74873 - Genetic And Morphological Evaluation Of Livestock

Learning outcomes

The course will provide the basic knowledge concerning the inheritance of traits, genetic variations, molecular genetics and the main aspects concerning population genetics.

Course contents

Module of Genetic

Gene expression : translation.

Mendelian genetics: genotype and phenotype. Mendel's principle of segregations. Mendel's principle of independent assortment.

Chromosomal basis of inheritance, sex linkage and sex determination.

Extensions of Mendelian Genetic Analysis: Multiple alleles. Modifications of dominance relationships. Gene interactions. Essential genes and lethal alleles. Gene expression and the environment.

Genetic linkage: Gene recombination and chromosomal exchange. Constructing genetic maps.

Population genetics. Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium and its disturbing forces.

Module of Morpho-functional evaluation of animals: role of the morphological evaluation of dairy cow. Distinctive characteristics of  cattle for meat production. Technique of morphological evaluation of cattle for meat production. Evaluation of bovine carcass. Pig breeds and etnic distinctive traits. The evaluation of pig carcass.

Readings/Bibliography

Module of Genetics

Peter J. Russel , P. E. Hertz, B. McMillan . Elementi di Genetica. Edises, Napoli.

Teaching material for the exam  is represented by the materials available for the students at the web site

Module of Morphological evaluation of animals: teaching material for the exam  is represented by the materials available for the students at the web site

Teaching methods

Genetic (Prof.ssa Dall'Olio) concerns lectures (48 hours), problems and exercitations of molecular genetics (12 hours).

Morphofunctional evaluation of animls  (Prof.ssa Bertolini) concerns  lectures (24 hours) and practica teaching  unit represented by  8 hours with  visits to livestock farms, seminars  and discussions with experts and various operators in the specific field. 

Assessment methods

The final  vote of the exam of "Genetic and morphofunctional evaluation of animals " is represented by the synthesis of the evaluations  regarding the two parts "Genetic " and "Morphofunctional evaluation of  animals".

The evaluation of the part concerning "Genetic" includes a written test with 30 questions at multiple-choice (closed answers). The test is passed with a minimum of 18 points.

The evaluation of the part concerning  "Morphofunctional evaluation of animals" is represented by a written test  where 30 questions are indicated   with closed answers  and concerning the themes developed during the course. To each rigth answer  corresponds one point and the test is positively passed  with a minimum of 18 points .

The final vote of the course of Genetic and morphofunctional evaluation of animals is determined by the joint evaluation in both the modules but considering that the vote of morphological evaluation represents  30% on the final vote. The evaluations obtained in the two different tests of the two different parts of the  course  don't have any  deadline.

 

Teaching tools

Teaching tools:

Slides presentation

Exercises on specific themes

Visit to zootechnical farms

Experts invitation to present data to the student

Office hours

See the website of Stefania Dall'Olio

See the website of Francesca Bertolini