Dr Suresh Krishnasamy
Course overview
- Study period
- Semester 1, 2025 (24/02/2025 - 21/06/2025)
- Study level
- Postgraduate Coursework
- Location
- Gatton
- Attendance mode
- In Person
- Units
- 2
- Administrative campus
- Gatton
- Coordinating unit
- Agriculture and Food Sustainability School
Fundamental studies in animal welfare & behaviour; anatomy & physiology; nutrition; genetics, breeding & reproduction as well as health for students wishing to retrain in the animal science area.
This course will provide you with a foundation in core Animal Science areas—physiology, behaviour and welfare, nutrition, and reproduction. You will have to complete four independent study modules, which are delivered both in person and online. The course discussion board will be a significant tool for engaging with one another and the various module coordinators.
Course requirements
Assumed background
This course is intended for people who are entering the Animal Studies postgraduate coursework programs with no or little background in animal science. It gives an introduction to selected aspects of animal physiology, behaviour, nutrition and reproduction.
Course staff
Course coordinator
Guest lecturer
Dr Suresh Krishnasamy
Dr Angela Lees
Dr Elham Assadi Soumeh
Dr Andres Gambini
Timetable
The timetable for this course is available on the UQ Public Timetable.
Additional timetable information
In-person sessions are organised at the start of the 4 independent study modules. They will be recorded and supplemented with online materials to assist students in completing the module assessments.
If you have any concerns regarding your official timetable or course allocations, or there are no suitable class times available, contact Faculty of Science Timetable science.mytimetable@uq.edu.au for advice.
If you have any questions about missing class activities, please contact your course coordinator.
Aims and outcomes
To introduce students enrolled in Postgraduate programs in the School of Agriculture and Food Science, to the important concepts which underpin the behaviour and physiology of animals.
Learning outcomes
After successfully completing this course you should be able to:
LO1.
Give a holistic, integrative physiological description of the major organs and tissues in mammals.
LO2.
Integrate the basic and applied principles of animal behaviour and welfare, and apply these principles to the handling, management and care of companion, farm, recreational and wild animals.
LO3.
Describe the ways in which animals digest food and obtain nutrients from food, the nutritive values of the common classes of animal food, and the principles of quantitative nutrition.
LO4.
Describe the anatomy and physiology of the reproductive systems of domestic animals and wildlife, and the factors that influence reproduction.
Assessment
Assessment summary
| Category | Assessment task | Weight | Due date |
|---|---|---|---|
| Product/ Design | The Animal Physiology Case Files | 25% |
17/03/2025 2:00 pm |
| Essay/ Critique | Analysis of an Animal Welfare Issue | 25% |
7/04/2025 2:00 pm |
| Presentation, Product/ Design | Animal Nutrition VLOG | 25% |
6/05/2025 2:00 pm |
| Quiz |
Animal Reproduction Assessment
|
25% |
27/05/2025 12:00 pm |
Assessment details
The Animal Physiology Case Files
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Product/ Design
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
17/03/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L01
Task description
Task Description: This assignment challenges you to take on the role of a science communicator and present your understanding of animal physiology in a creative and engaging format. By selecting from a variety of creative mediums, you will not only demonstrate your knowledge of the subject matter but also hone your skills in science communication.
This assignment requires you to first select ONE of the following four case studies.
Case Study Options:
- Equine Metabolic Syndrome (EMS)
- Broiler Ascites Syndrome (Pulmonary Hypertension Syndrome in Chickens)
- Ketosis in Dairy Cattle
- Bovine Respiratory Disease Complex (BRDC)
Students wishing to complete a different case study topic will need to email the module coordinator for approval by Friday of Week 1 (28/02/2025).
For each case study, you are expected to do an in-depth analysis to address the following:
- Identification of Physiological Mechanisms
- Impact on Organ Systems
- Diagnostic Tests and Treatment Plan
- Preventive Measures and Long-Term Implications
Your task is then to develop an informative product (from the list below) to share your analysis with a selected audience.
- Brochure: An informative brochure for a target audience.
- Infographic: A visually appealing infographic summarizing key information.
