Ethnography and appreciation of domestic animals

Teacher(s)

Philippe François-Xavier;

Language

French

Main themes

This course covers the knowledge and skills required to identify and characterise the morphological qualities of a domestic animal, as well as the specific characteristics associated with a particular breed. Describing the animal’s general appearance enables one to assess its qualities and defects from both an aesthetic and zootechnical perspective, and thus to ensure that its morphology is suited to the intended use (companionship, production, leisure, sport, work, etc.). Through rigorous and systematic observation of the various body parts, as well as of the animal as a whole (at rest and in motion), students learn to detect the main conformation abnormalities. This approach constitutes an important step towards the veterinary diagnostic process. Insights into certain conformation-related pathologies will be provided as a future prospect.

Learning outcomes

At the end of this learning unit, the student is able to :
1	Specific learning outcomes of the course Define, discuss and analyse the concepts of domestication, species and animal breeds Discuss past, present and future issues relating to animal production Understand the importance of zoogenetic resources Identify and assess the morphological, biomechanical and zootechnical qualities of a domestic animal Characterise the morphological and zootechnical characteristics of the main breeds of domestic animals, and ensure they are suited to their living conditions and intended purpose (companionship, production, leisure, sport, work, etc.)
Contribution of the course to the learning outcomes of the Bachelor of Veterinary Medicine programme. This course contributes to points 1.2.5; 5.1; 5.3 of the learning outcomes.

Content

Theoretical part
General Introduction : Discussion of the concepts of domestication, species, and breed. Historical overview of animal husbandry, from the origins of domestication to modern production systems integrating contemporary requirements related to animal welfare, environmental sustainability, product quality, and food safety. Evolution of the human–animal relationship. Importance of animal genetic resources, including causes of genetic erosion, justification for conservation, and methods of protection.
Species description and Production systems
Equine Specie : Identification , age determination, coat colours, nomenclature of body regions and assessment of their qualities, description of the principal horse breeds.
Bovine Species : Organization of production sectors and characteristics according to production type (beef, dairy, and dual-purpose), morphological description, performance control and selection, cattle identification (Sanitel system), age determination, description of the principal cattle breeds.
Ovine, Caprine, Porcine, Poultry, and Rabbit Species : Organization of production sectors, legal requirements for animal identification, description of the principal breeds.
Canine and Feline Species : Legal requirements for animal identification, Introduction to clinical semiology, clinical implications of selected conformational defects, disorders associated with extreme breed types (hypertypes), description of the principal dog and cat breeds.
Practical part
Practical Classes

• Equine identification: descriptive and graphical identification, age determination, and coat colour description.
• Cattle production: age determination, coat colour description, body condition scoring, linear classification, interpretation of dairy performance data, carcass classification, and introductory concepts in genetic selection and breeding management.

Field Visit

• Visit to the Paris International Agricultural Show (Salon International de l’Agriculture, Paris).

Teaching methods

Theoretical part : lectures in auditorium, richly illustrated (photos, videos, charts, graphs) and encouraging interaction. Each chapter concludes with a Wooclap quiz that reviews the essential concepts covered in the lecture, allowing students to assess their weaknesses and the professor to re-explain any less understood aspects.
Practical part : interactives sessions in auditorium

Evaluation methods

Written test out of the session – 30 multiple-choice questions on the equine species (Identification and description, Study of regions, Description of positions, Harnessing and equipment, Description of equine breeds) => ①
Written exam:
- 30 multiple-choice questions (knowledge and recognition of breeds, excluding equines) => ②
- Open-ended question (on the General Introduction) for the year => ③
The written test out of the session ①, the multiple-choice questions of the written exam ②, and the open-ended question of the written exam ③ each account for 1/3 of the final grade.

Other information

Prerequisites: Basic knowledge of equine and bovine anatomy.

Online resources

Lecture slides and practical work materials are available on the Moodle platform.
Website of the FAO on the management of animal genetic resources: https://www.fao.org/cgrfa/topics/en
Website of the Ethnozootechnics Society: https://www.ethnozootechnie.org/

Teaching materials

• Dias du cours déposées sur Moodle
• Contenus des TP déposés sur Moodle

Faculty or entity

> VETE