cattle, pig, sheep, poultry, horses). Bioclimatological factors in animal houses. Welfare problems in diferent housing systems. Directives of EU Directives and National laws.

Animal welfare. Legislation EU. Transport and slaughter of animals. Hygiene and technology of laboratory and companion animals.

Organic farming. Principles, health problems and welfare.

Scheme of the lectures: 2 hr/week

1. Importance and the role of animal hygiene (AH) in animal production in relation to other branches of science. Hygiene of the atmosphere. Thermal-humidity factors of microclimate in animal houses in relation to the health status of animals and their productivity. Thermal balance and thermoregulation of animals. Air flow requirements in relation to animal health

2. Air conditioning of housing objects. Radiant and convective heating. Natural and forced ventilation of animal houses. Solar radiation and effect of biologically active portions of solar spectrum on animals. Visible light in animal production.

3. Constructional hygiene. The role of veterinarians in the process of siting and designing animal farms and individual animal houses. Hygienic requirements on building materials and constructions intended for animal production.

4. Veterinary-hygienic protection of animal farms. External and internal sources of microbial contamination. The black and white system. Hygienic planning programmes, protection of the environment.

5. Hygiene of cattle rearing. Bioclimatological factors of cattle. Hygienic requirements on cattle houses.

6. Hygiene and technology of housing of dairy cows in productive stables and calving rooms. Hygienic requirements on housing of calves in a prophylactorium and in calf houses. Welfare problems in calf rearing. Directives of EU and National standards.

7. Hygiene and technology of housing of calves and young cattle. Hygienic requirements on calf houses, heifer nurseries and young cattle fattening houses. Hygiene of pasture areal. Welfare problems in fattening of bulls.

8. Hygiene of pig rearing. Bioclimatology of pigs. Hygienic requirements on sow houses. Hygienic rearing and fattening of pigs. Hygiene of housing of breeding pigs. Welfare problems in the rearing of pigs. EU Directives and National laws.

9. Hygiene of sheep rearing. Bioclimatology of sheep. Hygienic requirements on housing of sheep. Hygiene of grazing. Welfare problems.

10. Hygiene of poultry rearing. Bioclimatology of gallinaceous and water fowl. Hygienic principles of hatching. Hygienic requirements on housing of young and adult poultry. Poultry litter management.Welfare problems, directives, laws.

11. Hygiene and technology of horse housing. Construction of horse barns, keeping technologies, hygiene of different age groups. Thermoregulation. Environmental requirements of the horse in relation to housing.

12. Animal welfare. Legislation EU. Transport and slaughter of animals. Hygiene and technology of laboratory and companion animals.

13. Organic farming. Principles, health problems and welfare.

Scheme of the lessons: 3 hr/week

Lessons in practical room

1. Information on the subject. Protection and safety measures. Demonstration of instruments for measurement of temperature, humidity, air flow and illumination.

2. Ventilation of animal houses. Demonstration of two types of ventilation: natural and artificial. Calculations of ventilation intensity according to water vapours, carbon dioxide and temperature. Designing and evaluation of ventilation systems according to animal species and categories.

3. Drawing plans of animal houses. Demonstration of basic drawing plans and their reading, basic thermal-technical calculations for evaluation of hygienic properties of individual building constructions. Constructional aspects in relation to welfare, thermal-balance and thermoregulation of animals.

4. Hygiene of primary milk production. Practical assessment of various types of milking machines. Sanitary handling of milk, milk quality and environmental management technologies in milk production.

Field practice: visiting different farms

5.- 6.Hygienic requirements on the housing of cattle (Cattle farm: loose and stanchion systems of housing). Assessment of physical characteristics of microclimate and evaluation of buildings and of installed technologies in relation to animal hygiene and welfare. Protocol 1

7. Hygienic requirements on the housing of sheep. Assessment of a sheep farm (wooden buildings ,conventional sheep houses, auxiliary facilities, pasture).

8.- 9. Hygienic requirements on the housing of poultry. Evaluation of conditions in the houses for broilers, young chicks and pullets and laying hens in relation to animal hygiene and welfare. Protocol 2

10. - 11 Hygienic requirements on the housing of pigs. Assessment of the housing on a pig farm in relation to hygiene and welfare requirements. Protocol 3

12. Preparation of the own model farm project according animal welfare requirements (space, air volume, ventilation rate and hygienic properties of individual building constructions). Protocol 4

Credit test

13. Presentation of your farm project. Credit

1.Gregová, G., Vargová, M., Ondrašovičová, O., Sasáková, N., Veszelits Laktičová, K.: Animal hygiene and welfare, Košice, 2014.

