Animal zootechnics is the science which studies all breeding and management processes of animal production and their improvements. The basic notions of zootechnics are important for veterinary students to acquire, so that they can have an overall idea of the breeding and management of animals (domestic, captive or wild). Knowledge of animals, the main element of this science, will be treated in ethnology.
Ethnology is a branch of zootechnics which concerns classification in the zoological (systematic) and zootechnical animal kingdom (profile, aptitudes according to well-defined criteria) with an expanded study of domestic species and breeds and their main particularities.
Knowing that species belong to the world of nature, differentiated by the processes of evolution over millions of years, while races are the product of intra-species differentiation under the action of human societies. On a genetic level, the distinction is also essential. The genome of species is unique, and cannot be reconstructed by man in the event of the disappearance of one of them, whereas that of races can be modified depending on the direction taken by man or by environmental conditions.
Knowledge of common phenotypic and production characteristics, and their fixation in a given group, constitutes an essential standard for the notion of pure breed. To this end, this module will provide all the preliminary concepts for understanding the classifications of animal species and breeds, their standards, as well as the reasons for their evolution over time linked to socio-economic particularities and consumer expectations.
In addition, the student at the end of this training will be able to have a global vision of the animal, its evolution, its performances; as well as its adaptation to changes linked to extrinsic factors.
In addition, the student will be able to carry out a breeding visit, and appreciate all the elements that constitute it (premises, orientation, openings, ventilation, food, animal, breeder, hygiene, animal welfare, etc.) , the approach and restraint of the animal, the knowledge of the exterior of the animal and the assessment of its profile, the classification of the animal and the installation of identification tags or electronic chips.