DIPLOMA IN ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Start your farming career the right way

  • Learn about animal management, before you start managing them
  • Study online at your own pace. 

Learn to Manage Animals of all types of animals

Lay the foundation for career or business opportunities with animals:

  • in farming
  • with pets
  • working with wildlife

Through our core (compulsory)  modules you develop a broad based foundation that relates to animals on farms, as pets, in zoos or the wild. You study of anatomy, physiology, vertebrate zoology, animal behaviour, feed and nutrition, animal biochemistry, health and diseases, and genetics. These modules give students a thorough grounding in the biology of animals.

Following this a choice of electives enables you to streamline or specialise and learn things that are relevant to your own unique needs.

ACS Student Comment: 

Yes [the course was a valuable learning experience]. It is providing me with new insights and development beyond my former knowledge of this subject. It also provides me with a proper basic knowledge to pursue my dreams in this career path. - Arnold Taen, Netherlands

COURSE STRUCTURE/MODULES

Core Modules

These modules provide foundation knowledge for the Learning Bundle 2,100 hours in Animal Management.

  •  Industry Project BIP000
  • Animal Anatomy And Physiology (Animal Husbandry I ) BAG101
  • Animal Health Care VAG100
  • Biochemistry I (Animal and Human) BSC103
  • Research Project I BGN102
  • Vertebrate Zoology BEN104
  • Workshop I BGN103
  • Animal Behaviour (Psychology of Animals) BAG203
  • Animal Feed & Nutrition (Animal Husbandry III) BAG202
  • Animal Health (Animal Husbandry II) BAG201
  • Animal Breeding BAG301
     

Elective Modules

In addition to the core modules, students study any 10 of the following modules.

  •  Aquarium Management BEN105
  •  Dog Care BAG105
  •  Farm Management BAG104
  •  Nature Park Management I BEN120
  •  Ornithology BEN102
  •  Pet Care AAG100
  •  Animal Diseases BAG219
  •  Aquaculture BAG211
  •  Beef Cattle BAG206
  •  Cat Psychology and Training BAG222
  •  Dairy Cattle BAG205
  •  Dog Psychology and Training BAG221
  •  Genetics BSC207
  •  Goat Production BAG223
  •  Herpetology BEN209
  • Mariculture - Marine Aquaculture BAG220
  • Natural Health Care for Animals BAG218
  • Pasture Management BAG212
  • Pigs BAG209
  • Poultry BAG208
  • Primatology (Primate Animals) BEN210
  • Sheep BAG210
  • Sustainable Agriculture BAG215
  • Wildlife Management BEN205
  • Zoo Keeping BEN208
  • Horse Breeding BAG307

 
Note that each module in the Learning Bundle 2100 hours in Animal Management is a short course in its own right, and may be studied separately.

MORE KNOWLEDGE = BETTER ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

The amount and type of learning needed to manage animals well is not the same as what is needed to be a veterinarian; but there is no argument that the more you know and understand about animals, the better you will be at managing them.

This course takes longer than some courses, but in studying for longer you learn more.

As a graduate from this course, your understanding of farm animals will have changed, and you will perceive and make decisions about farm animals in a different and more informed way than ever before.

When You better Understand Veterinary Practice, You will make Better Decisions about Using Veterinary Services

By ensuring the animals under our care attend regular veterinary health checks, we are preventing risks of ill health.  Some types of health checks can be informed frequently by anyone who knows what they are doing; and others will require a fully qualified veterinarian. Routine health checks play an important role in ensuring the animal is in optimum health and for early diagnosis of any illnesses. 

Vet practices also put in place immunisation programmes as preventative measures.  Different programmes may be available depending on the locality, but generally there are vaccinations available for pets, farmed animals and zoo animals.  Vaccinations contain a very minute amount of the disease or organism, which is injected into the animal.  This will then trigger the white blood cells within the animal to produce antibodies to start fighting the disease.  In any future cases of the vaccinated animal coming in contact with the disease, the antibodies will recognise it and fight it off quickly.  The animal may show no signs at all or only very small symptoms of the disease.

Parasitic control is also a preventative measure offered by veterinary practices.  Again, these do vary depending on locality but there are a range of treatments available for both ectoparasites (external parasites) and endoparasites (internal parasites).  
Some common ectoparasites include:

  • Fleas
  • Ticks
  • Sarcoptes Mite
  • Cheyletiella Mite
  • Demodex Mite
  • Harvest Mite
  • Lice

Some common endoparasites include;

  • Roundworms
  • Hookworms
  • Whipworms
  • Tapeworms
  • Flukes
  • Heartworms
  • Lungworms

Veterinary practices urge owners to keep up to date with parasitic control to try to prevent outbreaks which will cause severe irritation, risk of disease, internal damage and secondary infections.  These preventative measures are also in place to decrease any risk to humans.  Some endoparasites are zoonotic meaning they can be passed onto humans and can be detrimental to the health of a child.  People can also become infected with ectoparasites, including ticks which can carry a range of diseases, for example Lyme disease.  


Animals Need Different Types of Food at Different Times

Seasonal change in the diet of many wild animals is common worldwide.  However, this change in nutritional needs is not completely understood or managed in many zoo feeding programs. Photoperiod and temperature are the main factors influencing diet changes. For example, the temperature can affect the appetite of animals such as carnivores.  These factors can also influence the feeding behaviour of animals.

Ruminants from temperate and arctic areas often show a marked seasonal variation in feed intake which corresponds to the natural seasonal availability of feed in the wild. For example, deer have a high feed intake in the summer, accumulating large fat quantities. In the winter they can go for days without eating, meeting their energy requirements by metabolising the fat in their bodies.

The data collected from zoo animals wild counterparts, can provide the best basis for optimum diets of zoo animals. Based on observations made in the field, zoo keepers can identify seasonal changes in diet and behaviour and adapt feeding plans to meet these. Accurate records of weight and growth are important when identifying seasonal changes in diet.  The animal’s diet should be monitored regularly and adjusted accordingly.

The amount of energy an animal requires will generally increase during pregnancy and lactation. In late gestation (pregnancy) feed intake may actually decrease, due to the high levels of estrogens in the body affecting metabolism. The increased size of the foetus will also reduce the volume in the abdominal cavity for storing food.

During peak lactation an animal’s energy requirements is at its highest. At this time body reserves are being used to meet this increased energy demand.

For birds, the breeding season also influences energy intake. Researchers have observed that the appetite of breeding emus rises dramatically in late winter when egg production ceases.  This is followed by a sharp decline in energy requirements in the following autumn when the new breeding season commences.


YOU NEVER STOP LEARNING ONCE YOU HAVE A PROPER FOUNDATION

The world of animal management is so big, and there are so many things to explore and learn about that it is hard to know where to begin.

Everyone needs a solid overview though; to understand animal anatomy and physiology, as well as the psychology and behaviour of animals. You need to know what they eat and drink, how to protect them from all sorts of risks; and a lot more.

This course will provide that broad foundation; and in doing so, give you a framework to move forward with a career, a business or simply pursuit of your lifelong passion.

 

WOULD YOU LIKE TO LEARN MORE?

ENROL TODAY!
Just go to the top of this page for pricing and enrolment options. If you have any questions you can contact us now, by:
Phone (UK) 01384 44272, (International) +44 (0) 1384 442752, or

Email us at [email protected]