Formal lectures will be supplemented by case study and group work and farm visits. Guest lecturers from animal and plant breeding centres in Ireland will be invited to give students a sense of the breadth of knowledge that exists in Ireland on this topic. Group discussion will be encouraged to critique breeding programmes on farm.
Module Aim:
Learns will gain an appreciation of how genetics has greatly advanced how we breed our animals as well as the importance for a holistic approach to animal and crop breeding. The practical implications of breeding and genetics will be imbedded into the content of the module. There will be a strong focus on how the use of conventional and transgenic breeding programmes impact upon the sustainability of the farm system.
Learning Outcomes
On successful completion of this module the learner should be able to:
LO1
Explain the basic laws of genetics and their application in plant and animal breeding
LO2
Recognize and apply plant and animal breeding methods and discuss the role of sexed semen, embryo transfer, cloning and transgenic breeding technologies in sustainable farm systems, including societal acceptance.
LO3
Describe and evaluate Economic Breeding Index (EBI) and other management tools that aim to advance the productivity of animal and crop production systems.
LO4
Know how genetically modified organisms (GMOs) are produced and their use in agriculture.
Pre-requisite learning
Module Recommendations
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is recommended before enrolment in this module.
No recommendations listed
Incompatible Modules
These are modules which have learning outcomes that are too similar to the learning outcomes of this module.
No incompatible modules listed
Co-requisite Modules
No Co-requisite modules listed
Requirements
This is prior learning (or a practical skill) that is mandatory before enrolment in this module is allowed.
No requirements listed
Module Content & Assessment
Indicative Content
Plant breeding
• Basics of plant breeding. Variety types, seed production; Intellectual Property (IP) issues; seed quality; economics of home-saved seed.
Animal breeding
• Basics of animal breeding and the practical use of genetics in animal breeding
Novel Genetic Manipulation Techniques for Plants
• Genetically modified organisms (GMOs) and their use in agriculture –transformation, and hybrid sterility.
Insemination and Cloning of Animals
• Developments in Artificial Insemination and cloning of livestock
Assessment Breakdown
%
Continuous Assessment
25.00%
Project
25.00%
End of Module Formal Examination
50.00%
Continuous Assessment
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Case Studies
Plant Breeding: Case study of varietal selection programmes for plants in Ireland
1,2,3
25.00
n/a
Project
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Project
Students will conduct a project on breed improvement programmes relating to the animal agriculture including how they have been implemented in Ireland.
2,3,4
25.00
n/a
No Practical
End of Module Formal Examination
Assessment Type
Assessment Description
Outcome addressed
% of total
Assessment Date
Formal Exam
Terminal Examination
1,2,3,4
50.00
End-of-Semester
SETU Carlow Campus reserves the right to alter the nature and timings of assessment