- Comic Strip: An illustrated (digital or hand-drawn) story to present one of the case studies.
Please see the course blackboard site for details of each case study, additional guidelines and marking rubrics. Don't hesitate to contact the academic Dr Suresh Krishnasamy (suresh.krishnasamy@uq.edu.au) leading this module to discuss this assignment if you feel unsure.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Analysis of an Animal Welfare Issue
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Essay/ Critique
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
7/04/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L02
Task description
Assignment: Analysis of an animal welfare issue
Task: Literature Review - 2000 to 2500 words (maximum)
Task Description: You need to prepare a literature review on the assessment of animal welfare within a specific context. You are able to choose the topic you wish to investigate. Below is a list of some examples, do not restrict yourself to these options, but use them as a starting point. It is important that you select a topic you are interested in. Please feel free to contact the academic Dr Angela Lees (a.lees@uq.edu.au) leading this module to discuss the topic you would like to investigate for this assignment if you feel unsure.
- Welfare of sporting animals, some examples include greyhound and horse racing; equine sports (dressage, camp drafting, cutting etc.), scent sports for dogs (tracking), and other canine sports.
- Welfare of working animals, some examples include working dogs (i.e. Herding dogs) and draught animals (buffalo, heavy horses, cattle).
- Welfare of wildlife, topics here can include captive animals, free-ranging animals, and pest species.
- Welfare of production animals, in the context of animals being bred for a specific purpose that may include as a human food source, some examples include grazing beef cattle, feedlot cattle, pigs, horses, poultry and avians (including meat and eggs), mink.
- Welfare in companion animals, some examples include backyard chickens, caged birds, guinea pigs, dogs, and cats.
Once you have selected your topic you will need to prepare a 2000 to 2500 words (maximum) literature review, please note that this excludes your reference list and any included tables or figures within your literature review.
In your review you will need to:
i) define/describe the topic you have chosen to focus on,
ii) highlight the potential welfare issues that could influence the animals involved,
iii) then describe how you would evaluate the welfare status of these animals with reference to biological functioning and natural behaviour, and
iv) discuss how welfare could be improved in these animals.
Credibility & References
It is essential that you read and use peer-reviewed scientific literature from reputable sources. To help you decide on the topic you wish to investigate, think about what is interesting to you and then take a look in the literature to see if you can find enough evidence to support you in this task. There is no set limit to the number of references you need to use, and every topic may have different amounts of information available.
General Formatting and Communication
Your review must be typed, double-spaced, in font size 12, in Australian (British) English. You may find the presentation of data in the form of tables and figures useful. Where tables and figures are used, they must be labelled and referred to within your review - remember that table headings are to be placed above tables and figure headings below figures.
Summary of expectations
- Words: 2000 - 2500 (excluding references and tables/figures).
- Reference Style: Journal of Animal Science
- All pages are to be numbered.
- Spacing and Font size: double line spacing, 12-size font.
- Tables and Figures need to be discussed and referenced in the text of the report.
- Tables and Figures need to be numbered in sequence and have a title.
- Australian English spelling
- Please use section headings to improve the readability of your review, and to help focus your thoughts.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the Turnitin link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Animal Nutrition VLOG
- Mode
- Product/ Artefact/ Multimedia
- Category
- Presentation, Product/ Design
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
6/05/2025 2:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L03
Task description
Students will complete a video blog (vlog). This task requires communication of the relationship between the structure and the chemical/physical properties of a nutrient/food component and highlight its role and importance in animal nutrition contexts.
Students must choose one nutrient/compound from the approved list, which is relevant to animal nutrition contexts. A list of approved nutrients/compounds has been uploaded to Blackboard.
- Individual assessment submitted via Blackboard
- 2 to 3-minute short video (VLOG) --> NOT a PowerPoint presentation and you must appear in the VLOG
- Describe the key properties of the compound, make a link to its structure, and highlight its relevance in (animal) nutrition
Please feel free to contact Dr Elham Assadi Soumeh (e.soumeh@uq.edu.au) for any clarifications regarding this assessment.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
You must submit your Assessment task, in Blackboard, via the assessment specific link by the submission deadline. You should also retain an electronic copy of every piece of assessment you submit.
