BSc (Hons) Bioveterinary Science

Level One

Mammalian Physiology (double unit)

Knowledge of the fundamentals of the biological systems at rest provides an origin for a diverse range of subjects.

The anatomy of each system is initially discussed, however, the units main focus remains upon the mechanisms by which the systems work to serve their function; cellular, nervous, endocrine, cardiovascular etc.

A range of skills gained from this unit include experimental design, microscopy and the use of cardio-respiratory equipment.

Biochemistry

Biochemistry is central to all areas of biological sciences. Its aim is to provide an understanding of every aspect of the structure and function of living things at a molecular level. This unit provides the understanding of the basic principles of biochemistry including the biological roles of carbohydrates, proteins, lipids and nucleic acids. It concentrates on how molecular structure is related to function. As well as providing a basis on which other second and third year units will build it also shows the links between other disciplines of life sciences and how biochemistry can be used in these areas. Biochemistry is very much a practical/experimental subject and great emphasis is placed on the practical training. These skills will be developed throughout the course.

Comparative Anatomy

This unit is concerned with developing an understanding of the basic principles of anatomy across taxa. It aims to show the distinctive features of taxa but also to explain how anatomical features have evolved.

Cell Biology and Immunology

Evolution, Genetics and Domestication

Research Skills and Biometrics

There are a number of basic skills that are essential for all scientists to possess in order to carry out a programme of research either as a practical experimenter or critically assessing the literature of a particular topic. These skills include both practical laboratory and field skills (data gathering) and the ability to interpret and present/communicate findings in a scientific manner. The unit equips the student with the skills required through out their science course/career including clear scientific writing style, appropriate use of standard units, good practical and investigative methods and statistical analysis. These skills are assessed by the students carrying out a short research project presented in poster format.

Evolution, Genetics and Domestication

The diversity of living things arose by evolutionary processes. Natural selection is the best known to the public generally, but other factors are equally or more important in specific cases. Domestication and the emergence of breeds of animals is an example, where human selection has led to extreme forms, for example the dachshund and the St. Bernard which both evolved from the wolf. The genetics section covers the principles of the structure and storage of nucleic acids the genetic code and how this information is translated via protein synthesis. This leads to how genetic traits are passed from on generation to the next and how genetic variability and genetic disorders arise.

Animal Husbandry and Welfare

Good animal management should aim to safeguard animal welfare and not simply exploit animals as a resource. This unit introduces the principles behind the husbandry and protection of captive animals to increase awareness of the issues involved in animal management. Particular emphasis is given to the approaches used to evaluate and protect an animal’s well being. Topics include the approaches used in assessing health and welfare, environmental enrichment, and normal and abnormal responses to captivity. The management of a range of species including companion, laboratory, farm and exotic species is examined. Practical sessions focus on animal handling, welfare assessment and the evaluation of animal management systems, using the diversity of farm, equine and small animal unit facilities available at Riseholme Park Campus.

Level Two

Livestock Systems

Livestock are fundamental to the traditional British countryside and are of very great commercial significance. At the same time the ways in which they are farmed often cause concern for welfare, food safety, conservation and economic reasons. Using Riseholme Park Farm and other resources, students learn how livestock systems operate in Britain and what the prospects are for the harmonious interaction of farm animals and the natural environment.

Reproduction and Breeding

Reproduction is one of the fundamental processes that define living organisms, involving events at the biochemical, cellular, organism and population levels it encompasses amongst a wide range of disciplines aspects of genetics, physiology, endocrinology, neurobiology and behaviour. This unit explains the basic components of the reproductive process considers some specific examples in more depth and introduces the concepts of heredity and population genetics.

Veterinary Microbiology

Microbes play a key roles in all live on earth. In animals for example they are essential for healthy digestion and immunity but are also involved in many disease processes. Understanding their biology within and around the animal is vital to animal health and welfare.

This unit will provide the student with a thorough knowledge of animal microbiology. The student will come to appreciate the importance of microscopic organisms in animal health especially in relation to equine and companion animal infectious diseases. The unit will include basic microbiology of viruses, bacteria and fungi and will provide insight into their importance in veterinary medicine.

Metabolism

Metabolism describes the collection of reactions that take place in an organism to convert fuel (food) into energy needed to power everything that individual does.

Specific proteins in the body control the chemical reactions of metabolism, and each chemical reaction is coordinated with other body functions. The unit describes the interactions of the thousands of reactions taking place and how metabolic disorders occur. This unit allows students to use the knowledge gained in basic biochemistry in an exploration of the complex ideas associated with mammalian metabolism. A large emphasis is placed on practical skills.

