Course Title:Livestock Production

Lesson Title:Evaluating Vital Signs of Livestock

TEKS Addressed in Lesson: 130.3 c 4B

Lesson Objectives. The student will be able to:

1Give examples of physical factors which affect animal health

2 Discuss the important of diseases as it relates to production and health

3Articulate the importance of good stockmanship in the maintenance of animal health

Tools and Equipment:

PowerPoint: Factors Affecting Animal Health

Projector

Student Notes

Key Terms / Vocabulary

Stockmanship: the skill of managing livestock.

Disease: a disordered or incorrectly functioning organ, part, structure, or system of the body resulting from the effect of genetic or developmental errors, infection, poisons, nutritional deficiency or imbalance, toxicity, or unfavorable environmental factors; illness; sickness; ailment

Engage/ Interest Approach/Anticipatory Set

The teacher/facilitator will provide 5-10 pictures of animal diseases/environmental conditions. The teacher will facilitate discussion over the diseases. Possible leading questions would be: what do you think were the underlying causes of this disease? What could be the possible repercussions of this type of environmental factor? This should take approximately 10 minutes provided for adequate discussion.

Explore & Explain/ Teaching Plan and Strategy / Presentation of New Material

1 Teacher-led discussion on the importance of managing risk factors for animal disease

2 Teacher-led discussion and lecture over “Factors Affecting Animal Health” utilizing PPT.

3 Teacher will utilize real-world examples with the help of pictures to allow students to discuss the various risk factors for disease.

Elaborate / Activity/Application/ Student Engagement /Laboratory

Students will complete the Factors Affecting Animal Health Project Activity. See below for a synopsis:

Break students into small groups for an activity. Assign each group a physical factor. As a reminder, some of the factors are:

  • Temperature
  • Humidity
  • Radiation
  • Air Movement
  • Precipitation
  • Microbiological Environment
  • Nutrition
  • Dust

Ask the students to develop a flyer discussing each risk factor, which will presented to the class. The activity page discusses several topics of concern for each factor. Description of factor, effect on animal health, methods to prevent animal harm from factor should be included in the flyer.

Evaluation/ Summary

Ask students to have a class discussion concerning livestock risk factors after they have presented their activity. You may need to prompt discussion by asking probing questions. Some are as follows:

  • What do you feel is the most important factor? Why?
  • What is a common animal health factor you deal with in your SAE? How do address this issue?
  • What are other types of factors?

Upon conclusion, ask the class questions over their knowledge of the material.

References/Additional Materials / Extended Learning Opportunities/ Enrichment

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations Publications:

Finnish Food Safety Authority Evira:

College & Career Readiness Standard

Cross-Disciplinary Standard I.C.(1)(2)

©Texas Education Agency, 2015