Legal Declaration
By submitting your work via this website, you formally declare that (1) it is your own original work, and no part of the work has been copied from any other source or person except where due acknowledgement is made; (2) no part of the work has been previously submitted for assessment in this or any other institution; and (3) you have read the Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy (https://policies.uq.edu.au/document/view-current.php?id=149) and understand its implications.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
Late submission
A penalty of 10% of the maximum possible mark will be deducted per 24 hours from time submission is due for up to 7 days. After 7 days, you will receive a mark of 0.
Assessment deadlines are firm and must be met. Late submission without permission or non-submission of assessable work will result in penalties being applied. Late submission of assessment will only be granted for documented medical reasons, accident, bereavement, jury service and other circumstances allowed in the UQ Policies and Procedures Library (PPL).
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Animal Reproduction Assessment
- Identity Verified
- Mode
- Written
- Category
- Quiz
- Weight
- 25%
- Due date
27/05/2025 12:00 pm
- Learning outcomes
- L04
Task description
This assessment will be conducted as an in-person invigilated digital assessment delivered through Blackboard. Have your UQ student ID card available for this assessment.
The assessment will comprise a combination of multiple-choice and short-answer questions.
The assessment will have a duration of 45 minutes and once started, it must be completed in one sitting.
Student-prepared notes will be allowed - more details will be provided on Blackboard.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Translation (MT) are emerging tools that may support students in completing this assessment task. Students may appropriately use AI and/or MT in completing this assessment task. Students must clearly reference any use of AI or MT in each instance. A failure to reference generative AI or MT use may constitute student misconduct under the Student Code of Conduct.
Submission guidelines
The assessment will be conducted through the assessment tool via Learn.UQ and the assessment will be automatically submitted at the end of the assessment.
Deferral or extension
You may be able to apply for an extension.
For all approved extension requests, students will complete the assessment item on 20/06/2025, under the same conditions as listed above in the Task Description. The commencement time of the test and any further required details will be sent to approved extension students no later than 13/06/2025.
For an extension to be considered for approval, evidence provided in the request MUST cover the scheduled date of the test (27/05/2025). Evidence and time frames for application will be similar to the requirements for deferring an examination.
For students who are approved to sit the test on 20/06/2025, extension requests will not be accepted for this test.
Submission of an Extension of Assessment Due Date (EADD) should be completed online through your My Requests tab via my.UQ Dashboard before the due date of the assessment item.
Late submission
Students are unable to submit this assessment late as the test will be set-up with an auto-submit once test duration has been reached.
Course grading
Full criteria for each grade is available in the Assessment Procedure.
| Grade | Description |
|---|---|
| 1 (Low Fail) |
Absence of evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 0% - 34% |
| 2 (Fail) |
Minimal evidence of achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 35% - 46% |
| 3 (Marginal Fail) |
Demonstrated evidence of developing achievement of course learning outcomes Course grade description: 47% - 49% |
| 4 (Pass) |
Demonstrated evidence of functional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 50% - 64% |
| 5 (Credit) |
Demonstrated evidence of proficient achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 65% - 74% |
| 6 (Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of advanced achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 75% - 84% |
| 7 (High Distinction) |
Demonstrated evidence of exceptional achievement of course learning outcomes. Course grade description: 85% - 100% |
Supplementary assessment
Supplementary assessment is available for this course.
Should you fail a course with a grade of 3, you may be eligible for supplementary assessment. Refer to my.UQ for information on supplementary assessment and how to apply.
Supplementary assessment provides an additional opportunity to demonstrate you have achieved all the required learning outcomes for a course.
If you apply and are granted supplementary assessment, the type of supplementary assessment set will consider which learning outcome(s) have not been met.
Supplementary assessment can take any form (such as a written report, oral presentation, examination or other appropriate assessment) and may test specific learning outcomes tailored to the individual student, or all learning outcomes.
To receive a passing grade of 3S4, you must obtain a mark of 50% or more on the supplementary assessment.