Nutritional Science

Nutrition plays a fundamental role in maintaining the health and welfare of animals.

This unit concentrates on the function, digestion and metabolism of the key nutrients, as well as factors which influence food intake. Laboratory skills are developed alongside lectures and tutorials.

Veterinary Anatomy

To maximise an animal’s potential, whether in athletic performance or general health, it is vital that we know how the healthy animal is designed, inside and out. Only then can we pick up problems and imperfections that may contribute to a substandard performance. This unit will cover veterinary anatomy using the equine species as model animal, but integrated with canine anatomy. It will provide an understanding of basic anatomy in relation to both structure and function. It will focus mainly on skeletal and muscular anatomy as well as ligaments, tendons and the nervous system. In addition it will include a study of the relationship between conformation, performance and injury with overall equine anatomy.

Veterinary Parasitology

Parasites have developed over millions of years to coexist successfully on or within an animal host. This symbiosis can have a negative effect on the animal’s health. Understanding this complex symbiosis, therefore, becomes essential. This unit takes an in depth look at the wide-ranging world of parasites that can affect animals. It explores the specialised features that parasites have developed to adapt to their host and it looks at the diseases these may result in, in both temperate and (sub)-tropical regions. The unit includes examination of rickettsia, protozoa, helminths, and ectoparasites. Through this unit students will come to appreciate the complexity and difficulties involved in controlling parasitic diseases.

Applied Statistics

Experimental science relies on sound experimental design and correct statistical analysis of data. This unit emphasises the importance of good, sound experimental design and the principle of probability in analysing the results of experiments. Students are introduced to the principles of experimental design, sample size accuracy and precision of measurements. The appropriate use of a range of statistical tests is discussed. This is a core unit that prepares students for their research project carried out in year three.

Level Three

Project and Dissertation (30 credits)

This unit is based upon individual, supervised student activity that provides an opportunity for an in-depth study of a particular topic and to demonstrate original and critical thought. A wide range of subject expertise exists within the department, which gives students a varied choice of areas to study.

Biotechnology

The term biotechnology refers to many different techniques from use of micro organisms used in fermentation to gene therapy. It is one of the most rapidly developing areas of the life sciences. This unit concentrates on the techniques involving tissue culture and analysis and manipulation of DNA. The major emphasis is on the practical techniques, and applications of these to animal science, conservation and forensic situations. Students regularly comment that the skills covered in this unit are in demand in many career choices.

Diagnostics and Analytics

To prevent and control disease effectively, the causes of disease as well as contributing factors need to be identified. Disease diagnosis and research are relying more and more on sophisticated and complex diagnostic and analytical techniques. This unit will allow students to understand the in depth principles of these techniques as well as getting some relevant practical hands-on experience. Students will be involved in high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC), gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) and atomic absorption spectrometry (AAS) as well as a range of clinical diagnostic methods in haematology, serology and microbiology.

Animal Disease

To successfully manage the animal’s health, it’s important that we know how a disease causes illness in the animal. This allows us not just to identify a problem, e.g. symptoms, but also provides a better chance of treatment and prevention. This unit furthers the understanding of biological, environmental and physiological contributors to health and disease and their application in preventing and controlling animal disease. It will apply knowledge on veterinary microbiology and parasitology, immunology, epidemiology and disease prevention to a variety of animal species. It will provide the student with a detailed understanding of a range of infectious and non-infectious diseases affecting companion and production animals.

Equine Disease

To successfully manage the horse’s health, it’s important that we know how a disease causes illness in the horse. This allows us not just to identify a problem, e.g. symptoms, but also provides a better chance of treatment and prevention. This unit furthers the understanding of biological, environmental and physiological contributors to health and disease and their application in preventing and controlling equine diseases. It will apply knowledge on veterinary microbiology and parasitology, immunology, epidemiology and disease prevention specifically to the horse. It will provide the student with a detailed understanding of a range of infectious and non-infectious diseases affecting the equine species.

Clinical Nutrition

Nutrition can be used to successfully manage a range of diseases in companion animals. This unit provides the student with a thorough understanding of clinical applications of nutrition and the utilisation of biochemical compounds to enhance animal well-being through nutritional supplementation. The unit applies knowledge from nutrition, health and biochemistry units and is taught through a series of lectures, tutorials and practical work.

