Livestock Production Engineering

After taking this course, the students will be able to: 1. Explain the various rearing systems including the transhumance system of rearing; 2. Describe the production systems in the livestock enterprise; 3. Design livestock housing types; 4. Identify the various engineering interventions in the livestock enterprise, which include the machinery for feeding, sanitation of the livestock housing, milking, irrigation of the pastures in a ranch; 5. Plan, design and implement a ranch; 6. Select appropriate machinery for various operations; and 7. Manage livestock wastes for energy production.

Production systems: rearing, fattening and milk production systems. Rearing systems: objectives; nomadic, transhumant, sedentary, scavenging and industrial (ranching) – organisation, personnel and infrastructures. Design, construction and equipment for housing for pigs, sheep, goats, domestic fowls, cattle and dairy cattle. Fattening production systems: Grass and intensive fattening. Milk production systems: factors limiting tropical milk production; milking bail; milking parlour: selection, design and types. Environmental requirements for animals. Environmental impact on animal growth and reproduction on their general physiology. Assessment of thermal comfort. Parametres affecting thermal comfort of animals. ASHRAE comfort charts. Ventilation systems: natural and automated. Aerodynamics of animal buildings. Building design methodology. Integrating animals with their environment through building designs. Disease control: Causes, factors favouring transmission. Design of buildings to control diseases. Animal waste management: Characteristics of animal wastes. Objectives of waste treatment; aerobic and anaerobic treatment of waste; manure disposal equipment. Excursion: Visit to a functional biogas plant.