2. Wathes, C.M., Charles, D.R.: Livestock housing, CAB International, 1994.

3. Vaarst, M. et all.: Animal health and welfare in organicmagriculture, CABI, Publishing, 2004.

4. Aland, A., Madec, F.: Sustainable animal production, wageningen Academic Publishing, 2009.

5. SZÜCS, E. et all.: Farm animal Welfare, Environment & Food Quality Interaction Studies, ISBN 978-960-89849-0-5, 2007, pp. 73-168.

Continuous assessment:

Condition for credit:

- 100 % participation in practical lessons

- Completing protocol from practical lessons

- Passing written credit test - more than 50%

Conditions for completion of course:

Attendance at lectures 70%; participation on the practical part 100% (in case of illness - documented proof from a doctor, it is possible to justify non-participation in one exercise); Processing seminar work and its presentation visual form; Credit test – more than 50%; exam - A - 100-90%; B - 89-80%; C - 79-70%; D - 69-60%; E – 59-50%, Fx - less than 50%.

Final assessment:

Practical exam (30%) oral theoretical exam (70%)

Exam - A - 100-90%; B - 89-80%; C - 79-70%; D - 69-60%; E – 59-50%, Fx - less than 50%.

QUESTION - ANIMAL HYGIENE

1. Relationship between the outer environmental temperature and an animal organism. Thermal balance of an animal.

2. Air temperature as a factor vital to farm animals.

3. Air temperature as a productive actor in the animal production.

4. Relationship between temperature, humidity and air flow in animal houses.

5. Health disturbances in animals caused by extreme temperatures.

6. The role of a veterinarian in the process of building preparation of animal production houses.

7. Veterinary - hygienic protection of farms.

8. The "Black and White" system.

9. Thermal - technical and hygienic properties of constructional materials and the ways of their evaluation.

10. Hygienic requirements on building constructions.

11. Heating and cooling of air in animal houses, and constructional aspects of shades in hot climate.

12. Hygienic requirements on natural ventilation.

13. Exhaust (negative-pressure) ventilation.

14. Pressure and isobaric ventilation.

15. Natural and artificial illumination of animal houses.

16. Hygiene of housing of calves in the milk nutrition period.

17. Hygiene of housing of calves in the vegetable nutrition period.

18. Hygiene of housing of heifers.

19. Hygienic requirements on fattening of young cattle.

20. Dairy-cow houses - systems of housing. Health and welfare aspects.

21. Hygiene of milking in the primary milk production.

22. Biotechnical control of milking equipment.

23. Housing requirements on housing of farrowing sows. Health and Welfare aspects.

24. Housing requirements on housing of mating and pregnant sows. Health and Welfare aspects.

25. Hygiene of housing of weanlings. Health and Welfare aspects.

26. Hygienic requirements on fattening of pigs.

27. Conceptional solving of poultry farms.

28. Hygiene of poultry hatching.

29. Hygienic requirements on hen rearing.

30. Hygiene of chicken fattening.

31. Hygiene of housing of layers. Welfare aspects.

32. The importance of light regiments in poultry production.

33. Hygiene of turkey rearing.

34. Hygiene of duck rearing.

35. Hygiene of goose rearing.

36. Hygiene of housing of sheep in sheep-houses and auxiliary equipment in sheep rearing. Hygiene of keeping sheep on pasture.

37. Hygiene of lamb rearing - weaning, fattening.

38. Hygiene of horse housing.

39. The aim of animal welfare (in general).

40. Welfare aspects of animal transport and slaughter.

41. The principles of organic farming and the production of bioproducts.

Practical questions

1. Describe the methods of temperature measurement. Measure the ambient temperature. Use the provided thermohydrograph recording to evaluate the temperature parameters.

2. Use Assman's and digital psychrometers and appropriate tables to measure the humidity of air. Calculate the related values (absolute, relative and maximum humidity of air, saturation deficit, dew point) and evaluate the results from the health point of view.

3. Measure the air flow by means of a Katathermoeter and digital thermoanemometer.

Evaluate the results from health point of view.

4. Measure the illumination intensity of the housing object. Calculate the illumination coefficient for the given case.

5. Calculate the required air exchange according to the production of water vapours in cattle for the given case.

6. Calculate the required air exchange for poultry according to CO2 production for the given case.

7. Calculate the ventilation intensity (artificial and natural) for the given case.

8. Demonstrate and describe the basic elements of machine milking equipment.

9. Use the provided drawing to evaluate the suitability of the object for the given animal species from the veterinary-hygienic point of view.