Course description for 2026/27
Sustainable Animal Nutrition
HUS5003
Course description for 2026/27
Sustainable Animal Nutrition
HUS5003
The course will provide theoretical background and hands-on experiences on different experimental techniques and the utilization of alternative feeding ingredients, focusing on the development of sustainable livestock production.
The world population is rising, and the demands for livestock products are increasing. The livestock sector is currently facing two major challenges: 1) The livestock productivity should be improved in light of the rising population and availability of limited natural resources, such as land and water, and 2) The livestock sector should be more environment-friendly as it is one of the contributors of harmful greenhouse gas emissions. This course aims to provide an in-depth understanding of the general nutritional physiology of ruminant and monogastric animals with a focus on nutritional biochemistry, feed formulation and planning, animal experiments, and alternative nutritional strategies.
Students should meet current admission requirements for the associated study programme (master in biosciences).
After completion of the course, students are expected to possess the following knowledge, skills, and general competence:
Knowledge:
- understand basic animal nutrition and physiology of monogastric and ruminant animals
- evaluate feed ingredients and assess various feed evaluation systems
- review ongoing studies in the field of alternative feeding ingredients and nutritional strategies
Skills:
- identify nutritional factors important for a sustainable livestock production
- explore factors important for feed formulation and planning
- assess possibilities and limitations of alternative nutritional strategies
General competences:
- interpret results from animal experiments related to sustainable livestock production
- identify solutions for real-life problems associated sustainability of livestock production
- implement knowledge and skills towards research and innovation
In addition to the semester fee and curriculum literature, it is expected that the student has a laptop computer at his/her disposal.
Elective
The course deals with five major topics that are important for sustainable livestock: 1) Nutritional biochemistry, 2) Feed evaluation, 3) Feed formulation and feeding systems, 4) Alternative feeding strategies, and 5) Planning and design of animal experiments. The major learning activities include various lectures, evaluating scientific data and articles, theoretical calculations, and student presentations. The specific details on learning activities may change from year to year depending upon the ongoing research activities at the Animal Science Division. This course is run fully digital.
Evaluated annually by students through course surveys. These evaluations are included in the university’s quality assurance system.
Two mandatory assignments that must have been approved in order to take the oral exam.
Oral exam (100%). Grading A to F.
Pen, ruler, up to 2 bilingual dictionaries and calculator.
Generating an answer using ChatGPT or similar artificial intelligence and submitting it wholly or partially as one's own answer is considered cheating.
Basic knowledge of animal science, nutrition, biology, physiology, or equivalent.
Overlap refers to a similarity between courses with the same content. Therefore, you will receive the following reduction in credits if you have taken the courses listed below:
HUS5001 - Sustainable Animal Nutrition - 7.5 credits
Credits
7.5
Study location
Steinkjer
Teaching semesters
Spring 2026
Responsible faculty
Faculty of Biosciences and Aquaculture
Course coordinator