Additional assessment information
Please note the following when writing assignments
You must not re-use past work from previous assessments in your assignments.
Academic Integrity and Plagiarism
All reported work must be done by the individual student. Assignments that look and sound alike will be reported as plagiarism – a serious offence at UQ. Please note the university’s policy on academic integrity and plagiarism which can be accessed at Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy.
TurnItInﾠﾠ
Assignments that are required to be submitted through TurnItIn, must only be uploaded to the assessment specific Turnitin link on the relevant course Blackboard site. If you submit any version of your assessment item to any alternative Turnitin link, this is considered cheating and you will be held liable for this action.ﾠ ﾠ
Release of marks
Unless specifically indicated by the course coordinator, every attempt will be made to have the results for progressive assessment available within 3 weeks of submission. For items of assessment submitted in the last 2 weeks of the semester, the results will not be available until grades release day. Results and feedback availability will be advised to you by email or announced via the course Blackboard site.
Feedback in this course
Feedback is welcome in this course as any information on how students find this learning experience is constructive.
Please use the evaluation form provided to you at the end of semester - or if you are enrolled internally, a course evaluation process will occur in the last few weeks of semester.
Re-mark Applications – refer to the University's Re-mark Policy to check your eligibility
Before applying for a remark, students should consider the following:
- You have consulted the course coordinator for feedback
- Your academic grounds for remark have been discussed and are valid
- Wanting a higher grade is not grounds for a remark. A remark can decrease your grade.
Remark applications will not be considered without first having contacted your course Co-ordinator.
Deferred and Supplementary assessment (including Deferred In-Semester Examinations)
Deferred and Supplementary information can be located on theﾠmy.UQﾠwebsite
Learning resources
You'll need the following resources to successfully complete the course. We've indicated below if you need a personal copy of the reading materials or your own item.
Library resources
Find the required and recommended resources for this course on the UQ Library website.
Other course materials
If we've listed something under further requirement, you'll need to provide your own.
Required
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| ANIM7620 Course Blackboard Site | Blackboard is the main method of communication for this course. |
Recommended
| Item | Description | Further Requirement |
|---|---|---|
| ANIM7620 Course Profile | Provides details of specifications, rationale, aims and structure of the course. It also informs you of the assessment for this course, including weighting and due dates. |
Learning activities
The learning activities for this course are outlined below. Learn more about the learning outcomes that apply to this course.
Filter activity type by
Please select
| Learning period | Activity type | Topic |
|---|---|---|
Multiple weeks From Week 1 To Week 3 |
General contact hours |
Course Introduction and Module 1 - Animal Physiology Week 1: lecture by Dr Suresh Krishnasamy. Week 1 - 3: self-directed learning with online resources and independent research Learning outcomes: L01 |
Multiple weeks From Week 4 To Week 6 |
General contact hours |
Module 2 - Animal Behaviour and Welfare Week 4: lecture by Dr Angela Lees. Week 4 - 6: self-directed learning with online resources and independent research Learning outcomes: L02 |
Multiple weeks From Week 7 To Week 9 |
General contact hours |
Module 3 - Animal Nutrition Week 7: lecture by Dr Elham Soumeh. Week 7 - 9: self-directed learning with online resources and independent research Learning outcomes: L03 |
Multiple weeks From Week 10 To Week 12 |
General contact hours |
Module 4 - Animal Reproduction Week 10: lecture by Dr Andres Gambini. Week 10 - 12: self-directed learning with online resources and independent research Learning outcomes: L04 |
Additional learning activity information
Each module has a 2-hour in-person lecture but completion of the module assessments requires students to engage in independent research and self-directed learning with online resources provided. The course discussion board is key to engagement in this course.
Policies and procedures
University policies and procedures apply to all aspects of student life. As a UQ student, you must comply with University-wide and program-specific requirements, including the:
- Student Code of Conduct Policy
- Student Integrity and Misconduct Policy and Procedure
- Assessment Procedure
- Examinations Procedure
- Reasonable Adjustments - Students Policy and Procedure
Learn more about UQ policies on my.UQ and the Policy and Procedure Library.