| Semester 2, 2023 Toowoomba On-campus | |
| Units : | 1 |
| School or Department : | School of Agriculture and Environmental Science |
| Grading basis : | Graded |
| Course fee schedule : | /current-students/administration/fees/fee-schedules |
Staffing
Course Coordinator:
Overview
The management of animal production systems is becoming increasingly data focused. Real time sensing of animals and their environment is providing the managers of animal production systems with new insights to improve animal productivity, animal welfare and product quality while reducing environmental impacts. This course will equip students with the skills and knowledge to make use of sensors and data across the spectrum of the animal agricultural industries ensuring that they are well positioned to take advantage of new technologies as they are developed and are equipped with the innovation skills to fully realise the benefits of the sensing and data revolution in animal agriculture.
This course will introduce students to the foundations of technological innovation in animal production systems before critically reviewing the role that direct and indirect animal and environmental sensing can play across all aspects of management of animal production systems. It will then develop in the students the skills and techniques to convert sensor data to actionable decisions.
While there are no prerequisites for this course students will be expected to have an advanced understanding of animal production systems either through prior study or industry experience. Students not possessing this knowledge cannot expect to succeed in this course.
This course contains a highly recommended residential school for both external and on-campus students (non-attendance will mean the student misses an element of assessment preparation). To participate in the residential school students will need to have immunity to or have been vaccinated against Q fever (A zoonotic disease).
Course learning outcomes
On completion of this course students should be able to:
- Critically evaluate the market, industry and social systems that lead to innovation in animal production technologies;
- Identify relevant sensors and technologies to collect and generate data relevant to animal production systems;
- Interrogate relevant data sets to create actionable decisions;
- Identify the need, relevance and applications for new technologies and sensors in production animal management;
- Develop a technological/sensor concept to a potential new product.
Topics
| Description | Weighting(%) | |
|---|---|---|
| 1. | Innovation frameworks for animal production technologies | 10.00 |
| 2. | Direct and indirect animal sensing | 15.00 |
| 3. | Direct and indirect environmental sensing | 15.00 |
| 4. | Management and interrogation of senor data | 30.00 |
| 5. | Innovation and product development | 30.00 |
Text and materials required to be purchased or accessed
Student workload expectations
To do well in this subject, students are expected to commit approximately 10 hours per week including class contact hours, independent study, and all assessment tasks. If you are undertaking additional activities, which may include placements and residential schools, the weekly workload hours may vary.
Assessment details
| Description | Group Assessment |
Weighting (%) | Course learning outcomes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Literature review | No | 25 | 1,2,3 |
| Problem Solving | No | 20 | 4 |
| Report | No | 30 | 1,4,5 |
| Presentation (ind, grp, mltmd) | No | 25 | 1,4,5 |