Learn about the impact of infectious disease on sustainable animal-based food production by understanding the science of growth, immunity, and infection and by learning the problem-solving skills needed to advance animal health and food production through optimal management practices.
Sustainable Food Production Through Livestock Health Management
University of Illinois at Urbana-ChampaignAbout this Course
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Learner Career Outcomes
29%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
17%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 21 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Skills you will gain
Disease ControlAnimalNutritionAnimal Behavior
Learner Career Outcomes
29%
got a tangible career benefit from this course
17%
got a pay increase or promotion
Shareable Certificate
Earn a Certificate upon completion
100% online
Start instantly and learn at your own schedule.
Flexible deadlines
Reset deadlines in accordance to your schedule.
Beginner Level
Approx. 21 hours to complete
English
Subtitles: English
Offered by
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign is a world leader in research, teaching and public engagement, distinguished by the breadth of its programs, broad academic excellence, and internationally renowned faculty and alumni. Illinois serves the world by creating knowledge, preparing students for lives of impact, and finding solutions to critical societal needs.
Syllabus - What you will learn from this course
1 hour to complete
Course Orientation
You will become familiar with the course, your classmates, and our learning environment. The orientation will also help you obtain the technical skills required for the course.
1 hour to complete
1 video (Total 3 min), 4 readings, 1 quiz
4 readings
About the Discussion Forums10m
Syllabus10m
Updating Your Profile10m
Social Media10m
1 practice exercise
Orientation Quiz10m
2 hours to complete
Week 1: Animals and Sustainable Food Production
This week we will review the universal and historical principles underlying livestock system design, and how management of genetics, nutrition, and the environment have advanced efficiency through their impact on the physiological processes that control animal growth, development, and production
2 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 70 min), 2 readings, 1 quiz
7 videos
1.1. The Challenges Before Us: Feeding 9 Billion People 5m
1.2. People: Our Role in Managing Animal Well-Being 8m
1.3. Farming 101: The Basics of Livestock Production19m
1.4. Understanding Growth17m
1.5. Production Efficiency through the Ages8m
1.6. The Economics of Production9m
2 readings
Week 1 Overview10m
Week 1 Readings and Resources10m
1 practice exercise
Week 1 Quiz20m
4 hours to complete
Week 2: Disease as a Barrier to Sustainability
This week we will demonstrate the link between nutrition and health at every stage of life and production by examining the science behind efficient nutritional intake, uptake, and utilization, and exploring the mechanisms by which disease can interfere with these processes.
4 hours to complete
7 videos (Total 66 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
7 videos
2.1. The "Inside" Science of Nutrition 11m
2.2. The Particles and Partitioning of Dietary Nutrients 9m
2.3. Failure of Nutrient Utilization: Characterization and Treatment17m
2.4. The Two-Way Street of Organ System Health and Nutrition10m
2.5. Nutrition and Disease: From Tip to Tail7m
2.6. The Toll of Infectious Disease on Growth and Production8m
2 readings
Week 2 Overview10m
Week 2 Readings and Resources10m
1 practice exercise
Week 2 Quiz20m
4 hours to complete
Week 3: Animals' Response to Infectious Disease
This week we will introduce the concept of the farm and each production system as an ecosystem in which animals and microbes live in mutualistic relationships, and explain the beneficial impact of ecologically managing the microbes alongside the animals to enhance host defense, animal health, and production efficiency.
4 hours to complete
11 videos (Total 95 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
11 videos
3.1. Microbes: Friend or Foe? 10m
3.2. Promoting Friendly Farm Infections 7m
3.3. Microbial Colonization in the Newborn World 8m
3.4. The Farm: It’s a Bug’s World 8m
3.5. In Defense of Normality 12m
3.6. The Energetic Cost of Defense 7m
3.7. When the Defense Cannot Defend 14m
3.8. The War Within 7m
3.9. Defending the Airways 7m
3.10. Defending the Next Generation 8m
2 readings
Week 3 Overview10m
Week 3 Readings and Resources10m
1 practice exercise
Week 3 Quiz20m
4 hours to complete
Week 4: Our Role in Fighting Infectious Disease
This week we consider the ravages of infectious disease on animal well-being and production system efficiency by considering disease as a war between infectious agents and their reluctant hosts, acting both at an individual and population level that can be measured and managed.
4 hours to complete
6 videos (Total 75 min), 2 readings, 2 quizzes
6 videos
4.1. Knowing the Enemy: Bacteria, Viruses, and Parasites25m
4.2. Pathogen Armaments11m
4.3. Watching the War: Anatomy of a Disease Outbreak15m
4.4. Changing the Course of Infections13m
4.5. Strengthening the Defenses: Vaccines7m
2 readings
Week 4 Overview10m
Week 4 Readings and Resources10m
1 practice exercise
Week 4 Quiz20m
Frequently Asked Questions
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Once you enroll for a Certificate, you’ll have access to all videos, quizzes, and programming assignments (if applicable). Peer review assignments can only be submitted and reviewed once your session has begun. If you choose to explore the course without purchasing, you may not be able to access certain assignments.
What will I get if I purchase the Certificate?
When you purchase a Certificate you get access to all course materials, including graded assignments. Upon completing the course, your electronic Certificate will be added to your Accomplishments page - from there, you can print your Certificate or add it to your LinkedIn profile. If you only want to read and view the course content, you can audit the course for free.
What is the refund policy?
You will be eligible for a full refund until two weeks after your payment date, or (for courses that have just launched) until two weeks after the first session of the course begins, whichever is later. You cannot receive a refund once you’ve earned a Course Certificate, even if you complete the course within the two-week refund period. See our full refund policy.
Is financial aid available?
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