Current Issues in Bioveterinary Science

It is important that students develop the ability to extend their knowledge of bioveterinary science into unexplored areas. This will allow them to deal with emerging diseases and new threats to animal health. This unit will give students the opportunity to utilise their knowledge in immunology, veterinary microbiology, parasitology and animal disease, acquired over the three years of study, and evaluate and discuss a selection of major challenges currently affecting animal health worldwide.

This programme provides advanced scientific study of animal physiology, health, nutrition, reproduction and disease prevention. The first year’s scientific knowledge underpins the understanding and further specialisation into areas of veterinary microbiology and parasitology, physiology, biotechnology, disease and diagnosis of levels two and three.

Bio-veterinary Science will be of particular interest to those students who wish to be trained as all round (companion and production) animal scientists, but who wish to focus particularly on the veterinary related aspects within animal science.

Diverse range of species located on site: at Riseholme Campus we have domesticated Lincoln Red Cattle, pedigree Welsh Llyen Sheep, a Cleveland Bay stud and familiar small mammal species including cats, dogs, mice, rats and exotics such as chinchillas, marmosets, reptiles, insects, spiders, molluscs and tropical and temperate fish.

Behaviour Clinic: the department hosts the only Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons approved behaviour speciality clinic, run under the direction of one of only two current RCVS recognised specialists in Veterinary Behavioural Medicine. This supports our internationally recognised research in companion and farm animal behaviour and welfare, behavioural consultancy and problem behaviour management.

Laboratories: in support of nutrition, veterinary microbiology, anatomy, exercise and reproductive physiology research.

Analytical Facilities: The University has recently invested in tissue culture facilities, DNA extraction and amplification, high performance liquid chromatography, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry and atomic absorption spectrometry. These facilities support the departmental strategy of interdisciplinary research that links molecular, organismal, population and community level research.

Entomology Lab: a purpose built walk in insectary houses various populations of insects that support both teaching and research at the University of Lincoln. The ‘Beetle Lab’ houses a dedicated image analysis workstation which allows microscopic morpho-metric measurements of insect features to be made.

Unique Location: Students at the Riseholme Park campus have all the benefits of city living and a convenient rural campus whilst studying and learning within the peaceful, unspoilt and natural environment of a beautiful parkland campus just 3 miles north of Lincoln city centre

Lecturing staff: High calibre, highly research active staff teaching according to their subject expertise. Staff contribute to the frontiers of their discipline through a range of biological and veterinary related disciplines. Staff contribute to government advisory bodies, publish in international journals and contribute to books and offer industrial consultancy. The quality of teaching is exceptionally high as rated by independent student satisfaction surveys.

Professor in Animal Science: Champions the application of genetics to livestock development and conservation.

Professor in Companion Animal Behavioural Problems who is also the country’s first specialist in veterinary behavioural medicine, to be recognised by the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons.

Riseholme Park Estate: Riseholme Estate comprises a total of 200 hectares of broad leave woodland, mixed farmland, cattle farm, lake and landscaped gardens. This diversity of habitats supports a great variety of animal and plant life, including rare species of dragonfly and butterfly and over 60 species of birds and wild mammals. These natural resources provide a backdrop to the programmes delivered at Riseholme and are an invaluable resource for teaching and research in Animal Behaviour Sciences.

Equine facilities: large, modern Equine Facilities, including high speed treadmill, 2 outdoor and 1 indoor arena, on-site tracks, indoor demonstration area, weighbridge, up to 28 school horses and 20 DIY boxes.

Equine Stud: a Cleveland Bay stud, including broodmares, young stock and stallions which is run in close association with the Cleveland Bay Horse Society.

The department has an exceptional record of placing students in animal based careers and opportunities to progress to post-graduate qualifications in animal behaviour, welfare and conservation.

Students graduating with degrees in bioveterinary science have a wide choice of careers. Graduates are trained in the disciplines of science and their outlook is broadened by their specialist practical skills and theoretical knowledge in the veterinary field.

Graduates are expected to find employment in the following areas:

• Continued study for MSc or PhD qualifications
• Continued study for veterinary medicine degrees.
• Lecturing
• Veterinary and Nutritional Research
• Biotechnology
• Technical sales, including veterinary, medical and nutritional sales.
• Research assistants
• Hospital/Forensic laboratory work

2012 Entry	UK/EU	International
Full-time	£9000	£12033
Part-time	£75 per credit point	£100 per credit point
Placement (optional)	Exempt	Exempt
Assessment Only	£38 per credit point	£50 per credit point

For further information and funding your studey please see our Fees & Funding pages.

Fees and Funding